Country > Philippines > Bohol > Loboc
Date > 2024 > April
Activity > Yoga

Yoga Festivals

Ormoc
Leyte
10|19|2024

Loboc
Bohol
04/20/2024

April 20/21, 2024

Bohol Yoga Festival

Location : Fox & The Firefly Cottages, Loboc, Bohol, Philippines

Fox and The Firefly Cottages

I was in the midst of my move from Siquijor to Bantayan when I got an invite from Joan to teach a class at the Bohol Yoga Festival in her resort, Fox and The Firefly Cottages. This resort is no stranger to me. When I lived in Loboc in 2018, I spent a month in this resort as acting manager. Of course, I said yes.

Bringing my big luggages on my motorbike and doing a stop in Bohol was daunting. I requested Ivan in Cebu to pick-up all my belongings from a Ceres bus and store them at Hostel 7 Cebu until my arrival. This arrangement made life a lot easier for me. Thank you Ivan !!!!

Fox and The Firefly Cottages

Getting There

Because of the Lite Ferries schedule, I had to leave the Siquijor dock at 7pm and arrive 11 pm in Tagbilaran - then a motorbike ride at night to Nipa Hut Village in Loboc, 26 km away (2 days ahead of the event). This was daunting for someone who's not really a good rider. I arrived around 12 midnight.

Nipa Hut Village Accommodation

Joan checked me in at the Nipa Hut Village about 1 km further along the river. It was an array of A-styled nipa huts around a gathering area. This is the basic style I somehow envisioned for my future yoga ashram - individual huts for guests who would spend a week of yoga, sharing and rebooting.

Nipa Hut Village

The Event Write-Up

Event teacher-poster and write up

"Siddhi Activation is a concept deeply ingrained in Gigit’s yoga practice. Through his dedicated exploration of various ancient traditions and modern practices, he has delved into the realm of unlocking extraordinary powers and abilities within oneself. Siddhis are said to be supernatural powers that arise from deep spiritual practice, allowing individuals to tap into their inner potential and access higher states of consciousness. Gigit believes that by activating these siddhis, one can transcend limitations and connect with the universal energy that flows through all beings. With a blend of discipline, devotion, and mindfulness, he guides his students on a transformative journey towards self-discovery and empowerment. As Gigit continues to walk the path of a yogi, his mission remains clear - to inspire others to awaken their dormant potentials and embrace the magic that lies within. Join Gigit at the upcoming Bohol Yoga Festival, where he will be leading a transformative workshop on Siddhi Activation. Immerse yourself in a day filled with ancient wisdom, modern practices, and the exploration of unlocking your extraordinary powers. Through a blend of traditional teachings and innovative techniques, Gigit will guide participants on a journey towards self-discovery and empowerment. Don’t miss this chance to awaken your dormant potentials and embrace the limitless possibilities that await you. Join Gigit at the Bohol Yoga Festival and embark on a life-changing journey towards self-realization and empowerment."

Bohol Yoga Festival: the Gathering

Siddhi-Activation Yoga Class

Gigit at Bohol Yoga Festival Since I just finished conducting a Siddhi-Activation workshop in Cebu, I opted to teach this class again even though I only have an hour - ideally, I need half a day for a comprehensive workshop. There is so much to share with Siddhi activation that I can actually just teach this class indefinitely and nothing else - but I'm jumping ahead of my story.

The general feedback I got was that they liked the class but I needed more than 1 hour - I agree. With my class, I believe I was able to inspire, educate and get them to see a broader horizon of the yogic spectrum - enough for them to deepen their practice with knowledge, intention and confidence.

outdoor setting on my first class

The Teachers

There were many teachers offering their yoga specialties.

Top-row: Ann Villena (Inside Flow), Annie Aniel (Women's Circle), Jes Tadeo (Seraphim Healing), Ed Aniel (Jazz Dance)
Middle-row: Gigit (Siddhi-Activation), Krish Diaz (Shamanic Healing), Joan Soupart (SUP Yoga), Kate Moynihan (Somatic Yoga)
Bottom-row: Pio Baquiran (Vinyasa Yoga), Lenkha Rekha (Spicy Vinyasa), Rjhun Flore (Hatha Yoga), Jing Bartolata (Ashtanga)

Peoplescape

Like most memorable events, the lingering essence I was left with were the amazing people who made it happen - they are the priceless ingredients in this stew of infused flavors. I will pursue these connections long after the event has finished.

