Bohol Part 1 – Panglao Island
Actually, the decision want to go to Bohol was very last minute. My trips this time were less prepared, only the flights I bought early. Most of the hotel in Bohol I just walked in. I did not recommended to walk in because it is very tiring, and sometime the price the offered is expensive. I was confident not to book early because I know this is not the peak time for the tourist. Most of the rooms were empty.
Daripada fly dari Ilo-Ilo, ke Cebu City dengan menggunakan Cebu Pacific. Flight agak murah dalam RM35 all-in. Daripada airport Cebu, aku terus naek taxi ke terminal ferry. Aku actually dah survey awal untuk jadual ferry ke Tagbilaran (Bohol). So, aku decide ambik SuperCat ferry yang mana adalah ferry laju ke Bohol. Harga tiket dalam 550peso sahaja tapi untuk balik tiket aku dalam 750peso.
Fly from Ilo-Ilo City, to Cebu City using Cebu Pacific. The flight was cheap only RM35+ all-in. From Cebu airport, I straight went to the ferry terminal using taxi. Actually, I had surveyed earlier for the ferry schedule to the Tagbilaran (Bohol). So, I was decided to take SuperCat ferry which is superfast ferry to Bohol. The ticket price was only 550peso but for the return ticket, it was 750peso.
Alona Beach, the famous beach in Panglao |
Supercat Ferry adalah sangat selesa. Tempat duduk bernombor dan menggunakan penghawa dingin. Ada televisyen jugak. Ada penjualan makanan tetapi kalau makanan yang berat adalah berbayar. Snek seperti kacang adalah percuma. Aku masih ingat lagi semasa aku di terminal ferry tersebut, aku terkena pemeriksaan dari polis dengan menggunakan anjing yang sangat besar. Diorang pilih secara rawak, diorang suruh aku letak bag aku kat bawah, dan anjing yg sgt besar itu mula mencium bag aku kot-kot ada barang yang terlarang. Takut jugak manalah tahu kan. So, I clean dan dilepaskan….
SuperCat Ferry is so comfortable. The seats are numbered and very good air-conditioning system plus also got television. There are foods selling around. Most of the heavy meals you need to pay. Only light snacks such as peanuts are free. I still remember when I was at the ferry terminal, I had been stopped and checked by the police using very big dog. They chose randomly whoever they want to check. They asked me to put my bag down, and the dog start sniffed around my bag for searching illegal items especially drugs. A little bit nervous because you do not know anything can be happening. I am cleaned, so I had been released.
Beach front in Panglao |
Perjalanan mengambil masa dalam 2 Jam. Setelah sampai di terminal di Tagbilaran, owh Tagbilaran adalah ibu bandar Bohol, aku pun dengan keadaan blur keluar dari terminal. Memang aku blur lagi sebab aku tak prepare sangat. Aku tengok kat luar ada banyak yang tour company. Kalau nak sign up for a day tour pun boleh. Tapi I decided nak pegi Panglao Island dulu. I always love Island…
The ride took about 2 hours. After arrived at the Tagbilaran terminal (Tagbilaran is the main city of Bohol), I was still blurred went out to the terminal. Yes, I was blurred because not to prepared for this trip. I saw outside the terminal there were many tour company. You can sign up for the Bohol day tour if you want to. But I decided to go to the Panglao Island first, well, I always love island…..
Aku keluar dari terminal cari Tricycle. Aku bgtau nak pegi Panglao Island, haggle2 the price. Bila aku rasa price dia ok je, aku pun agree. Nak pegi Panglao ni rasanya jauh jugak. Entahlah, sebab aku naik tricycle kot, mcm agak slow. Tricycle ni actually macam tuk-tuk.
I went out from terminal and searching for the Tricycle. I told one of them that I want to go to Panglao Island, and haggle with the price. I was agreed after I thought that the price they offered were OK. To go to Panglao, actually it quite far, but I was not really sure maybe my tricycle a little bit slow. The tricycle is same kind of tuk-tuk.
Fresh seafoods you can choose |
Aku tanya kat driver tricycle tu, kalau dia tau hostel/hotel yang murah area Alona Beach. Oh, dia cakap tau, nanti aku cakap aku nak tengok dulu bilik dia camne dan harga, kalau OK, aku stay lah, kalau tak, tak payah. Sebab kalau kita stay tempat yang dia bagi tu, diorang akan dapat komisyen.
I asked my tricycle driver, whether he knows cheap hostel/hotel around Alona Beach. He said he knows, I told him I will see the room and the price first, if OK, I will stay, if not I will find another. This is because if we stay at where they recommended, they will get some commission.
Setelah sampai di area Alona Beach, dia pun terus bawak aku ke hotel, aku tanya harga, not bad, sebab ni private room. Wi-Fi pun ok. So aku agree untuk stay sini. Jalan dalam 5 nak ke pantai. Aku pun tak sure sangat sini ada dormitory hostel ke tidak. Aku prefer hostel sebab takla rasa lonely sgt. Boleh jumpa traveler yang lain mintak pendapat dan experience perjalanan diorang.
