Behold Bohol!
By : Yeng S. Lim | Photos by : ysl, avonne peñaflor, and edson tacason
YEHEY! Contributors
7/28/2006 1:15:08 PM
Traveling in the country has become a luxury, which, sad to say, can only be afforded and enjoyed by the few— by those hardworking yuppies who can spare their midyear bonus for such extra leisure activity, or by those balikbayans who are yearning to spend their hard-earned dollars on a grand vacation. And oh yes, by those foreigners who have green bills in their wallets. Period.
Ferry ride take two hours, from Cebu to Bohol.
Why is this so? Traveling, admit it, has become more expensive than expected. Money-meter starts to rise up the moment the decision to embark on a trip is made. Fares, terminal fees, transfers around the place, accommodations, allowance, meals, tips… there goes the list.
But here in Yehey!Travel, we have always believed that traveling is a valuable and enriching experience that makes one a better, if not, a new person. That’s why it doesn’t cease us to search for (cheaper) ways to get out of the busy and crazy Manila. Whether for recharging a jaded spirit or discovering local places to boost our national pride (forget about dirty politics, okay), Yehey!Travel will always be on the go to give a refreshing take on travel anecdotes that will, hopefully, inspire you to pack your things and scamper for a place to go. Don’t forget to file your leave. (Wink!)
Now, for this article, everything was done on a tight belt. Forget about posh hotels and super cold and comfy shuttle to transfer you around. No hot showers. No buffet breakfasts. No papers delivered right at your hotel’s door. Because this time, we’ll do it the backpacker’s way.
Here are tips, aside from packing light, on how to enjoy your “budgeted†trip to Bohol—or any point of the country for that matter…
1. Open your ears, your eyes. What we meant is, go and search where the buzz is. And “buzz†here means promos and other big discounts. Heard about Cebu Pacific’s P10 promo? Well, this trip was actually made possible because of that. We only paid P1,600—two-way—going to Cebu. As opposed to the normal rate of around P4,000. We hit two birds, btw—gone to Cebu, then to Bohol via ferry. The good news, we got the ferry fare for only P500+. There was, again, a promo—Jet Ferry’s Buy One Way, Get Your Way Back Free. Talk about being lucky!
2. Research, research. Prior the trip, know basic things about your destination--- tourist spots you may want to check out, conversational lines you may want to master in the locals’ dialect, delicacies you might want to try or bring home as pasalubong, and other stuff. In our case, we listed some sights in Bohol we’ve watched in Living Asia, to guide us along the way.
3. Travel with a group. The more, the merrier, and the cheaper it will be. For example, renting a van may cost you P3,500— when you are traveling on your own. But when you are with a group, say of 6, it will only slash around P600 from your budget.
4. Travel during off-peak season. Aside from cheaper rates, attractive packages, and having the place all by yourself, you also don’t have to compete with other tourists, who may have more buying power than you. Hehe! So, that means, people will run after you just to have sales for the day. But please, have a heart when you do some haggling. Be fair enough.
5. Try inns/ pension houses. We tell you, there are decent and livable ones that have room rates from P500-800/night (for doubles). That means, P250-400/pax. Just don’t expect too much—just a tv (fortunately, with cable channels) and breakfast delivery ( -silog meals, usually priced at P50!, are bought from the nearby restaurant) But heck, you are traveling to enjoy the place outside, not the bed in your room. For the OC-type, pack your pillowcase, blankie, and don’t forget your towel so you’ll feel more comfy using your own. When choosing your inn/ pension house, pick the one that is more accessible to public transport and malls or markets to make it easier for you to go out just incase you’ll need to buy some things.
6. Pack some comfort food. Bring a few cups of noodles, chips, biscuits, and candies—some tummy-fillers while on trip. Those that are sold near the tourist spots are indeed “presyong turistaâ€. (Read: three times higher than that from the grocery).
7. Load yourself with a lot of charm. Be amiable. Talk with the locals. They are the ones who can actually help you the most. The tricycle driver we met at the ferry, for instance, helped us to look for a pension house that suited our budget. He also referred another local to drive us around in his van, which was offered at P2,000 only, for the whole day, to ten destinations.
8. Hike, trike, and strike. Walk, so you’d see what’s there to see around you. Ride a trike (tricycle), to save on some cab fares. Strike anywhere and don’t be afraid to explore. You’d be surprised how fun it would be.
9. Announce to people back home that you’re on vacation on a budget. With stress on the last three words…â€on a budgetâ€, so they won’t expect any pasalubong. Through out the trip, be always reminded that you have to stick, stick, stick to your budget. Note: keep your coins, especially when in Bohol. They’d serve their purpose to pay entrance fees—from P3 to P20.
10. Oh, don’t forget to bring your plastic cards. Okay, okay, just in case...
Snapshots Link:
http://www.yehey.com/travel/snapshots.aspx?a=48&pn=1#48Source:
www.yehey.comSource: yehey.com
Linkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=4092.0
Topic: Bohol Travel (Read 1536 times)