Aside from the usual networking site bumming that I do on a daily basis, another staple in my computer monitor is the windows allotted for budget airline websites. I get giddy everytime I see the words "PROMO FARES" flashing incessantly on the screen, as if trying to lure me to book another flight to a place I have never been before. Needless to say, there's a certain kind of euphoria in knowing that I can get a cheap flight to a destination of my choice. However, getting that deal is sometimes likened to a commuter who races to the MRT during rush hours. You have to compete with everyone else in order to get a comfortable seat. Well, that is, if you have a lot of patience in tow.
Good thing, I was patient enough to search for the best possible deal for our Bohol trip a few weeks ago. We were lucky to find a very accommodating tour guide (Mr. Bert Gacerra and his son Kim) who made our first visit to Bohol a truly memorable one.
For this trip, we flew via Air Asia to Tagbilaran City. The service was not so bad, except for the one-hour delay which was pretty much expected of some airlines.
It took us almost 20 minutes to get to Bohol Regents Park Hotel from the Tagbilaran Airport. The hotel was located a few minutes away from Alona Beach in Panglao Island. Since it was almost dark, right after checking in and getting all our stuff in, we headed to the beach for dinner. Alona is much like the white beach of Boracay, except that it was more peaceful and serene, and surprisingly not too crowded. It doesn't have the party-like atmosphere that Boracay is known for. If you want a quiet beach that can still offer the right amount of fun and pleasure, Alona is the place to be.
Immediately after dinner, we headed to our first stop, the Firefly Tour along Loboc River. This was Dan's special request. I wanted him to turn his childhood dream into reality. We had a private boat all to ourselves. Our boatman, Kuya Joseph, was very passionate about fireflies. Incidentally, he was the pioneer of this tour in Bohol. We traversed the placid and eeriely dark waters of Loboc. I wasn't too excited for this itinerary because when faced with total darkness, my rich imagination gets the better of me. Just when I was about to have a panic attack, our boatman brought us closer to a tree adorned with numerous fireflies. It seemed like having stars in the sky just within your reach. All too suddenly, the disturbing images that were playing in my head vanished. It was truly a sight to behold!
