Chocolate Hills

Bohol, Philippines Travel Guide

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Chocolate Hills

Overview: Bohol’s monsoon weather in June soaked the island’s south and central regions. Not for naught, the tropical landscape of Bohol, especially the glassy rice fields, was beautiful to me, even amidst the intermitten coats of heavy rain. The grey, overcast skies actually lended to Bohol’s mystique. We were en route to Carmen, the home of the famed Chocolate Hills Complex.

So much green dominated the land on our drive up to Bilar and Carmen. It was like a natural green heaven. Near the top of one of Carmen’s largest hills, we came upon a simple, modest shack. Maybe 4 people could fit in there. An old white wooden sign stood in front of the little “office” notifying everyone that they were at the “Chocolate Hills Complex.” The price of admission for adults, P50. For children, P10. That’s a little over a buck for adults and about a quarter for kids. Can life be any better than paying a dollar to see one of the most lovely sights in the world?

True to tourism form, a local Filipino vendor came strolling by with a tray of goodies to sell. We passed. Up to the Chocolate Hills Complex we trekked (ok, we drove). The complex sits on a plateau of one of the largest hills in the Chocolate Hills region itself. The Chocolate Hills region is vast and is spread over the small towns of Sagbayan and Batuan as well as Carmen. The complex has a small yet nicely paved, circular driveway area with souvenir shops lining the perimeter. To the far end stands the quaint Chocolate Hills Hotel. In the center of the complex is a watch tower of sorts and under the tower, locals give massages – for a small fee. You need one after the beautiful drive.

There are two vantage points in the complex from which you can check out the Chocolate Hills: an observation deck, up which you must climb a hefty and unremitting flight of stairs, and the road that reaches the complex. I, of course, did not opt of the observation deck. I could still get a tremendous view of the Chocolate Hills landscape from the road.

There was something truly mystic and authentic about seeing the prolific, grass-covered limestone mounds against the grey and cloudy background. They seemed to come alive. How did they get there? It is not known with certainty how the Chocolate Hills came about but many legends surround it, including the story of two giants fights and hurling boulders at each other. The scientific theory that’s most widely accepted, however, is that the land was under water and the formations were coral deposits. The land and formations shifted upward over the years. Rainfall and rivers winding through the deposit filled landscape softened and sculpted the formations into round cones.

Location: Carmen, Bohol

Cost: 50/adult, 10/kids

Accessibility: The main grounds of the Chocolate Hills Complex is nicely paved and wheelchair accessible. Even the bathroom is somewhat wheelchair accessible. The observation deck is not, as there are 214 steps to climb.

Getting There: Cab it or hire a driver for a day