We had found the right rhythm in Siargao. An activity, rest, an activity, the swimming pool. Bohol simply continued in the same rhythm.
The resort we had booked was perfect for this. Perched in the greenery, a little away from everything, with a room on stilts in bamboo and woven wood, the sea in the background and the forest all around. The kind of place where you arrive, you put your bag down, and the rhythm settles itself. The swimming pool quickly became our headquarters between two outings.
We rented a scooter with a few things in mind, without much planning. Just the idea of charting the course and seeing where it took us. We looked at each other, said "come on, let's go", and we set off to explore the island at our own pace.
That’s how we arrived at the tarsier sanctuary. We thought we knew these little creatures through photos, and when we saw them in real life, we realized that we had completely underestimated the effect. Tiny, with eyes disproportionate to the body. We observe them in peace, in a protected environment. A real parenthesis.
On the same day, the Chocolate Hills. We passed by the official viewpoint, of course, with its unobstructed view of more than 1,200 perfectly round hills stretching as far as the eye can see.
But the most memorable moment came right after. We simply looked for another viewpoint on Google and saw that a few minutes away by scooter, there was a much more discreet spot. We tried. We drove a little, left the scooter on the side, then continued on foot on a small path. And at the end, the top of a hill, completely alone. No platform, no noise, just the scenery all around. A much rawer experience, and clearly more striking than the "postcard" panorama.
We also took a boat trip on the Loboc River. We didn't expect much, this kind of excursion can quickly turn into a tourist trap. But no. It was simple, pleasant: the landscape passed by gently, we were treated to traditional dances, and a meal directly on the boat. a genuinely lovely surprise.
And then there was the diving. It's been ten years since we last put our heads under water. A refresher at Alona Beach, a really great instructor, patient and precise, and in an hour we were diving again.
Underwater, we both looked at each other, and we understood immediately. It's been too long. We had just found something that we had left aside, and that we were clearly going to put back at the center of the trip. We could already see ourselves diving back elsewhere, again and again.
A word also about the general atmosphere in Bohol. Like everywhere in the Philippines, we traveled as a gay couple without ever feeling the slightest discomfort. In Alona Beach in particular, the travel community is international and the atmosphere is particularly open. We shared meals, dive briefings, evenings, with people from everywhere, and our relationship was never a subject. Just two guys on a trip, like the rest.
We left Bohol in the same state as when we arrived. Rested, light, with just the desire to continue like this.
