ocrmaster
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All photographs by J deGuzman. Copyright © 2006 All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.
Just got back from my trip to Bohol this morning.
And I have to say it was a amazing trip and i will try to go back to Bohol sometime in the
future.
I stayed at Bohol Alona Kew - will post pictures later. On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give them a 7.
First Dive Balicasag - Black Forest - drift diving. ( So Very Cool )
We dropped down to about 20~25 Meters and just let the current take us.
The cliff was in front of us and we were travelling to the right for about 30 mins.
It is like going to disney land where you enter a tunnel and things just passes you by.
The current was very strong. maybe around 3~4 knots.
Here are some pictures for you. I rented a digital camera from Genesis Divers.
It is my first time to take underwater photos. So please be gentle, I know they're not
very good quality.
Stayed at 20 Meters Visibility was excellent.
We saw two big turtles.
Day two Pungtod
First Dive
33 Meters
Visibility also excellent.
We saw several lion fish, and stone fish.
No Barracuda or Jacks unfortunetly.
But we saw at nice size Sting Ray.
no pics since i didn't rent the digital camera anymore.
Accomedations:
Alone Kew
Two beds (Twin Sharing) Ceiling fan no hot water P1570 discounted.
Upgraded to Two beds with Aircon and Hotwater P2430 discounted.
Always ask for 10% discount.
Pros:
Center of Alona Beach. ( location location location )
Walking distance to all of the dive shops.
Customer Service 10/10
Beddings are changed daily. Pillow Case and Bed Sheets
Aircon - Excellent Very Cold
Free Pitcher of Water - Refillable
Breakfast is Free: I recommend the Deep Fried Bangus (Excellent)
Cons:
Rooms are crampped
No TV
No Intercom
No Small Ref
The bathroom Stank! (3/10)
Taking a shower takes a long time since the water coming out of the water heater is a drizzle.
Did I mention that the Bathroom Stank?
The tap water has a strange taste to it.
I thought when i first took a shower at Alona Kew I had shampoo in my mouth. When I tried
to rinse my mouth with the water. I then realized it was the Water! LOL
Transport:
This is where most people get ripped off. Alona Kew charged us 450 one way from the Airport to the resort.
Takes about 30mins by Taxi. Apparently the Taxi service only charge 400 pesos and the resorts profits the
extra 50. Well lesson learned.
Tours:
Contact the local Taxi Service they will only charge you 1800 compared to the Resorts 2000 to 2500 per group of 4 persons.
The only thing worth seeing really is the Tarsier and Chocolate hills.
Recommendations:
Internet Cafe's
There are two internet cafe's infront of Alona Kew.
Both are price almost the same. However, the one connected to the Tourist Center has newer equipment.
For those with Digital Camera's and Ipod's with 20 GB or more.
Bring a 12-1 Card Reader and your Ipod USB Cable.
When you max out your Memory card you can just go to the internet cafe and upload
all your images from your SD/CF/Memory Stick --- to your Ipod.
Now you dont have to worry about taking 5 ~ 7 MegaPixel shots.
Rate: 30 pesos for 30 mins. But they are not very strict about being over a few mins.
Resorts charge an arm and a leg for bottled h20, soft drinks, and everything else. If your on a budget go to the sari sari
store near Alona Tropical. Their prices are for Filipino's that dont earn in dollars.
General Rule when buying soft drinks
Coke in can or anthing soft drink in a can is p25.00
A 1.5 liter Bottled Softdrink is p24.00 (drinking it on site) to p30.00 (take out, with deposit)
Resto on Alona Beach
The only affordable place to eat here is Oasis Restorant. Besides Alona Kew and SeaQuest Dive shop.
Here is a pic
I recommend the Blue Marlin for P250.00 good for two people.
*** If your going out on a early dive they have chicken legs with thighs for P30 each. (Damn Cheap!)
*** They open at 6am
Resto near Tagbilaran
Pajags
This is a favorite of local Tagbilaran Folk.
Here are pics of the menu. Please note if u eat at the second floor (air condition) there is a fee.
add 3 pesos to each items list price.
