Where to Eat in Bohol – Guiseppe Pizzeria and Sicilian Roast Gastronomia and Wines

If you’re going to have a food tour in Panglao make sure to stop by at Giuseppe Pizzeria and Sicilian Roast Gastronomia and Wines. This restaurant is one of the popular culinary destinations in the island and is on every itinerant epicurean’s radar. Despite being away from the buzzing beach scene, people still flock here for a taste of authentic Italian food.

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Run and owned by a chef from Sicily named Giuseppe Sgroi, this restaurant prides on serving gourmet dishes made with the finest produce that is locally sourced or freshly imported from Italy.

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During the day, Giuseppe has a casual and inviting atmosphere. They feature an open kitchen allowing diners to see the chefs at work.

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Their specials menu is something that should not be overlooked.

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We went for Pizza Gregorio. It’s a chewy, handmade brick oven pizza with thin blistered crusts topped with tomato, mozzarella, sausages, salami, smoked ham, and parma ham.

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I would have preferred it to have some greens and a tad more cheese but it’s already good as it is. I love it!

TIP:
Their pizza servings are HUGE. But I’ll let you in on a secret… You can actually order half the original size of their pizza.

It’s not written on the menu so just ask their wait staff about it.

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At night, the restaurant transforms into a intimate, romantic setting perfect for spending amorous moments with a significant other.

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They have a wine cellar filled with an excellent selection of wines, liqueurs and spirits that you can enjoy.

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Another thing we tried is their Antipasti. It’s a decadent artisanal cheese platter which I imagine would pair well with wine (it was only later on when we found out that it’s actually possible to order wine by glass and not just by the bottle).

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From left-right, top-bottom: smoked salmon, parma ham, salami, blue cheese, pepperoni on top of a salad, smoked ham, Parmesan cheese, pizza bread, formaggio al forno (baked carabao cheese), mozzarella cheese with tomato slices, grilled seafood and rotoli de malenzane (eggplant filled with tomato and cheese).

This literally got me weak! Every single bite exploded with flavor. The different textures and flavor profiles of the cheeses went well with the accompaniments.

It was a very well-balanced platter. By far, the most memorable dish I had to date! The cheese platter was so huge that it was all we had for dinner.

Giuseppe Pizzeria and Sicilian Roast Gastronomia and Wines is not to be missed when in Bohol. Keep in mind they are on the pricey side though. Plus, they charge 10% of the bill for the service fee. But considering their generous portions, impeccable service and excellent food, you’re bound to get your money’s worth.

Some photos belong to Yobz Tolentino

Read about my Bohol Travel Guide here

Where to Eat in Bohol – Gerarda’s

Tucked in the quieter streets of Tagbilaran City, Gerarda’s was once a quaint house before it became into a buzzing restaurant that it is today.

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This family-run restaurant is adorned with old photographs and house decors giving it that warm atmosphere like you never left home.

As soon as we entered Gerarda’s, we were greeted with a warm welcome from their courteous staff and immediately we were escorted to a table fit for two.

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While waiting to get accommodated, we were given a complimentary bowl of nuts to munch on. Why this simple yet brilliant idea never caught on is still one of life’s biggest mysteries to date.

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Gerarda’s has great service! The wait staff was attentive and accommodating while patiently walking us through the menu.

We ordered chicharon bulaklak and dinakdakan to go with our platter of rice. Our food came out from the kitchen sooner than we thought.

Chicharon bulaklak, literally flower crackings in English, is deep-fried pork mesentery and is a popular pulutan in the Philippines.

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Dinakdakan is an Ilocano dish that I’ve never heard of before. Traditionally, it is said to be made with grilled pig parts such as ears, face, liver, and offals which are tossed in a tangy dressing with mashed pig brain and minced spices. Think of it as an offspring of two Filipino classic recipes: sisig and kinilaw.

But Gerarda’s did their own spin on it by using bagnet in place of the bizarre pig parts for a crunchier texture. And for that thick creamy finish, they swapped mashed pig brain for coconut milk. It is the bomb! If there’s something you shouldn’t pass in Gerarda’s, it’s their dinakdakan with a twist.

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Gerarda’s is the place in Bohol where families gather to bond, reconnect, celebrate a milestone or just simply have a great meal. Their food is suitable to the average Pinoy palate and surely will not disappoint.

TIP:
Get a reservation since Gerarda’s is always full.

