Chocolate Hills | The Famous Icon of Bohol

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The Chocolate Hills, the most famous icon of the Bohol province, dot the lands of Carmen, Batuan and Sagbayan. The view deck however is located only in the municipality of Carmen. This iconic natural wonder consists of more than a thousand hills which turn brown during the summer season, and hence the name Chocolate Hills. It turns green during the rainy season as trees and grasses grow on them but either way, this natural wonder remains picturesque. More information about the Chocolate Hills here:
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The National Geographic drone video is by far my favorite among all videos​ of the Chocolate Hills. Worth the watch!
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One of my photos of the Chocolate Hills back in 2013 (Photo © iHeartPH 2013)

To climb to the top of the view deck, you have to take 214 steps. I saw several elderly people climb up the stairs but took their time so should be possible to bring your grandmoms and granddads. I took my 80-year old grandmother here back in 2013, a few months before the earthquake. She climbed the steps without breaking a sweat while her children and grandchildren often took few breaks in between. LOL!

​It can also get sunny and hot so it is suggested to put on some sunblock, wear a hat and a pair of sunglasses. A bottle of cold water will also help beat the heat.

Entrance fee to the Chocolate Hills view deck as of 2019 is P50 or about $1.
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Stairs going up the Chocolate Hills viewdeck (Photo © iHeartPH 2017)

There are several ways to book your tour to the Chocolate Hills:

  1. PRIVATE VAN. ​The Chocolate Hills is included as part of the Countryside Tour offered by several travel agencies and van rentals. The tour can be completed in one whole day and you can spend around 30 minutes in the Chocolate Hills view deck. Cost for the entire countryside tour is normally between P2,500 and P3,500 depending on whether you are getting a sedan or a van and on how many travelers there are. To book your countryside tour with a private van, you may call/text Kuya John at +639161765683. He is able to offer a car for smaller groups (4 people max) or a van for bigger groups (12 people max). 
  2. PRIVATE VAN VIA KLOOK (ONLINE). Alternatively, you can also book your private van/car tour via Klook. This is more applicable for those who would like to customize their tour, book ahead of time and have the booking save on their mobile phones. Click here to book through Klook: Bohol Private Car Charter
  3. JOINER (BEST FOR SOLO TRAVELERS). If you are traveling alone however, chartering a van/car might not be the best option. I would suggest to book a joiner tour still via Klook for a cheaper joiner fee where you also get a chance to see other places in Bohol apart from the Chocolate Hills. Click here to book: Bohol Countryside Tour
  4. PUBLIC COMMUTE. If commuting is your thing and you don't want to take a van tour, private or otherwise, Chocolate Hills should also be easy to get to via public transport. From any point in Tagbilaran City, you can go to Dao bus terminal and catch a bus going to the municipality of Carmen. Ask the bus driver to drop you off at the Chocolate Hills complex, where you will need to walk for about 10 minutes to reach the foot.
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Filipinos are fond of alamat (legends) as to how things like fruits, trees, anyong lupa (landforms) and anyong tubig (bodies of water) came about. And as a kid in Bohol, I grew up being told several versions of the legend as to how these chocolate hills were formed. The most famous of them is the one where two giants fought and threw rocks and boulders at each other which then formed the famous site. Another one I've heard of is a more romantic version where a giant fell in love with a mortal who got sick and died. With her death leaving the giant with so much pain and anguish, he cried non-stop and his tears formed the chocolate hills. Interesting to imagine how people in the olden days have crafted these stories to make sense of things or to probably just answer their kids pestering them with such questions or maybe just as mere bedtime stories to entertain their kids with.

I have also found other versions of the Chocolate Hills legend or alamat:​
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A more recent photo I took of the Chocolate Hills in 2017 (Photo © iHeartPH 2017)

The Chocolate Hills was also not able to escape the wrath of the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in 2013. The earthquake destroyed the view deck first and foremost and have damaged some of the hills due to landslides. Here are some of my pictures of the Chocolate Hills before the earthquake, taken in September of 2013, about a month before the earthquake.


And here are the photos I've taken in 2017, a few years after the restoration of the view deck. The Liberty Bell has been reinstalled and a new wishing was built for it. The stairs leading up to the view deck is no longer a covered walkway but there are still two decks where you can enjoy the view of these picturesque hills.

OTHER DESTINATIONS IN BOHOL

KEY CONTACTS

To book your countryside tour, you may call/text Kuya John at +639161765683. He is able to offer a car for smaller groups (4 people max) or a van for bigger groups (12 people max).

To book a hotel in Tagbilaran City, click here.
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