Bee Farm
Blue Marlin w/ Salad and free bread with butter... P180.00
Dive Shop
Genesis Dive Shop / Peter's Place.
This dive shop is run entirely by Europeans. (German's, French, and Swiss)
$41 dollar for two dives (1 day only)
$16 Digital Underwater Camera. (Per Dive)
5 STARS!!! Great Great Great...
Professional and Great company to keep.
Exchange Rate given was P51.00 to $1.00 (not like other dive shop that quote at P53 to $1.00)
WARNING!!! & Advice!!!
1. When someone says to you "dolphin watching sir/mam"... it means.. they are getting a commission of 200 pesos or more.
2. When someone says to you "mention my name at such and such dive shop" they are getting a commission.
3. When paying cash make sure to ask for EXCHANGE Rates.
One dive shop was quoting me a really sweet deal for 2 dives. Turns out they were using a exchange rate of 53 to 1.
I said the exchange rate is not 53 to 1. So I said let me use my Metro dollar credit card she said. But I have to charge you 7% more if you use a credit card. So Please make sure to ask the right question before you sign for anything.
4. At the end of my dive with Genesis I asked for a discount and they gave me one. I guess they didn't have to give
anyone a commission.
Now if I was going back to Bohol where would I stay... "Bee Farm"
Standard room is P3000 pesos with 10% discount. w/ TV, Satellite (Dream) and Ref (small).
5 Star bathroom and verandah facing the sea.
Cons:
10 min ride to Alona Beach
Pros:
All Transport is FREE except tours. This is a huge plus.
If you stayed at the other resorts on Alona Beach they all charge P400 to P450 one way. So expect to pay P800.00 min
just to get to and from the airport.
They will take you to Alona Beach for FREE and also pick you up when you tell them too.
They have a 3 Star Restaurant w/c serves fresh greens from their garden and of course honey from their bee farm.
Standard Room Bee Farm
You can fit four persons (adults) or Five (2 adults, 2 children and 1 yaya)
I have some photos of Bee Farm that I took. But I will post those tomorrow. Time to sleep.
Just got back from my trip to Bohol this morning.
And I have to say it was a amazing trip and i will try to go back to Bohol sometime in the
future.
I stayed at Bohol Alona Kew - will post pictures later. On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give them a 7.
First Dive Balicasag - Black Forest - drift diving. ( So Very Cool )
We dropped down to about 20~25 Meters and just let the current take us.
The cliff was in front of us and we were travelling to the right for about 30 mins.
It is like going to disney land where you enter a tunnel and things just passes you by.
The current was very strong. maybe around 3~4 knots.
Here are some pictures for you. I rented a digital camera from Genesis Divers.
It is my first time to take underwater photos. So please be gentle, I know they're not
very good quality.
Stayed at 20 Meters Visibility was excellent.
We saw two big turtles.
Day two Pungtod
First Dive
33 Meters
Visibility also excellent.
We saw several lion fish, and stone fish.
No Barracuda or Jacks unfortunetly.
But we saw at nice size Sting Ray.
no pics since i didn't rent the digital camera anymore.
Accomedations:
Alone Kew
Two beds (Twin Sharing) Ceiling fan no hot water P1570 discounted.
Upgraded to Two beds with Aircon and Hotwater P2430 discounted.
Always ask for 10% discount.
Pros:
Center of Alona Beach. ( location location location )
Walking distance to all of the dive shops.
Customer Service 10/10
Beddings are changed daily. Pillow Case and Bed Sheets
Aircon - Excellent Very Cold
Free Pitcher of Water - Refillable
Breakfast is Free: I recommend the Deep Fried Bangus (Excellent)
Cons:
Rooms are crampped
No TV
No Intercom
No Small Ref
The bathroom Stank! (3/10)
Taking a shower takes a long time since the water coming out of the water heater is a drizzle.
Did I mention that the Bathroom Stank?
The tap water has a strange taste to it.
I thought when i first took a shower at Alona Kew I had shampoo in my mouth. When I tried
to rinse my mouth with the water. I then realized it was the Water! LOL
Transport:
This is where most people get ripped off. Alona Kew charged us 450 one way from the Airport to the resort.