Read about my Bohol Travel Guide here

Where to Eat in Bohol – The Buzzz Cafe by Bohol Bee Farm

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The Buzzz Cafe is a local organic cafe and restaurant chain in Bohol that promotes an alternative lifestyle through clean eating.

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Using only the freshest ingredients from Bohol Bee Farm, The Buzzz Cafe offers a farm-to-table dining experience to meet the demands for healthy, sustainable cuisine in Bohol.

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They also carry an array of locally produced delicacies and personal care products made from selected quality natural ingredients.

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Here’s a not so aesthetically pleasing view of our haphazard table.

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For starters, we were given an amuse-bouche platter of their homemade squash bread,

cab-cab with green tomatoes, and their best-selling spreads (honey and pesto – which by the way I cannot get enough of).

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We ordered their signature organic garden salad – a bowl of mixed greens bathed in honey mustard dressing and garnished with handpicked edible flowers. It was quite enjoyable to eat. Obviously, I ordered this for the novelty of eating flowers like a hippie. That’s one less item off my food bucket list. 😉

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Their humble fresh herb pasta is simple and light-tasting.

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I love the kamote fries! They’re already great on their own. The dip is optional!

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Make sure to give their unconventional homemade ice cream selection a go. They’re exceptionally good!

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Treat yourself good food without the guilt at The Buzzz Cafe by Bohol Bee Farm. It is perfect for diners who are making conscious efforts to eat local, sustainable, organic food that satisfies the palate. They have branches located in Island City Mall, Alona Beach, and Galleria Luisa.

TIP:
If you want to get more out of your money, eat in the Island City Mall branch. The serving portions there are more generous.

Read about my Bohol Travel Guide here

Eat Sea Urchins at Alona Beach

There are a number of fun things you can do when at Alona Beach such as island hopping, diving, and snorkeling. But if you’re feeling a little adventurous and want to do something new and different from the rest of the crowd, I recommend eating fresh, raw sea urchins. Maybe that doesn’t sound fun and appealing to most of you. But if it’s something you haven’t done before… Never say never.

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You can get them from an itinerant seafood vendor who usually goes around the beachfront late in the afternoons. If he’s nowhere in sight, you can ask other vendors where to locate him.

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Sea urchins are round and spiny ocean creatures that feast on seaweed and other marine plants.

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To eat them, they must be carefully cracked open, have the insides cleaned and its roe scooped out.

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The sea urchin roe, also known as “uni”, is edible gold from the ocean. It has a rich, creamy, buttery texture with a unique sweet and briny flavor. Packed with protein, omega 3 fatty acids, unsaturated fats, and zinc, it’s a very healthy treat to have. The best way to eat them is to eat them raw. However, if you’re a little squeamish when it comes to raw food, just have them grilled. There are seafood vendors at night who can grill sea urchins for you at a minimal cost.

EXPENSES
Sea urchins – 20 PHP for 1 piece*
Grill – 100 PHP for 1 pail of sea urchins

*The vendor gave an irresistible deal after sunset. He offered the whole bucket of sea urchins for only 200 PHP.

Read about my solo trip to Alona Beach here
Budget hostel of choice in Panglao here
Bohol Travel Guide here

Traveling Solo: Alona Beach, Panglao, Bohol

Since I had so much fun traveling solo to Chocolate Hills, I decided to travel alone once more the following day. Originally, I planned to go to Anda Beach but commuting from Tagbilaran to Anda takes 4 hours! I only had an afternoon to enjoy another moment of solitude and I thought I’d rather spend more time at the beach than on the road.

So I ditched Anda Beach on the last minute and opted to go to Alona Beach instead.

Alona Beach

Only 30 minutes away from Tagbilaran, Alona Beach is a tropical getaway in Panglao Island with a gorgeous stretch of white sand, swaying palm trees and pristine azure waters.

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Alona Beach has one of the best diving spots in the Philippines and is a popular destination for divers from different parts of the globe.

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There are a variety of hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars, travel agencies and specialty shops to choose from within or near its vicinity.

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Alona Beach carries a sleepy beach vibe so its nightlife is fairly quiet than that of Boracay and Cebu.

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Laidback beats are played open air by the shore – making it an awesome place to just chill out in the evening.

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Alona Beach is Boracay’s easygoing cousin without the overwhelming number of vendors, rowdy crowds and hyper-commercialism. It is a serene vacation spot with a lively nightlife scene – offering the best of both worlds!

To get there, I took a tricycle from JJ’s Seafood Village to Panglao Island which cost me a whopping 500 PHP.

