Let’s Visit the Island of Bohol
Bohol is amongst the most attractive tourist destinations in the Philippines. It located in the Central Visayas Region with a land area of 4117.3 km² and a coastline 261 km long. Bohol is the tenth largest island of the Philippines. To the west of Bohol is Cebu, to the northeast is the island of Leyte, and to the south, across the Bohol Sea is Mindanao. Because it is surrounded by several islands, Bohol is thus shielded from the typhoons that often occur in the region, as well as from the heaviest rains.
The history of Bohol started in around 1200, when the Lutaos arrived from northern Mindanao. They build a settlement on stilts in the strait between mainland Bohol and the island of Panglao. This town later became a prospering local center of power, also known as the the “Kingdom of Dapitan.” It lasted until it was abandoned in 1563, out of fear for raids by the Portuguese and their allies from Ternate. The Spanish colonization had been a big influenced on their traditions and culture. They introduced Catholicism and established their headquarters in Baclayon, and started to further spread the Catholic faith on the island. The Spaniards founded the first parish on the island and followed by a school, the Seminario Colegio de Indios, a training school for the children of the local ruling class.
The province is a very famous tourist destination with its beaches and resorts. The Alona Beach in Panglao Island is probably the most beautiful, and surely the most developed beach in the island. It is lined with nice resorts, which are great to stay for a long time, a number of well equipped diving establishments and pleasant places to eat out, if you do not want to eat at your resort’s restaurant for a change. The Chocolate Hills are Bohol’s most famous tourist attraction. In fact, it is a strong candidate for the New 7 Wonders of the World. Most people who first see pictures of this landscape can hardly believe that these hills are not a man-made artifact. However, this idea is quickly abandoned, as the effort would surely surpass the construction of the pyramids in Egypt. The Philippine Tarsier, considered the second-smallest primate in the world, is also indigenous to the island.
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