Jan 31, 2018

Ride to the Landslide with Jeffrey

Location: Loboc (municipality), Bohol (province), Philippines
Jump-Off: Lyn's Backpackers Inn
Mountain Bike Tour Guide: Jeffrey Huerte
YOGA by Gigit | Learn English | Travel like a Nomad | Donation Bank

Itinerary
With my return to Lyn's Backpacker Inn, it meant returning on the bike saddle for some major hammering with Jeffrey. Our first ride was at 5:30am to revisit the landslide caused by the 2014 earthquake. On our bike ride there in 2017, we got lost in the brushy trail. Now, we made another attempt taking a different route. All we wanted was to step by the edge and look down at the abyss.

The Ride
Of course, we didn't take the direct route. We saved the landslide for the ride climax. From Lyn's, we headed north along the main uphill and winding road to Bilar. Upon reaching Sevilla, we turned right on an obscure dirt path which took us along rolling hills and scenic ricefields. We passed through some houses with native cacao trees and copra processing. Along the way, we stumbled upon a military patrol armed to the teeth with M16s. Why? There are no leftists or subversives in the whole province! Jeffrey said it's from a military detachment nearby - perhaps a training camp. There were several hillclimbs and downhills but they we teasers at best. The ride wasn't serious hammering...not for our first ride after an absence from the saddle.

parting the Red Sea...he-he

Landslide
Finally, we came upon the foot of the hill. We dismounted and proceeded on foot until we reached the landslide. After the 2014 earthquake, it was a popular destination by the locals with clear paths. Now, it's overgrown and brushy. Yes, we stood on the edge where the land slipped. It was a vertical drop to the ground below. The view was awesome although we didn't see as much of the river or Loboc, unlike the view at the Virgen of Guadalupe.

Ending Thoughts
We traversed the trail on our downhill ride back to Sawang, the town center of Loboc. We've done so much already and it wasn't even 8am yet. What a way to start the day! Thanks Jeffrey for another magical moment on the saddle.

--- TheLoneRider
YOGA by Gigit | Learn English | Travel like a Nomad | Donation Bank

pictures by Jeffrey

Next stop: High Intensity Cardio Workout

Loboc Map

Loboc, Bohol, Philippines

tourist attractions

Cruz Daku - 80-foot white cross erected in 1986 on top of Loboc's highest mountain
Virgen de Guadalupe - giant statue of the Black Madonna perched on a Loboc summit
River Cruise - river cruise on a floating restaurant serving lunch with cultural presentation
Busay Falls - accessible only through the river cruise
Loktob Spring - cold water spring, free admission, huts for rent
Zipline and Cable Car Ride - at the Eco-Tourism Adventure Park

hotel

Fox & The Firefly Cottages - SUP paddle boarding, luxury riverside native cottages, mountain bike tours, SUP yoga
Lyn's Backpackers Inn - family-run guesthouse in the heart of Loboc

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.