Thankfully, I was able to bargain with the driver later on to make that a round trip fare.

Please don’t judge me. Back then, I didn’t know better.

The cheaper way to get to there is to take a Tawala-bound jeepney at Dao Terminal. Although the trip will take about an hour, the fare would only be 25 PHP (but 50 PHP if you have a huge suitcase). A far cry from my overcharged tricycle fare.

TIME
Tricycle ride to Panglao Island – 30 minutes
*Jeepney ride to Panglao Island – 1 hour

EXPENSES
Tricycle ride to and fro Panglao Island – 500 PHP
*Jeepney ride to Panglao Island – 25 PHP

*other option

Read about my budget hostel of choice in Panglao here
Bohol Travel Guide here

Traveling Solo: Chocolate Hills, Bohol

On the first week of November, my boyfriend attended a videography workshop in Bohol with some of the country’s biggest names in the wedding film industry. While my boyfriend was busy in Dao Diamond Hotel (where the workshop was held), I didn’t want to just sulk in our hotel room and waste 2 glorious days away doing nothing. So I thought it was about time to do something I’ve never done before… TRAVEL SOLO. Just the thought of it was pretty daunting: a young woman, strapped for cash, with poor navigational skills is about to embark on her first independent trip. Obviously, I was both excited and frightened.

Although I’ve already seen the Chocolate Hills more than a decade ago with my family in a guided group tour, I just wanted to see if I can make it there completely on my own.

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My trip to the famous Chocolate Hills started with a tricycle ride from JJ’s Seafood Village to Dao Terminal. The ride was about 15 minutes tops.

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Upon my arrival at Dao Terminal around 1:30 PM, I asked around which bus I should take. I was told to catch the bus that goes to Carmen and just ask to be dropped off along the highway where the Chocolate Hills would be located.

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I climbed inside a non-air-conditioned Citi Transport bus, seated myself at the back and waited about 30 minutes for departure. 

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TRIVIA: It’s a norm in the Philippines that ambulant vendors sell bottled drinks and pre-packed goods to passengers before the bus takes off.

Carmen is a 2-hour long commute from Tagbilaran.

As I was en route, I saw a lot of tourist attractions along the way: Loboc River, Tarsier Santuary, Butterfly Conservation Center, Python SanctuaryMaribojoc Kayak Site, Man-made Mahogany Forest and many more. 

Throughout the entire ride, I persistently asked the passengers beside me if I was getting any closer and kept reminding the bus conductor about my stop.

It was already around 4 in the afternoon when I was finally dropped off along the highway. From there, I took a habal-habal and was on my way to the observation deck of Chocolate Hills. But halfway there we made a quick stop to pay for the entrance fee. 

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The habal-habal driver dropped me off at the base of a stairway leading to the observation deck. I made an arrangement with the driver to wait for me as I would not be taking a lot of my time. One must overcome over 200 steps before finally seeing the Chocolate Hills. Luckily for me, the climb up wasn’t as exhausting as I remember it to be (must be all the trekking I’ve done lately).

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Behold, the iconic Chocolate Hills! A geological wonder that turns dark brown during the dry season. Composed of over 1000 hills, legend has it that these hills were formed when a giant named Arogo mourned over the death of Aloya, a mere mortal, who he loved dearly. As his tears fell into the ground, they turned into hills – a symbol of his lasting love.

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Yes, the climb was absolutely worth it. The view was stunning. But to me, it was more than just the view. It was a symbolic climb of triumph – triumph over fear of uncertainty and fear itself.

TIME
Tricyle ride to Dao Terminal – 15 minutes
Bus ride to Carmen – 2 hours
Habal-habal ride to Chocolate Hills Observation Deck – 5 minutes

EXPENSES
Tricycle ride to JJ’s Seafood Village to Dao Terminal – 15 PHP
Bus ride to Dao Terminal to Carmen – 60 PHP
Habal-habal from Highway to Chocolate Hills and back – 100 PHP
Entrance fee for Chocolate Hills – 50 PHP

Read about my ATV ride experience here  
My Bohol Travel Guide here

Moon Fools Hostel

There are dozens upon dozens of hotels and resorts to choose from in Bohol – particularly in Tagbilaran and Panglao. However, most of these are catered to affluent tourists and if you’re a glampacker like I am, finding a place to stay that is comfortable yet affordable at the same time can be a trying task. But luckily, while I was perusing the bowels of the Internet, I found Moon Fools Hostel.

Moon Fools Hostel is a newly-opened bed and breakfast located in Brgy. Tawala, Panglao Island. Only a walk away from Alona Beach, it is surrounded by restaurants, convenience stores, travel agencies, rental shops and many more.

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This industrially themed hostel prides itself as a clean, friendly budget hostel that is committed to making conscious efforts to be eco-friendly.

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They also take pride in having supported homegrown artists by commissioning one-of-a-kind handcrafted wooden key chains.

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Moon Fools Hostel has 2 dorm rooms, 3 matchbox rooms and 2 private rooms all with great air conditioning and free access to WiFi.

TIP:
Book your accommodation in advance. Since the number of rooms is limited, they are usually fully booked.

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I stayed in one of their dorm rooms for only 400/night (introductory price) and was offered a complimentary continental breakfast.

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They have gender-segregated communal shower rooms and lavatories too.

Currently, some facilities are unavailable such as hot shower, public kitchen and lounge area. Other rooms were unavailable as well when I was there since they are still undergoing minor renovations. I honestly was a little disappointed when I realized that the photos on their website are only artistically rendered images. But it does look very promising.

It is also worth mentioning that Moon Fools Hostel sits right above a bar that blasts loud music until 2 in the morning so expect a rough night if you’re an early sleeper.
EDIT: They just installed soundproof windows!

That being said, Moon Fools Hostel is heaven sent for young travelers on a budget. The place is clean, safe and comfortable. With a very strategic location at a competitive price, I’ll surely go back there when in Bohol.

Some images are taken from the official website of Moon Fools Hostel and are believed to be in the public domain. No copyright infringement intended. Credit is given where it is due.

Bohol Travel Guide

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Bohol is an island province of the Philippines that is situated in the Central Visayas region and is home to several historical churches, natural wonders, splendid beaches and the buggy-eyed tarsiers.

HOW TO GET THERE BY AIR

Take a direct flight from Manila, Cebu or Davao to Tagbilaran with Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines or AirAsia. You can check the flight schedules here. Please note that the schedules are subject to change without prior notice.

HOW TO GET THERE BY SEA
Another way to go to Bohol is to travel by boat from either Manila, Cebu, Dumaguete, Cagayan de Oro, Camiguin, Dipolog and Iligan. For ferry schedules and rates, check out Ocean Jet, Kinswell Shipping Lines, Starcraft, Cokaliong, F.J. Palacio Lines, Weesam Express and 2GO.

WHERE TO STAY
There are numerous hotels and resorts to choose from in Bohol – particularly in Tagbilaran and Panglao. However, most of them cater to affluent tourists and the options for backpackers and “glampackers” are very limited.

Luckily, I found a good place for those of us traveling on a tight budget. My personal recommendation would be Moon Fools Hostel. You can read about it here.

There are many easy-to-use and secure websites that can help you choose your accommodation based on your personal preferences and budget.

Agoda
I’ve booked hotels through Agoda a couple of times and I love it. They have a great network of hotels to choose from at competitive prices.

AirBNB
I’ve also booked through AirBNB and this is a personal favorite. AirBNB offers the most unique travel experiences that can perfectly suit your budget and needs.

Booking, Trivago & Hostelworld
I personally haven’t used Booking, Trivago, and Hostelworld before but they also have good deals and a wide selection of hotels to choose from.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
There are a number of travel agencies in Bohol that offer affordable package tours and I’ve seen a lot of them scattered in Panglao. Getting package tours is the best way to enjoy Bohol in the most efficient way possible. However, I love to make my own itinerary and be the boss of my own adventure. So here are my must-see’s and must-do’s in no particular order:

Ride an ATV to Chocolate Hills
Bike on a zipline at Chocolate Hills Adventure Park
Firefly watching under Loay Bridge
Cruise along Loboc River

Spelunking in Danao
Visit historical churches and sites
Scuba diving at Balicasag Island
Rent a motorcyle to get around Bohol
Eat fresh, raw sea urchin at Alona Beach

WHERE TO EAT
To all my foodie readers, here are my top picks:

Giuseppe Pizzeria and Sicilian Roast Gastronomia and Wines
The Buzzz Cafe by Bohol Bee Farm
Gerarda’s Family Restaurant
Swiss Restaurant
Payag Restaurant

EXPENSES FROM ILIGAN VIA DIPOLOG TO BOHOL
Port of Iligan Terminal Fee – 25 PHP
2GO Tatami Class –  1089 PHP
Upgrade to Tourist – 350 PHP

Keep in mind that rates are subject to change without prior notice.