AN ISLAND AMONG 7000 - SPECIAL BOHOL

How a community can flourish among less aware neighbors

Bohol is an island (or archipelago) in the central Philippines (Visayas). A tourist destination for many Europeans, Australians and ultimately, Russians, Chinese and Korean. The main spot is the Alona beach in Panglao Island. Bohol is best known for its interesting geological formation, small mountains called the Chocolate Hills and for the endemic presence of the Tarsier, one of the smallest primates on the planet.

Sunset in Alona beach: fancy tourism destination

Wonderful menu in Alona. But beware: this is not cheap!

In Panglao is possible to stay in a reasonable quality double bed room, very close to wonderful and pristine beaches, with the rent of a small scooter included and still make three meals of local food, all for less than $ 50 per day for 2 people.


We also observed that the inhabitants of the island and its large volatile population of tourists still rely heavily on external supplies. Despite of having fresh water rivers, the islands are dependent on stable regimes of precipitation.

Nature preserved along a good portion of Loboc River.

The urban areas of the island already have serious problems of water supply. In the first inn where we stayed, all the water was supplied daily by truck at a cost probably high, since there is no feasibility for public pumping systems.

Other recurrent problem in Asia:
There's no public drinking water!
Every drop has to be bought... The best solution we found to avoid the ultra-polluting plastic bottles is ALWAYS carry our own bottle and refill it whenever is possible.
It pollutes a lot less and is, in average, 20 (TWENTY!) times cheaper.

The nature is relatively preserved. Much of the main island is protected in the National Park where the Chocolate Hills are. But the big island's mangroves are under pressure by the culture of palm, a tree that grows in salty swamps. It is used for the production of edible oil and fuel that, despite its low quality, is consumed in Asia. The devastation by the housing industry also threatens natural systems of the island, mainly near the coast.

Natural Park, center of Bohol Island

The Palm being grown for cheap oil: Mangroves degradation.

The main town in the archipelago has an airport and seaport. We arrived there by ferry from Cebu City. The city, though small, is polluted and traffic is chaotic, common in Philippians cities.

Traffic jam in the small town of Tagbilaran, the bigger urban center in Bohol

But moving out of town, things change. The inhabitants of these islands show a special development. There are museums, study and conservation centers, environmental parks, etc. Even tourist enterprises, such as inns and hotels, often created and managed by foreigners, present here less environmentally degrading characteristics compared to other regions where foreigners invest only to exploit the resources to exhaustion, and leave.

The "Reggae" guesthouse in Panglao, owned by a French couple mainly made out bamboo and other local material.

Bohol is a tangle of beauty. Driving a motorcycle around the island is an adventure full of beautiful scenery and interesting places to visit like the Tarsiers' Preservation Park, the Chocolate Hills, the Butterflies Sanctuary, waterfalls, the Loboc village and its huge and interesting bridge to nowhere.

Wonderful landscape in the countryside, in Bohol

Very refreshing waterfall!

The Tarsier's center.

In daylight, Tarsiers are very sleepy and pretty much motionless.

At, night, very agile on the hunt for preys. At its birth, is about a thumbnail size.

The Tarsiers aren't kept in captivity.

The intriguing formation of the Chocolate Hills. Here the view of the Conservation Park.

The forming matter of the Chocolate Hills can be clearly seen in some cliffs in Bohol shore. Corals, shells and other sedimentation material of what was once, the bottom of the sea.

Floating restaurants in the charming Loboc Town.

An old historical building in Loboc, where the today's "bridge to nowhere" would have landed. 

The famous "Loboc Belvedere" or an obvious "bridge to nowhere".

This is actually the aborted construction of a bridge that would force de demolition on the historical building at the other side of this road. This pretended belvedere is surely world's strongest one, and possibly the most expensive too. 

In the Butterflies Sanctuary...

is possible to watch the breeding and ...

to grown butterfly wings!!

Despite we find all that interesting, what really amazed us were the sustainable initiatives in Bohol, such as organic farms, which are also development centers of social, cultural and arts. Projects that attract many young people in the community, promote local production, values knowledge and ancestral wisdom from the elders.

We visited the Bee Farm, a spectacle of awareness and sustainable development. A Philippine idealist, believing that something was very wrong in the social and ecological society where she grown up - in Hawaii (USA) - decided to return to her country of origin and "do something".

She set in a hut for six months on her parents' land which was in some way, abandoned. That was a contemplating and reflection time. She than idealized and conceived the Bee Farm, which is now a model farm, with over 200 employees who proudly show their talents to visitors and their areas of responsibility in the project.

In just over 10 years, they collectively developed a sustainable complex comprising beekeeping, garden, farm, hotel, convention center, restaurant, studio arts, weaving, kitchen and a fair trade shop with all sort of organic products. We could visit and fraternize with the hand-loom weavers, artists painting and sculpting.

View of the guesthouse in the Bee Farm

Canvases made out of coconut leafs, painted by Bee Farm's artists.

Bee Farm fairtrade shop.

Delicious organic products.

Great fun fraternizing with the weavers.

Wonderful fabrics come out of the hand-looms.

We also visited the organic garden with lots and lots of herbs, fruits and vegetables that go straight to the non less wonderful farm's restaurant.

Bee Farm's comprehensive garden: supplies all farms needs

Beautiful and yummy flower salad by Bee Farm

A wall, decorated with coconut shells: natural reinforcement and beauty to a building. 

We feel that in this island, things are thriving in this way because some smart people, imbued with ethics, holistic knowledge and courage to work outside the system, have got their small sustainable projects started, grew and inspired many others in the community to follow such initiatives. The air is filled with different social and environmental perspectives. People are more optimistic, sustainable and energetic!

It is also easy to see in the face of those who visit these farms - and they are many - a feeling of inspiration for their own lives. Maybe to carry out similar projects in their countries and even inspiration to reevaluate their lifestyles and goals. It was no different for us, we feel very inspired by the Bee Farm!

The good vibe of Bohol Island!

We hope that everyone could reflect a bit and feel inspired to seek for something new and optimistic for life, as we did!

A big sustainable hug to everyone!

Provocation: have you ever calculated your carbon footprint?