After arrived at Alona Beach area, he brought me to the hotel he suggested, I asked for the price, not bad, becausle it is private room with fast Wi-Fi. So, I was agreed to stay here. From this hotel, walking only less than 5 minutes to the beach. I am not really sure whether here got dormitory hostel or not. Actually I prefer hostel because staying in hostel, you will not feel lonely and can meet other traveler sharing their experiences or asking for some suggestions.
Most of the boats are for diving trip |
Di Panglao aku decide tinggal semalam je. Sebab aku sampai dalam 2petang, aku pun terus explore Alona Beach area ni. Boleh dikatakan Alona Beach nie bukan peak season. Plus hari ni adalah bukan hujung minggu. Traveler pun kurang. Hotel-hotel yang luxury pun banyak.
In Panglao, I decided to stay only 1 night. Because I arrived here around 2pm, then I explorer Alona Beach for the rest of evening. I can say, this is not peak time season, hence, today is not weekend. There is less traveler. Many luxury hotels around here.
Untuk air pantai dia, sangat jernih tapi mcm byk lumut-lumut hijau seperti kat Sanur, Bali. Aku jalan hujung ke hujung dalam 20 minit sahaja. Actually banyak lagi pantai lain, tapi Alona Beach lah yang paling glemer.
For the beach, the water is very clear but got many algae exactly the same as Sanur, Bali. I walked from end to end only in 20 minutes. Actually there are many more other beaches, but Alona Beach is the most famous.
Having my yummylicious Halo-Halo |
Aku bgtau dgn aku sendiri, takpa, maybe aku boleh relax seharian sebab dah penat 2 minggu non stop. Duduk2 kat pantai tengok orang. Panglao sangat glemer dengan Ubi, yang warna ungu tu slalu jadi perisa untuk Halo-Halo. I love Halo-Halo!, tapi tak boleh nak dimakan selalu sebab terlampau manis.
I told myself it is OK, maybe I can relax for the whole day after my 2 weeks non-stop journey. Sitting alone at the beach, observing locals. Panglao is very popular for “Yam”, purple color, one of the ingredient in Halo-Halo. OMG, I love Halo-Halo! But you can’t eat it always as it is very sweet.
Petang tu aku tengok ada kumpulan penari tengah buat latihan tarian. Tarian menggunakan buluh. Ala-ala tarian Magunatip di Sabah. Aku lepak je tengok diorang sampai senja. Aku tak pegi mandi pantai pun, sebab perasaan malas melanda. Maybe aku dah puas kot berenang kat Boracay. Bila aku tengok pantai Alona ni, aku sedeh sikit sebab memang tak sama. Panglao ini hanya popular dengan diving activities.
That evening, I saw there were a dance troupe training their dance routine. The dance using the bamboo, similar with one of the dance in Sabah called Magunatip. I just hanging around watching the troupe until sunset. I did not swimming at the beach because I felt lazy. Maybe I had been to Boracay before, when I saw Alona beach, I was quite disappointed, it is not the same vibe like Boracay. Panglao only popular with diving activities.
Dance troupe training at the beach |
Malam pulak, aku memang ingatkan sangat happening. Like Isaid, nie weekdays. Cuma ada satu restoran with live music. Aku pun lepak disitu ambik angin yang fresh, order air kelapa. Aku boleh kira berapa orang je kat restoran tu. Hahaha… Like seriously boring. Aku sgt kecewa coz aku expect ada party ke, kan selalu pulau happening kot.
At night, I really thought it will be more happening. Like I said before, this is weekdays. Only one restaurant with live music. I just hang out at that restaurant enjoyed the night fresh air with my coconut juice. Only a few of us at the restaurant. Like seriously boring, I expect there might be party somewhere because the island life always happening (based on my experience before).
At night, very dull but peacefull |
So aku decide nak blah dari pulau ni as soon as possible, maybe early morning kot. Better aku stay kat city. Aku try to contact ngan my tricycle driver yang hantar I kat pulau ni, walaupun banyak tricycle kat sini, tapi saje je aku contact dier sbb aku selesa dgn dier. AKu tanya harga kalau nak bawak aku jalan2 tempat2 menarik including chocolate hills, then bila abis jalan-jalan, aku terus stay kat city. Dia cakap dalam 600 peso, aku setuju sebab nak pegi pulau ni dahla jauh dari bandar, plus nak ke Chocolate hill tu dalams sejam-dua jam jugak ok… gigih aku naik tricycle padahal ada je tour bus.
I decided to leave this island as soon as possible, maybe early in the morning. It is better for me to stay at the city. I try to contact my with my tricycle driver before, even there were many tricycle around here, I just want to contact him as I know he is a good guy. When I asked about the half-day city tour, he offered me a good price, the half-day city tour including chocolate hills, then after completed visiting, then I checked in the hotel in the city. He asking for 600peso. From Panglao to Chocolate Hills is around one-two hours. Luckily I was survived in the long ride of tricycle.
So the next day my city tour pun bermula…. Bersambung
So the next day, my city tour begins…… to be continue…
cantik gak bohol nie eh... ramai saya tengok rakan-rakan backpacker pergi sana tahun nie...
ReplyDeleteyup... it started to get popular because the cheap flight from airasia
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