Lovely Place is home of 30k anthuriums

Wake-uppers:

Scene: Isabel Iris Garsuta wins first place in an on-the-spot Jingle Making contest during the Regional Festival of Talents in Dumaguete City. Isabel, 18, is the reigning Miss UB Personality 2017.

Some of the country’s most beautiful blooms

 can be found in Barangay Sua, Inabanga town, 

Bohol province. Leo Udtohan

Scene: Following a sold-out tour of the UK, Collabro will make their live debut in the Philippines when they perform at the Newport Performing Arts Theater, Resorts World Manila on February 26, 2018. The show will be produced and promoted by Spicy Lemon. Comprising singers Jamie Lambert, Michael Auger, Matt Pagan and Tom Redgrave, the British act won TV’s ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ in 2014 before releasing their debut album 'Stars', which went to No.1 in the UK and registered double gold in sales. After a hugely successful sold-out UK Tour in 2017, the foursome will come together again with dates in the New Year, including that first ever show in the Philippines at the Newport Performing Arts Theater, Resorts World Manila. Tickets are on sale now through http://www.spicylemon.rocks.

Scene:  The 155 star-shaped lanterns hanging beside the Maribojoc town hall.  The giant “parol” is an added attraction at the town plaza. There are stalls selling foods and snacks for those who want to satisfy their gastronomic adventure.

Lovely Anzano on “Lovely Place”: ‘The garden shares 

to deepen visitors’ understanding and appreciation

 of the natural world.’ Leo Udtohan

Scene:  Residents in Catigbian town showed creativity and ingenuity by making parols (Christmas lanterns) from garbage. The CD parol is among the attractions displayed at Catigbian town hall, whose town also features 47other parols made of indigenous and recycled materials. Another parol is made of tansans (bottle caps) while another is made of recycled straw, plastic bottles and wrappers.

Scene:  The Tubigon town retains its title as the province’s “Most Christmassy Place,” thanks to the thousands of festive lights and decorations at the town plaza.

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What was known as a lovers’ dating place in a remote area in Bohol province is now a new tourist destination.

The “Lovely Place,” which is found at the peak of Barangay (Village) Sua in Inabanga town, at least 84 km from the capital city of Tagbilaran, offers unique landscapes and vistas.

The little-known garden which was launched this month was decked with flowers on the ground. The garden contains up to 30,000 leatherette red, heart-shaped anthurium flowers as far as the eye can see inside the 2.5 hectares.

Visitors prefer to see the 30,000 red anthurium 

flowers glow at night time.  Leo Udtohan

“This place is created by humans to feel the blessings of nature,” said Lovely Anzano. Her business partner, Maximo Garcia, said that the place would help the tourism industry in the province.

The Sua Peak was known only for lovers until they decided to transform the place into something magical.

But visiting the place is not only for the artificial flowers that would glow in the midday sun and still stand out at twilight, but including the appreciation of nature’s beauty.

At Lovely Place, one can view the “Sea of Clouds,” the famous Chocolate hills and Cebu City.

The “Sea of Clouds,” an overcast layer of clouds with a breathtaking view comparable to Mt. Pulag (that can be viewed well in Danao and from the nearby town of Dagohoy) can be observed at Lovely Place.

Visitors can also view the Chocolate hills from a different perspective.

“The hills are alive here,” said Anzano.

The 155 floating parols beside the Maribojoc town hall.   

Leo Udtohan

The tall buildings of Cebu City are visible from here.   

Anzano, 38, said visitors can come any time of the day to fully appreciate the anthuriums.  

“The garden shares to deepen visitors’ understanding and appreciation of the natural world,” she said.

Visitors are overwhelmed by the beauty of the garden.

Maria Torres, 58, from Tagbilaran City, said she was in awe of what she saw.

“Why aren’t they telling people about this? I’ve never seen such a beautiful sight as this,” she said.

Torres said she never imagined “Lovely Place” could be possible.

