My Wordless Monday Picture Blog (Week 64)

My Favorite Resort in Panglao Island, Bohol

I have been to Panglao Island in Bohol in 3 different instances and each time we were billeted in a different resort. Of the 3, my favorite is the boutique resort called Amarela. Beyond from its physical attributes which is very pleasing to the eyes is the ambiance you get that it feels you are really on a vacation although the whole of Panglao Island is open to public.

My First Underwater Photography Stint

I own an Olympus digital camera that guarantees to be waterproof up to 33 feet and shockproof up to 6.6 feet. I have no plans to test its shockproof capability but to give justice to its waterproof feature I thought that I should start taking underwater photographs. I don't know if I do well with this attempt as a novice underwater photographer. The following images where just taken from the lovely infinity pool of Amarela Resort in Panglao, Bohol. There's nothing to see at the bottom of the pool so I just concentrated taking pictures of the beautifully colored building.

I also took underwater photographs few days ago in Boracay but it would be in a separate blog entry. I will try to enhance further my underwater photography skills there in Mactan in my next trip in several days. I am not yet a certified diver but I took scuba lessons before so if I have a budget I'll go diving during the weekend to take more underwater pictures.

I'm Off to Bohol & Cebu... I'll be Back in a Jiffy!!!

from my January 2008 visit

As evident in my previous posts if you follow this blog that I love FREE/subsidized travels (particularly free tickets). This time it is not due to the generosity of Cebu Pacific Air and I already used up my Mabuhay Miles from Philippine Airlines to upgrade my roundtrip Iloilo ticket to business class several months ago.

My very good friend Sukhbir, a Philippine-born Indian who is now a resident of Canada but works in the U.S., generously offered me to accompany him because he wants to go to a beach. It is too good to resist as he will be paying a big chunk for this beach trip. I would probably not go if I will pay for my expenses as I have many FREE trips to come in the coming weeks courtesy of Cebu Pacific. This is his first time to visit the Philippines in 6 years so he wants to explore the islands as he only been around just in Luzon during our high-school days.

He set a generous budget for both of us and I managed to get good deals from Triple-A category resorts in Panglao (Bohol) and in Mactan Island (Cebu) with few thousands of pesos more to spare. I could have even booked us business class tickets but we rather spend the extra budget in hotel food and maybe a massage by the beach. He is not interested to do a country tour of both provinces rather he just like to get a sunburn as when he goes back to Canada next month it would be the start of winter. I hope the weather would cooperate so he could defeat the purpose of visiting the Philippines. As for me I don't mind it as the saying goes"beggars can't be choosers" and I've been to those provinces 2x already.

I'm so happy that I chanced upon Ms. Lilette Gacera who operates Angelbert Tourists Transport Services. She seemed to be very accommodating and she answered all my queries regarding the tour I specifically want. She gave me a very good deal for the wholeday tour for Bohol. I highly suggest everyone to contact her mobile at (917) 304-2385 or email lpgacera@yahoo.com if you need transportation or even a good resort/hotel anywhere in Bohol. Of the countless transport & tour operators who were receommended by many travel sites, I know I made the right choice.

I like Panglao more than Boracay as it has a charm of being like Boracay in terms of physical beauty but with less crowd and less commercial activities. Panglao and Boracay are the same in many ways as sometimes my photographs of Panglao are being mistakenly identified by my Boracay-lover friends as Boracay. I don't know if its a good or bad sign that you can't find fastfood chains Andok's, Mang Inasal and Yellow Cab in Panglao. Panglao is definitely much expensive than Boracay in terms of accommodation, restaurants and even transportation as there are more demand than supply of everything there.

I am not a stranger to Cebu but I have no idea what the beaches in Mactan Island looks like as I've only seen them from afar during takeoff & landings at Mactan International Airport. I've only been to the beaches of Bantayan Island in Northern Cebu but not Mactan. It's good to know that we got a resort with a private secluded beach so there will be no jostling of a good spot with other vacationers.

I have a problem though... I will be attending a cousin's wedding and family reunion on Oct. 25 in Iloilo City so I can't bask in the sun very long as I want my best face forward during the two important events, not a sunburned peeling face ;)

Panglao... the Rainbow's End

I have no idea that one will find the end of the rainbow in the paradise island of Panglao in Bohol. If you don't believe me, here is my proof...

Aquadog of Panglao

Got these photos of a cute and friendly dog in Panglao Island, Bohol. Upon reaching the beach at about 6:30 am he was already there doing his daily routine frolicking under the morning sun and minding his own business. He is so much comfortable in the water that he swam longer than any of us at the beach. He belongs to one of the posh resorts in Panglao. A rainbow in the background adds drama to the pictures, right?

staring at something... look at his sandy nose :)

standing for a pose

There he goes chasing the rainbow

Bantayan Island & Panglao Island Here I Come!... I'll be Back in a Jiffy!

As far as I am concerned, today is the start of my long weekend which will last up to Tuesday. I will be off tomorrow early morning to Bantayan Island in Cebu and Panglao Island in Bohol. Bantayan Island which is located off the northern Cebu main island is being dubbed as "The New Boracay" because of its powdery white sand beaches less the crowd and commercialization. While Panglao which is connected with a bridge from the main island of Bohol is I think the "Quiet Boracay." I have pictures of Panglao which most of my friends thought that I took it from my Boracay vacation.

This would be my 2nd trip to Cebu and Bohol but it would be my 1st time in Bantayan Island. Beachcombing in January? Well, I don't care even if the summer season starts in April. I love going to the beach during the low season anyway.

This is the 1st of my 2008 adventures and I hope that there will be many, many, many, many, many more to come... How about you? Where do you plan to go in 2008?

Pictures of my Cebu-Bohol trip will definitely follow in my next posts. Ciao!

beach in Bantayan Island (picture taken from www.wayfaring.info)

beach in Panglao Island (picture taken from www.elportalinn.net)