Tarsiers, the Chocolate Hills, and Nuts Huts

Bohol is the best place to view tarsiers, one of the world’s smallest primates (they'd fit in the palm of your hand). And the best place on Bohol to see them is at the Tarsier Sanctuary and Breeding Center. These 45-million-year-old primates have eyes that are bigger than their brains or stomachs, a rat-like tail twice as long as their bodies, and are totally carnivorous (they eat insects). One picture on display was split down the middle – half of the face of a tarsier, half Yoda. They are also nocturnal – which means they don’t do a lot during the day other than hang onto a tree and sleep (hm, sounds like me in the hammock). But that makes them easier to see and photograph! These creatures are endangered, due to habitat destruction and the illegal pet trade. Tarsiers are easily stressed when caged – their lifespan can shrink from 20 years to 12 months! – and when handled, their bones are easily broken. Amazing wildlife!

And then I went on to Nuts Huts, a tricycle, jeepney and boat ride away (well, you don’t have to take the boat, but then you have to walk 750 meters on a rough path and down 278 steps!); this was Kate’s recommendation and another unique place to stay. My boat ride on the Loboc River went past Nuts Huts at first for a bonus trip to a waterfall. I checked into my hut and went for a swim in the river, surrounded by mountains and palm trees. I had said I wouldn’t swim in any fresh water but I think they would have told me if it wasn’t safe!

The next morning I went on to the Chocolate Hills. The name alone might have been enough to pique my interest. Hearing that it was a unique geological formation might have been enough. But a unique geological formation called the Chocolate Hills, with a classic postcard shot used on many of the Philippine tourism office’s advertisements? Sign me up! It was a bus ride away and then a walk up to one of the hills, from the top of which you can see others all around. The formation is thought to have been caused by coral rising up and eroding down; there are 1268 mounds. They were given their name because of the brown color that the hills turn in the dry season; they were mostly green when I was there, but that’s okay. Since you were going to ask, the Bohol Bee Farm did sell hill-shaped chocolate truffles, and I had one.

That afternoon, I hiked along the river, though rice fields, and past houses into the town of Loboc, where I saw the second-oldest Spanish church in the Philippines. That night, I stayed up in the restaurant after lights-out to see the fireflies gather under the roof (there was an ad for a firefly cruise some ways out of town, and I thought about going, but it would have been difficult logistically – plus the owner said the fireflies were down this year because it wasn’t as wet as usual, due to El Nino – and also, there were irresistible hammocks here too).

Nuts Huts had some wonderful touches – CDs on the wall with painted country flags representing the nationalities of the guests currently staying (each day that I was there, flags of at least nine different countries were displayed!), a coconut-shell barefoot-reflexology massage walk that I took every time I went to or from the restaurant, an herbal steam sauna. Many people come thinking that they will stay overnight and end up staying for several days; truly a backpacker haven. But my favorite thing – maybe of the whole weekend – was swimming across the river and walking upstream on the dirt path (barefoot – another thing the health manual might take issue with…) towards the waterfall. Where the path ended, I jumped in and swam against the current – my own “endless pool.” I made some headway and passed the first waterfall but I couldn’t fight my way all the way to the second waterfall. Then I drifted for a while and, when the current weakened, swam back to the hotel!

In my idle moments I thought about what I would do if I ever came back to the Philippines to show it to a theoretical friend who might not have been able to visit me during these six months but wanted to go another time. Up to the Cordillera for sure – Baguio and maybe Sagada, Banaue and Batad or another rice terrace hike, and maybe San Juan for more surfing. Maybe a couple of spa days at The Farm! And a beach place. Until Bohol, I’d have leaned towards seeing something I hadn’t seen yet – Coron and El Nido, on Palawan, are supposed to be spectacular, with island-hopping and limestone outcroppings. Or Donsol, with whale sharks (and the better-known firefly cruise). But now I might consider Bohol, for these two special places to stay and to swim up that river again (there’s also horseback riding and bike riding from Nuts Huts, a long white sand beach that I didn’t get to, dolphin-watching, and more….).