Fresh Ideas

Archive for May, 2011

After checking out those cute tarsiers, it’s time to venture Bohol’s main natural attraction, the Chocolate Hills.

We drove to Carmen, Bohol as part of our Tagbilaran Countryside Tour and went up to a hill where a facility was developed to let visitors take a peek at this breathtaking natural wonder. There are over a thousand hills and I’m not sure what the exact count is because there are several contradicting statements across the Internet.

The mound shaped hills are spread all over the town of Carmen, Sagbayan and Batuan. The hills vary in size from 30 to 50 meters high. The hills are covered in grass and the color is brown in summer and sunny days, hence the name Chocolate Hills. It is brownish green in the rainy season. More than a few legends existed on the hills’ creation and it is amazing how far the imaginations of people take.

We cannot get enough taking pictures of this natural wonder. The 360 degree view is spectacular and we cannot fathom how this kind of natural formation even existed!

As much as I would like to stay longer, but the battery of my camera is not cooperative and was almost giving up. Aside from that, we cannot also stay longer than we wanted to because we have an itinerary to follow and we would not have the leisure to go to the other tourist spots so we decided to go to our next destination, the Butterfly Center and Man Made Forest.

Things you need to know:

• Do not go to the edge too far just to take pictures and you might slip.
• Try to go to the other side of the platform or to the lower balcony to take a good shot. Most of the time, tourists will flock the highest platform wherein they can get a good view of the hills. You do not want them to populate the screen and have unfamiliar faces in your photos.
• Be patient in taking shots. People will come and go, so try to focus on the scenery and don’t be hasty in clicking the button.

For details on the trip, you may read on these related posts:

• Day 1 Cebu trip
• Day 2 Bohol Experience
• Blood Compact Shrine: Day 2 Bohol Tour
• Baclayon Church: Day 2 Bohol Tour
• Dine at the Loboc River Cruise: Day 2 Bohol
• A Day with the Tarsiers: Day 2 Bohol
• Butterfly Center and Man Made Forest: Day 2 Bohol
• Crossing the Hanging Bridge: Day 2 Bohol
• Pasalubong galore at Aproniana Souvenir Shop: Day 2 Bohol

Witnessing the well-known tarsiers is our next destination in our Tagbilaran Countryside Tour. This creature is considered one of the world’s smallest primates. We are fortunate to drive by in the Tarsier Visitors Center in Sikatuna, Bohol. There is no entrance fee to witness this petite beauty but donation is very much encouraged.

The tarsier is a nocturnal creature that has eyes as big as its brain! Its large eyes are fixed in the skull and to compensate, it can move its neck and rotate its head for 180 degrees! The color of the eyes is almost the same color as its fur. The entire body is covered with brownish rough short fur, while the tail is twice as long as its body is free of fur used in balancing. The long ankles give its name, tarsius. The natural habitat of these creatures is lowland rainforest. Its role in the habitat is great unlike its small size. It preys on insects at night and helps in the balance of the food chain because it also becomes prey on other larger animals. It is a voracious eater as it needs lots of food to survive, as much as 10 percent of its body weight.

From where we witnessed this wonderful species of tarsier, they are enclosed in an area where small trees grew where it served as its shelter. Taking pictures is allowed but using flash is extremely prohibited as this will cause stress on this nocturnal creature. Don’t ever think of having it as a pet because it will be greatly distress and may commit suicide.

The tarsiers are amazingly adorable but knowing that the numbers in the wild is dwindling, it horrifies us to know that it became an attraction to us tourists without knowing its plight. It is good to know that there are organizations that help conserve this endangered species. Reforestation is also one of the conservation initiatives by the local government to help preserve the natural ecosystem.

After our tarsier experience, it’s time to venture Bohol’s main natural attraction, the Chocolate Hills.

Things you need to know:

• Do not ever use flash in taking pictures. This may cause panic and blindness in these delicate creatures.
• Do not touch or hold them as this will cause them stress.
• As much as possible, avoid speaking loudly or if this cannot be prevented, try to speak in a very low tone of voice.

For details on the trip, you may read on these related posts:

• Day 1 Cebu trip
• Day 2 Bohol Experience
• Blood Compact Shrine: Day 2 Bohol Tour
• Baclayon Church: Day 2 Bohol Tour
• Dine at the Loboc River Cruise: Day 2 Bohol
• The Magnificent Chocolate Hills: Day 2 Bohol
• Butterfly Center and Man Made Forest: Day 2 Bohol
• Crossing the Hanging Bridge: Day 2 Bohol
• Pasalubong galore at Aproniana Souvenir Shop: Day 2 Bohol