The holiday ambiance that Tubigon offers

 to visitors this Christmas.  Leo Udtohan

Another tourist, Yul Park, 37, said the place was magical.

“I have never seen anything like this, a three-in one package experience in Bohol,” he said.
”So lovely!”

GETTING THERE: Lovely Place is a mere two-hour drive from Tagbilaran City via the Sagbayan-Danao Road.  If you are from Tubigon town, it is at least 8 km from Sagbayan Public Market. Be sure to have your own vehicle if you wish to spend the night here.

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Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohanINQ at Twitter /Facebook.

Blazing Bohol!

Bohol's charm lies on its culture, heritage and rich natural resources.

Miles of white sand beaches and pristine waters can be found on Panglao Island composed of Panglao ang Dauis towns.

The hills are alive...

There are several beach resorts there that can provide accommodation and water sports activities such as jetskis, parasailing, among others depending on the budget.

One attraction that is a must is the recently discovered school of sardines in Panglao.

The sardines, locally known as “malangsi,” arrived in the waters off Barangay Tangnan in Panglao and stayed there for good. They are also attracting bigger species of fish like thresher sharks and mackerel.

“Sardines are always migrating but they’ve been in Panglao for some time. Biologists couldn’t explain why but our member marine biologist said it’s probably because of climate change,” Ian Uy, a member of the Dive Ta Bai group, who discovered the shoals of sardines two summers ago.

City of Friendship

The sardine have formed a shoal that could easily number to tens of thousands, even up to a hundred thousand, a delight to those who love to dive and snorkel.

There are some islands to visit in case the tourists are up for some island hopping.

The favorite sites are the Balicasag, Virgin and Pamilacan islands because they are close to Panglao Island.

Balicasag Island, which retains its laid-back charm, is a known dive and snorkel destination because of its marvelous coral reefs formation and spectacular drop-off (underwater wall) up to a depth of 60 meters.

Virgin island is an uninhabited islet where you can enjoy a long string of white beach. Kilometers of white beach emerge during low tide but disappears on high tide.

Pods of dolphins can be seen in the waters off Pamilacan Island which also hosts a Spanish watchtower and fish sanctuary.

Man-made forest

Other places where one can enjoy the underwater world are Cabilao Island in Loon, Bien Unido, Anda and President Carlos P. Garcia Island (Pitogo Island).

In the afternoon, one place to try out is the Extreme Adventure Tour (E.A.T) at the Danao Adventure Park in Danao town.

It hosts a variety of activists that get the adrenalin pumping.

These include a zipline, ATV, rock climbing and caving. For water adventures, the park also offers river kayaking and river trekking near the Danao Adventure Park is the “Sea of Clouds.”

For an entrance fee of P15, visitors can go up to Laguna Mountain in Barangay Concepcion and savor the jaw-dropping vista –fogs that look like clouds hovering the mountains.

“It was one of the most beautiful natural sceneries that we can enjoy,” said Ken Reignald Rara, a resident of Tagbilaran City.

Sevilla's hanging bridge

One of the better vantage points from which to enjoy the spectacle is at the nearby Dagohoy town. An entrance fee of P10 will give you the best view of the sea of clouds located in Sitio Puntaas, Barangay La Esperanza.

“Seeing fog amid the backdrop of nature makes the scenery seem like a work of art,” said Rex Simbajon Pizaña, 38, a resident of Dagohoy town.

A habal-habal (motorcycle for rent)can take the tourist to the area from the town proper.

There are still several areas to visit in Bohol like the watch tower located in Maribojoc town, the Inang-angan stairway in Loon town which is made of five flights with 212 steps, the lying foxes on Cagban Island in Tubigon; and the St. Nicholas Tolentino Church and the Ermita Ruins (a wall of tombs in a honeycomb-like arrangement) in Dimaiao.

But to go to these places would require another day in Bohol.

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Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook.