Here is our next destination in Bohol, featuring our very own ‘Chocolate Hills’ of Bohol.

How to go there

My boyfriend and I rent a van to take us to the tourist spots of Bohol. This was one of the places to visit on the service we took.

After passing by Bilar’s man made forest we then went to see the famous Chocolate Hills of Bohol. On the road Kuya Lito, our driver who is also a tour guide lectured on us on how the chocolate hills came to be:

The Story of Chocolate Hills

Chocolate Hills was actually Carmen Hills before it was known for it’s name now. The hills are located in the town of Carmen, thus it’s dubbed name.

I’m not sure if this story is true, but according to Kuya Lito, the name came from an American soldier’s daughter. The story is – on the day of the birthday of the soldier’s daughter. The soldier had forgotten to get her a present, so as a gift, the soldier placed her daughter on blind folds and brought her to the top of one of the chocolate hills. When they reached the top, the soldier took off his daughter’s blindfold and to her daughter’s surprise, she shouted: “Wow! Hershey’s chocolates kisses”, and so ‘Chocolate Hills’ it is.

Kuya Lito also told us a few other legends of how the chocolate hills came to be. But the scientific part of it is that the 30 to 50 meters-high hills are coral deposits. Kuya Lito said that parts of Bohol used to be under a shallow water. The remnants of the corals slowly built-up up to over 1200 hills today. There are a few other claims on how the hills had formed but I trust Kuya Lito’s research.

What to See

But it’s not always chocolate-y at the Chocolate Hills. Jeff and I were lucky to catch it at it’s brown color when we came. The chocolate hills dries up and turns brown during summer. Some of the hills are also maintained as some of it turns into flame due to the excessive heat during summer and some plants grows into them covering it’s chocolate appearance.

There’s also an issue on the count of the hills at chocolate hills. There were claims that some hills weren’t counted because they were covered by tall trees and plants, thus not fitting the coined name ‘Chocolate Hills’. There were also claims that the Chocolate Hills stretch as far as the town of Carmen.

Fees and Fares of this tour

Entrance Fee:  P50 each

Rent-a-van :  P2000 (inclusive of 7 tourist spots)

Tips and Traps

• Take a car tour for pax not more than 4. Cars are cheaper than van.

More pictures of Chocolate Hills and Bohol here:

(Click on the picture to view the album)