Takes about 30mins by Taxi. Apparently the Taxi service only charge 400 pesos and the resorts profits the
extra 50. Well lesson learned.
Tours:
Contact the local Taxi Service they will only charge you 1800 compared to the Resorts 2000 to 2500 per group of 4 persons.
The only thing worth seeing really is the Tarsier and Chocolate hills.
Recommendations:
Internet Cafe's
There are two internet cafe's infront of Alona Kew.
Both are price almost the same. However, the one connected to the Tourist Center has newer equipment.
For those with Digital Camera's and Ipod's with 20 GB or more.
Bring a 12-1 Card Reader and your Ipod USB Cable.
When you max out your Memory card you can just go to the internet cafe and upload
all your images from your SD/CF/Memory Stick --- to your Ipod.
Now you dont have to worry about taking 5 ~ 7 MegaPixel shots.
Rate: 30 pesos for 30 mins. But they are not very strict about being over a few mins.
Resorts charge an arm and a leg for bottled h20, soft drinks, and everything else. If your on a budget go to the sari sari
store near Alona Tropical. Their prices are for Filipino's that dont earn in dollars.
General Rule when buying soft drinks
Coke in can or anthing soft drink in a can is p25.00
A 1.5 liter Bottled Softdrink is p24.00 (drinking it on site) to p30.00 (take out, with deposit)
Resto on Alona Beach
The only affordable place to eat here is Oasis Restorant. Besides Alona Kew and SeaQuest Dive shop.
Here is a pic
I recommend the Blue Marlin for P250.00 good for two people.
*** If your going out on a early dive they have chicken legs with thighs for P30 each. (Damn Cheap!)
*** They open at 6am
Resto near Tagbilaran
Pajags
This is a favorite of local Tagbilaran Folk.
Here are pics of the menu. Please note if u eat at the second floor (air condition) there is a fee.
add 3 pesos to each items list price.
Bee Farm
Blue Marlin w/ Salad and free bread with butter... P180.00
Dive Shop
Genesis Dive Shop / Peter's Place.
This dive shop is run entirely by Europeans. (German's, French, and Swiss)
$41 dollar for two dives (1 day only)
$16 Digital Underwater Camera. (Per Dive)
5 STARS!!! Great Great Great...
Professional and Great company to keep.
Exchange Rate given was P51.00 to $1.00 (not like other dive shop that quote at P53 to $1.00)
WARNING!!! & Advice!!!
1. When someone says to you "dolphin watching sir/mam"... it means.. they are getting a commission of 200 pesos or more.
2. When someone says to you "mention my name at such and such dive shop" they are getting a commission.
3. When paying cash make sure to ask for EXCHANGE Rates.
One dive shop was quoting me a really sweet deal for 2 dives. Turns out they were using a exchange rate of 53 to 1.
I said the exchange rate is not 53 to 1. So I said let me use my Metro dollar credit card she said. But I have to charge you 7% more if you use a credit card. So Please make sure to ask the right question before you sign for anything.
4. At the end of my dive with Genesis I asked for a discount and they gave me one. I guess they didn't have to give
anyone a commission.
Now if I was going back to Bohol where would I stay... "Bee Farm"
Standard room is P3000 pesos with 10% discount. w/ TV, Satellite (Dream) and Ref (small).
5 Star bathroom and verandah facing the sea.
Cons:
10 min ride to Alona Beach
Pros:
All Transport is FREE except tours. This is a huge plus.
If you stayed at the other resorts on Alona Beach they all charge P400 to P450 one way. So expect to pay P800.00 min
just to get to and from the airport.
They will take you to Alona Beach for FREE and also pick you up when you tell them too.
They have a 3 Star Restaurant w/c serves fresh greens from their garden and of course honey from their bee farm.
Standard Room Bee Farm
You can fit four persons (adults) or Five (2 adults, 2 children and 1 yaya)
I have some photos of Bee Farm that I took. But I will post those tomorrow. Time to sleep.
