The Chocolate Hills: Plus spots not to miss in Bohol

Many years ago, a giant, selfish and hungry carabao conquered Bohol. It ate everything – crops, fruits on trees, everything. Finally, the people could no longer stand seeing the humongous creature take everything away. So they gathered all their spoiled food and place it outside their homes. They knew that the giant carabao would be back in no time and finish up everything.


True enough, the carabao ate all the spoiled food that the townsfolk have prepared.  A few days after, his stomach went foul. He had to poop a thousand times creating mounds of feces.  His poop was scattered all around town. And as the days came by, the mounds of poop hardened, dried up, and became the Chocolate Hills.

How a thing as disgusting as poop turned into something as magnificent as the Chocolate Hills is something I can’t explain but this is one of the funniest legends I’ve encountered about the famous hills. We see them in our History books, in post cards, in posters, on TV; but seeing the Chocolate Hills in person is an entirely different experience.

Aside from the Chocolate Hills, here are more not-to-miss spots in Bohol:

Baclayon Church; free

Made from coral stones, the Church also draws attention because of a mysterious image on its walls believed to be Padre Pio’s. Padre Pio  is the first priest in history to receive stigmata.

Man-made forest; free

Take a break from the summer heat and enjoy the shade within the 2-kilometer stretch of the man-made forest.

Bohol Bee Farm; free

A piece of heaven to organic eaters, the Flower Salad and the malunggay ice cream at the Bohol Bee Farm is a must-try!

Prony, the python; P25

One of the longest pythons in captivity, Prony eats 1 goat once a month.  Don’t worry, this beast is gentle and would hardly move.

Tarsier Conservation Park; P60

Check out one of the world's smallest primates at the Tarsier Conservation Park. Taking photos with flashes is not allowed.

Bayoyoy, one of the world's smallest man alive; donation

At 64 years old, Bayoyoy celebrates dwarfism by being the pleasant dwarf he could be to his guests. He is blind but he could hear; he drinks milk and eats only oatmeal. 

After braving the heat of the Bohol Countryside Tour, what better way to freshen up than by plunging into Panglao's beaches. Read about my summer love for Panglao!