I left Tacloban early on the 23rd and flew into a near by island called Cebu. My plan there was to just have a relaxing 24 hours before going to another island called Bohol. Bohol is the tenth largest island in the Philippines and lies to the west of Cebu. In Cebu I had another massage and also hit a casino. I won about £60 playing blackjack which was a bonus but awoke the next day to find two 1000 peso chips in my sky rocket (£30's worth and I didn't have time to go back and change them) so gave them to a few local ladies who were begging with their children. One of them cried, I do hope she manages to exchange them successfully at the casino...
I then headed to the port to catch a boat which would take a few hours and take me to Bohol. The boat trip was uneventful really. It was one of these fast boats that bounce over the sea. I arrived early evening and went straight to my digs for the next few nights. I was staying at a place called Bohol Coco Farm. I'd heard great reviews from people I was volunteering with, apparently the breakfast was incredible. I had my own little hut which coast about £4 a night. Basically just a bed and fan in a small bamboo hut. I slept really well that first night and really liked the place. Very quiet and relaxed.
The following day i awoke and tried the breakfast, it was sensational. Like an egg plant omelette, okra, spinach (I think?!) rice and some lovely spuds in a delightful sauce. I'm not usually a breakfast man but I smashed it down. I then rented a scooter for the day. It cost about £6 and was an ideal way of getting around the island. I was staying on Panglao island which connects to the main island by a bridge. I got stupidly lost that first day and very luckily just popped up right next to Coco Farm via a small path. I knew I would. I was chatting to a German lady prior to leaving and she told me that there will only be one path going around the island... This wasn't the case at all. Alas, I made it back. The pace of life on this island is very chilled. It's a diving hotspot for the enthusiasts and to be honest I'd have loved to have learnt to dive here but time didn't allow that. I only had 4 days before I had to be in Manila for my flight back to Bangkok. I hit a few beaches that first day and just got a feel for the place. The following day I decided to get involved with one of the tours being advertised at the farm. Dolphin watching, snorkelling on Balicasag Island and then a quick visit to Virgin island all for less than a tenner.
The next morning I was up at 0500 ready to head to Alona beach to jump on my boat and crack on with the days antics. A load of boats head to a certain area where dolphin sighting is guaranteed, it didn't disappoint. I like dolphins, they're probably in my top 5 of all animals so enjoyed seeing them. We then pulled up on Balicasag Island where we would snorkel. There was about 10 of us on this boat and as soon as we came ashore we were asked to pay another £5 or so to get into a little boat and to be taken to a great spot to snorkel. I thought this was a bit cheeky so told the local that I'd walk to it and then snorkel. I watched the rest of the group boats the boat and sail for about 2 minutes and walked for 5 minutes myself and joined them... Silly sausages. I left my bag on the beach but then as I walked to the sea I was called over by some locals who told me to leave the bag with them...which concerned me a little. However, they appeared genuine(ish). I snorkelled quite close to shore at first, close enough so that if I saw some cheeky rascal trying to steal it I'd catch them. I then got out and had a chat to the locals. It turned out they were actually Philippine Navy who are stationed there and are basically the security for the island. I told them my background and they invited me in for breakfast with them. There was no need to worry about my bag, these were the good guys. I had some breakfast with them, left my bag and went snorkelling again. This time going a lot further out and not looking back once. The sea was amazingly clear and I saw all sorts of lovely looking fish. And upon my return was given a bottle of sprite and my bag with all it's contents still inside. Nice chaps. We then set sail again for Virgin island. I had done no research into this trip so had no idea what to expect. Virgin island is basically a small bit of land in the middle of the sea. A big area of the beach sinks during high tide and only the palm trees in the middle of the island are visible. The locals set up little bbqs and I ate some very fresh shellfish/seafood. I've no idea what it was or what it was called but it was bloody tasty. After that we headed back to Alona Beach where I disembarked and relaxed at the beach for the rest of the day.
The next day I decided to rent a scooter again and head in the opposite direction in search of more beaches and also a place where I could cliff dive. I found a secluded beach after driving for a bit. To get to it I passed through like a little forest that had chickens running around, 2 horses tied up, a hut with a fish tank outside and also numerous monkeys locked up in cages. It was all very bizarre but once I passed though the beach the views were stunning. After relaxing there for a while I jumped back on the scooter and found the spot for cliff diving. It was basically part of a hotel called the Alexsis Cliff Diving Resort. It offered an 8 meter cliff jump which seemed a hell of a lot higher when I was standing looking down. I cracked on though and threw myself off landing feet first in the perfectly clear water. A really enjoyable experience. After that I hit more beaches, had more outstanding seafood and just embraced the pace of life.
The following day I had booked a flight back up to Manila where I had 2 nights to kill before going back to Thailand. I got up early and went to visit the famous "Chocolate Hills". There are about 1000-2000 thousands of these dome shaped hills that are actually limestone hills covered in grass that change like a browny colour in the dry season. A big tourist attraction in Bohol but one on reflection, I could have lived without seeing. I then went to the airport for my flight to Manila. I really enjoyed Bohol and wish I had longer there to learn to dive. But as with all the places I visit and like, there is no reason why I won't return one day. Next stop is a quick smash and grab in Manila...