Bohol Day 1: Bohol Countryside Tour
As they always say, TRAVELLING is one of the most enriching activities for couples to do. It is a great bonding experience because you get to learn a lot from each other and have fun along the way!
For our very first anniversary, Ruel and I took a really long time to decide on which destination to go for. There were too many choices and it was just too hard to choose one (and it did not help that my boyfriend keep telling me “anywhere will do.” Ugh!). But our main goal is to travel and explore the Philippines first before going outside the country. We know there's still a lot to see in ourEventually, we have decided to go for Bohol and I took the liberty to do all the necessary preparations for our very first couple trip alone.
Considering that we do not know much about Bohol, I decided to contact a tour group to handle the itinerary preparation for us. It is the kind of package wherein the trip is exclusively just for the two of us so it was a bit pricey. I will be giving an overview of our expenses on a different blog post that will include the summary of our itinerary.
Arrival at Bohol
Our flight to Tagbilaran City, Bohol was through AirAsia-Zest which was scheduled to depart on June 19, Thursday at 7:30 AM. It was a good thing that the flight did not get delayed as we usually suspect and experience.
Unfortunately, I tried to do a web check-in and for some insane reason, their system was not programmed to choose us the best seats that will ensure us to be seated together. Worse, I was no longer able to cancel my attempt to do the web check-in even though I did not really proceed with it. So we ended up not sitting together at the plane to and from Bohol. 
We arrived at the Tagbilaran City Airport around 8:50 AM which is just right on time.
Upon arriving, we were picked up by two nice men from Samantha Tours with a black Hyundai Accent. Imagine my excitement when I found out that we will be driving around my car’s twin! That day marked the day 1 of our Bohol trip which is all about the Bohol Countryside Tour.
Chocolate Hills
Our very first stop was at the famous Chocolate Hills! It took us around 45 minutes to travel from Tagbilaran airport to the area.
We decided to tour the beautiful natural resources by taking a 30-minute ATV ride.
I was a bit scared to ride the ATV at first cause it was my first time and I was having a hard time controlling it at the beginning.
Added to that, the land was very rocky, bumpy and wet due to the rain so our feet and legs got really muddy.
But, of course, eventually I got used to it and very much enjoyed the experience!
Our guide was really great when it comes to choosing the right spot to take pictures! Well, obviously that’s what he is being paid for! We also found out he used to work for ATV at Boracay.
At the ATV spot, we also got to buy Bohol’s famous peanut kisses for P135 at 16 pieces! And to all the places we have been, this is definitely the cheapest!
Man Made Forest
We actually passed through the man made forest on our way to the chocolate hills. However, we only decided to stop by and take some pictures on our way back which was also the same way to our next destination.
Quoting one of our guides, it actually felt like being in the world of the Lord of the Rings.
Tarsier Viewing
According to our guides, if we would spend the night at the forest, we would end up hanging out with tarsiers who happened to be nocturnal.
Nearby the hills and man-made forest, we got to visit a spot where we are allowed to view tarsiers.
Tarsiers are very cute and tiny! If given the chance, I’d want to hold one of them but they happen to get stressed when touched that causes them to commit suicide which is something that's very alarming considering that they are already endangered.
At that place alone, we were able to view 8 of them. These tarsiers always go back to the same spot in the morning but would leave at night (probably to party? LOL). The volunteers had already set up homes for them on their usual spots.
Rio Verde Floating Restaurant
After a long flight and road travel, we were definitely famished after not having any decent meals! Good thing our next stop was to finally have our lunch buffet at the Rio Verde Floating Restaurant!
There, we got to eat lunch while floating around while a live music plays on the background.
The food was okay and not really something you’d rave about but the view was absolutely amazing! It is the experience you would really be paying for!
Of course, the floating restaurant won’t just float around without going anywhere. It would actually bring you to an area where you will get to meet the Ati Tribe.
The area is actually a tourist spot already so the locals really wear tribal outfits and dance around to entertain guests. The kids looked really cute in their traditional tribal get up but I felt a bit sad about the fact that they try to sell the iguanas to tourists!
World's Largest Python
Afterwards, we came to the animal kingdom where we were supposed to see the largest python listed in the Guinness's Book of Records! Unfortunately, the python passed away last September 2013. Their belief is that this was because the animal somehow absorbed its master’s illness. When the owner got cured with cancer, the python passed away right after.
However, the python’s body and bones were preserved and we were able to see its remains (literally).
But the place did not disappoint. It was still filled with different animals from different kinds of birds too, of course, snakes! We even got to touch the snakes and have pictures with them!
We spotted one snake which, according to the local guide will eventually be as big as the famous python.
Churches and other historical spots
As we drove along the roads of Bohol, we spotted a lot of really old churches, bridges and other structures that were destructed by the earthquake. An example is the Baclayon Church.
Before going to our hotel to finally rest, we stopped by at a pasalubong shop nearby the Blood Compact monument.
Throughout our tour, we got to sort of hang out with a very adorable French girl named Sophie. Everyone around her goes crazy over her!
For the pasalubong, we bought more peanut kisses, peanut fingers, peanut cookies and otap. The peanut snacks are truly addicting!
Dumaluan Beach Resort II
I actually chose this resort because I really wanted a nice hotel for our first couple out of town.
Dumaluan Beach Resort actually has two parts and the part I chose is the private one. The resort is really huge with its own beachfront and swimming pool.
Our room was just beside the pool but we were not able to really enjoy the amenities on the first day because our priority then was to rest. We always make it a point to get the rest and recovery we deserve when going on vacations.
As soon as we arrived, Ruel had already hit the bed and was fast asleep!
The thing is that we were not able to get enough sleep prior or flight because I was on mid shift and we were not really able to pack up ahead of time for our trip. So we spent the night and the morning cramming our preparations!
I was only able to lurk nearby our room because I wanted to rest as well. I also found out that they always have a live band at night with basso nova music and the performers are really great and amazing to listen to! But the prices of the food are somewhat expensive but looks worth it!
The great thing about the first day is that the weather was really favorable and a little shower only came after a tour on our way to the resort! 
Peanut Kisses and Calamay
I just can’t get enough of the peanut kisses and calamay! I think we were snacking on them every minute!
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