Bohol
Island
Bohol is just 79 kilometres southeast of
Cebu, oval-shaped Bohol province, is a treasure trove of ecological
and historical wonders including the popular Chocolate Hills.
The capital, Tagbilaran remains a sleepy laid-back city with
its share of ubiquitous malls and fastfood chains. Not much
action to be found here but in the isles at the tip of Bohol,
pristine beaches line Panglao Island while the best and most
popular divesites in the country temptingly lie around Balicasag
Island.
A few years ago, only divers and locals were
privy to these white sand beaches and dive sites but soon
word did spread thus Bohol is now largely popular as a world-class
diving destination.Bohol has other sights to offer the traveller
seeking to explore more of the island. Apart from being a
cradle for caves, waterfalls and mangrove forests, it is also
home to the bright-eyed tarsier, one of the world's smallest
primates.
The province also served as the site of
the Blood Compact, a historic treaty of friendship between
a local chieftain and a Spaniard drawn in a contract signed
with blood from their veins. The Spanish occupation thus left
behind a number of centuries-old churches and watchtowers.
Visitors to the island have increased in
recent years as Bohol continues to promote its own brand of
eco-tourism, but this beautiful island remains largely quaint,
unexplored, and unaffected by the modern trappings that it
currently enjoys.
Climate
Unlike
Luzon and the northern part of Visayas, Bohol is mostly unaffected
by the numerous typhoons that hit the country. The weather
is mostly mild all year round. When typhoons do hit the island,
they usually cross quickly and are no longer powerful, their
energy dissipated by the mountains in Leyte and Samar. From
November to April, the northeast monsoon (amihan) prevails.
Except for a rare shower, this is the mildest time of the
year. Daytime temperatures average 28°C, cooling down
at night to around 25°C. The summer season from May to
July brings higher temperatures and very humid days. From
August to October is the southwest monsoon (habagat). The
weather during this season is not very predictable, with weeks
of calm weather alternating with rainy days. It can rain any
day of the year, but you will have more chance for a heavy
shower from November to January.
Location
Bohol
is an island province in the Visayas. It lies southeast from
Cebu across Bohol Strait and southwest from Leyte, separated
by the Camotes Sea and Canigao Channel. Bohol is also located
north of Mindanao with Bohol Sea between them. With a land
area of 4117.3 km² and a coastline 261 km long, Bohol
is the tenth largest island of the Philippines.
The main island is surrounded by about 70 smaller islands,
the largest of which are Panglao Island facing Tagbilaran
City in the southwest and Lapinig Island in the northeast.
The terrain of Bohol is basically rolling and hilly and about
half the island is covered in limestone. Near the outer areas
of the island are low mountain ranges. The interior is a large
plateau with irregular landforms.
