Chie I met Chie in Moalboal during my last visit in August. As a dive master and mermaid instructor, she likewise wanted to deepen her yoga practice. I invited her to join me on my morning fitness workout on the jetty, but somehow, that didn't happen. Now that I'm back in Bohol, we met again to pick up where we left off, this time, working out on the spacious grounds of Bohol Tropics Resort.
jumping jacks with Chie
Mixed Workout For this session, we mixed up yoga, cardio vascular interval training, pranayama and meditation as follows:
yoga - mostly standing asanas, synchronizing breath with movement while being mindful of all body sensations
high intensity cardio vascular interval training - we used Chris Heria's YouTube video (below), doing 5 rounds of rope skipping, knee taps, butt kicks, jumping jacks, fast foot shuffle, alternating mountain climbers and bicycle.
pranayama - alternate nostril breathing (Anuloma Viloma), forceful exhalation (Kapalabhati) and tummy tucks and breath holds (Nauli)
meditation - awareness of the breath, dissecting it into its anatomy (Anapana)
Buffet Breakfast The workout was followed by a buffet breakfast at the resort's Cafe Anatacio. It was a quality one-on-one conversation with Chie about her noble vision of educating the youth about conservation of the marine eco-system, her travel plans and career development. There was an air of optimism about her in pursuit of her advocacy.
Ending Thoughts Chie and I share common grounds - yoga, mountaineering, freediving, scuba diving and fitness. This first workout can only be the start of a beautiful friendship.
(Sept 15, 2017) I received an unexpected email from Kins from the University of Bohol, 'Do you want to be judge in a university debate?' Hmmm, I've judged a body building contest, beauty pageant and a street dance before, but a university debate? Sure!....more »»
(Feb 2, 2018) Instead of hammering on our bikes, Jeffrey and I tried doing Chris Heria's high intensity interval cardio workout - great for stamina, weight loss and lightness of being. This was followed by pranayama and meditation - fired-up body, decluttered mind and emotional stillness while others were still asleep....more »»
Bohol Google Map
Bohol, Philippines
tourist attractions
Danao Adventure Park - zip lining, cable car ride, caving, river rides/trekking, off-road buggy ride, root climbing, rappelling and ultra-glide rides
Alona Beach - hub for tourists with hotels, resorts, restos, bars and dive shops
Chocolate Hills - hills side-by-side shaped like giant Kisses chocolate
Tarsier - pocket-sized marsupia looking like a monkey
Balicasag Island - one of the best dive spots in the Philippines
Can-umantad Falls - long narrow drop until it hits a bulbous mound spreading it into a a curtain-like water canopy and down into a splash pool
Canawa Cold Spring - deep refreshing cold spring with developed pool area
Firefly Tour - evening boat ride into the river to watch fireflies
hotel
Fox & The Firefly Cottages - SUP paddle boarding, luxury riverside native cottages, mountain bike tours, SUP yoga
Baranggay Valladolid, Loboc, Bohol
Bohol Tropics Resort - seafront location, manicured surroundings, swimming pool, resto/bar
0133 Graham Avenue, Brgy. Cogon, Tagbilaran, Bohol 6300
Oasis Resort - Alona Beach location, dive center, resto / bar
Alona Beach, Panglao, Bohol
yoga
Jing Yoga - health & well being through yoga
The Courtyard - Airport Road fronting the church
Bohol Meditation and Yoga Center - 2nd Floor Lim Magtajas Bldg. CPG Avenue
Bohol Travel Info/Tips
Bohol FYI / Tips
the tourist area where most of the hotels, restaurants, ticket offices, tour operators are, is located within the Alona Beach area
the tourist attractions in Bohol are far apart and spread-out. It would be difficult to visit them all using public mass transit. Better hire a van (P3500/day) if in a big group, or rent a motorcycle (P400/day + gas)
Bohol relies on its tourism for revenue. As expected, everything they can capitalize on from tourism is extensively used and developed
Tagbilaran Port to Panglao
You can charter any tricycle from the port all the way to Panglao (~P300), but if you want to do it on the cheap,
don't take the tricycles lined-up inside the port. Walk past the port gate and immediately outside, you'll see many tricycles. Take one to the bus terminal in Dao (~P15)
in Dao, take the jeep that plies the Panglao route (~P20)
Tagbilaran (Bohol) to Cebu City by boat
** schedules and rates keep changing, call for latest schedule
Weesam Express - departs 6:15 AM, 11:30 AM, 4:00 PM
one way: Economy (aircon) P500.00, Economy (non-aircon) P400.00, First Class P600.00
round trip promo (at least 2 days advance booking): Economy (aircon) P600, Economy(non-aircon) P500, First Class P1200
round trip promo (1 day or on the day booking): Economy (aircon) P800, Economy (non-aircon) P700, First Class P1200
Ocean Jet - departs 6-7:05-8:20-9:20-11:40AM, 1-2-3:30-4:20-5:30-6:30PM, 2 hours, arrives Pier 1 in Cebu
Open Air / Tourist Class P800, Business Class P1000
+63(32)255 7560 / +63 (32) 255 0115 / 0917 638 0000
SuperCat (2GO) - departs 5:50-11AM, 3:45-5:25-8:15PM, arrives Pier 1 in Cebu
P 500.00
+63 32 233 7000
Things to do, Places to go in Bohol
Chocolate Hills - this is a clustering of more than 1200 hills within a 50km2 area. They range in height from 30-50 meters. What's unusual is their near-perfect conical shape resembling an individual chocolate chip. No one knows how they were formed. Entrance is P50/pax.
Tarsier Conservation Area - located Upper Bonbon, Loboc. The tarsiers are no longer being played at by tourists as circus props, but instead, visitors now view them in cordoned-off areas in their natural 6ha habitat. As they are territorial and nocturnal, they are predictable on where they can be viewed. P50/pax.
Alona Beach (Panglao) - Alona Beach is the tourist hub of Bohol. It has 1.5 kms of white sand beach lined-up by bars, hotels and restos. Alona is also the jump-off point for Balicasag Island, a world class dive destination.
Danao Adventure Park - located in Barangay Magtangtang, 72 kms (2 hours ride) from Tagbilaran. Adventure activities include river trekking, tyrolean traverse, rappelling, bouldering, rock climbing and ziplining.