Fred and Joan Belgium

Without this indefatigable power couple, the magic wouldn't be happening. The event was well thought-through - attention to details, contingencies, variety of offerings, quality of presentors, food, activities and the general positive vibe. This event brings promise of more things to come for next year's event.

Kaye

Lawyer, yogini and mentor (to Binky), she's also smart, beautiful and present.

Jen

A 'kapatid' to Kaye, Jen is also a lawyer and yogini. Yes, she's also smart, beautiful and present. Birds of a feather flock together? Yes indeed! I would hang out with the two of them and our talk takes a life of its own.

Kate, Tatiana, Emoji Philippines

Individually, they are already a force of nature. Kate is persuasive and disarming in a charming yet forceful way. A cool Mom, a disciplinarian when she needs to be, an empath and an adorable human being. Even if you haven't met her, just talk to her daughters and you'll get a sense of how unique, grounded and formidable she is. Tatiana at 21, can intimidate men twice her age. She's DJ, a model, student of sound engineering and an iconoclast. Emoji at 12, holds her own with the grown-up kikays of Ormoc, and finds bearing in a gathering of free-thinking adults. As an infant, I don't think she was baby-talked. When she comes of age, she'll need a bigger stage. Combined, the synergy of these 3 is simply beyond my comprehension.

Neo

DJ, surfer, free-thinker and adventurer, Neo knows how to live life on her own terms. Articulate, logical and multi-dimensional, she's a joy to have a conversation with.

Laura

It was a pleasant surprise to see Laura teaching Yin/Power Yoga - we've hung out in Dumaguete, Bali, Cebu and now, Bohol.

Loboc

I lived in Loboc for a combined 3 months in 2017-2018 and I haven't seen my friends there since. It would be great to catch up with Jeffrey, Leonid, Raymund Cal and Juan.

While at Fox, I took a reprieve from the festival to reconnect with them. Jeffrey is now a supervisor at Loboc's tourism office and addressed as 'Boss Jeff'. Juan suffered a bike accident preventing him from getting back on the saddle. I communicated with Raymond Cal but he couldn't come down from his farm and he couldn't explain to me how to get there. I stopped by Gunther's place but it seemed abandoned. From this visit, it felt like Loboc's energy (not Fox) has come and gone. My memories are just relics of a 7-year past.

Ending Thoughts

Although just for 2 days, this event was chock-full-of-magic. After 15 months of practical isolation in Siquijor, it was great to be in community of like-minded people again - like OM, like Burning Man and like the Burner parties in Toronto. I was stoked and immersed in my elements, interacting, teaching a class, engaged in immersive conversation and simply soaking-in the overflowing vibe.

I have fond memories of Loboc and coming to this event gave me a fitting reconnect with a past I hold dear.

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

Freediving in Panglao with Haka Dive Center

(April 23, 2024) Joan asked me to stay a day longer after the Bohol Yoga Festival. I thought there was more to do. Yes, but it was about fun diving with friends from the festival as curated by owner of Haka Dive Center, Brylle. The day was choc-full-of-FUN !!!!...more »»

Next Yoga story:

Teaching 'Energising Yoga' at Jing Yoga & Wellness

(April 23-28, 2024) As synchronicity would have it, by the time my participation at the Bohol Yoga Festival ended, Jing, an Ashtanga Yoga teacher, invited me to sub for her classes for a week and house-sit for her. Wow, I get to stay longer in beautiful Panglao, I get to share my yoga, make a little money, and have a roof over my head. Is my universe telling me something about Bohol?...more »»

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
Loboc River - river cruise on a boat
Anda Beach - fine white sand beach with resorts, restos and cottages, 3 hours by bus from Tagbilaran
Cabagnow Cave Pool - brackish water pool about 5ft deep inside a limestone opening on the ground, 8 feet deep, P50
Lamanok Island - walk on a 100m bamboo bridge on stilts to a resto area to take a boat tour to caves and nearly attractions, P300
Combento Cave Pool - cave pool with underwater cave system, P20
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 6-7:05-8:20-9:20-10:40-11:40AM, 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.

Blogs

Bohol blogs