Chocolate Hills

Breathtaking Chocolate Hills: Did You Know These 10 Facts?

A Brief Overview of the Chocolate Hills

The Chocolate Hills is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the country. It is a sought-after sightseeing spot in the island of Bohol because of its majestic and captivating view.

The Chocolate Hills is located in Bohol, Philippines covering the municipalities of Batuan, Sagbayan, and Carmen. It is Bohol’s icon and pride. It is the top tourist attraction in the province. Local and foreign visitors from the neighboring provinces like Cebu, Leyte, and Negros opt to have a side-trip in Bohol to experience the wonders of Chocolate Hills.

Normally, tourists who are on business trip, vacation, or study program in Cebu visit the Chocolate Hills in their free time. It has a lot to offer, not just viewing the hills from its view deck but also taking extreme adventures like riding on a zipline, biking midair, or driving an ATV.

Are you ready to know more facts about the Chocolate Hills?

This article will surely leave you craving for adventures after reading it. We will tell you stories about Chocolate Hills and give you many facts that will surely leave a lasting impression to you.

Legends and Myths about Chocolate Hills

Travellers’ hearts are captured by this wonderful beauty of nature. It gives them an urge to come back and discover more. Chocolate Hills is marvelous, yet mysterious. Did you know why it was called Chocolate Hills in the first place?

Let’s talk about how this natural wonder became what it is now and why people are so mesmerized with its beauty.

Here is how the story goes…

“Once upon a time, the island of Bohol was flat and there were a lot of rice and corn fields. However, during the rainy season, the fields were extremely muddy and it was difficult for people to walk around because they were slippery.

One day, there were two giants who came from the opposite sides of the island. One giant came from the north and the other one came from the south. Because people were afraid of them, they left their place and went to some remote areas on the island. 

It was raining too hard and the giants began a fight. The giant from the north picked a ball of mud and began throwing it to the giant from the south who was hit on the left shoulder. The giant from the south wanted the giant from the north to experience the same, so he also made a ball of mud and threw it directly to the other giant’s face. 

The fight lasted for hours. Both the giants threw giant balls of mud at each other until they became weary and tired which resulted to their death. The aftermath of their fight were the giant balls of mud. The people knew about this and went back to their place to bury the two giants. They soon led a peaceful life.

During the dry season, the brown hills can be clearly seen from miles to miles across the island. When seen from an aerial viewpoint, the hills look like candy-hills and chocolates. The hills were formed as a result of the two giants’ conflict.” 

There is another version of this legend that focuses on a romantic tale about a giant who fell in love with a mortal woman, but when she died, the giant cried and his tears became these mounds.

Not only these are the stories why it was formed. There is one anecdote for it too.

                “A giant buffalo ate all the crops of the locals in the area because they were tired and left some spoiled food. It enticed the giant so he ate it too. As a result, he kept defecating for a whole month and his feces formed into hills.”

Whatever the story is, still thanks to the two giants who fought each other long, long time ago, the giant who cried an ocean of tears, and the giant buffalo who pooped for a month – the Chocolate Hills were formed and it has now become an icon in the Philippines.

Moreover, contrary to the myths and legends as told, geologists have a scientific explanation of it. They categorize these landforms into “conical karst topography” where hills are leftover limestone deposits from a time when rivers and streams are above sea level.

But… Why was it called “Chocolate Hills” then?

If you look at the hills, they form like cones with a pointed top. It is called Chocolate Hills because during the dry season, the hills are brown which is similar to chocolates. It’s during the dry season that you can witness its true color and beauty.

Chocolate Hills: the 8th wonder of the world

Did You Know?

Here are some trivia about the majestic Chocolate Hills.

  • You can view a large percentage of the Chocolate Hills in one of its hills in Carmen, Bohol. There is a viewing deck with a wishing well on top.
  • Before reaching the peak of the viewing deck, there are 214 steps that you should take.
  • The hills range from 100 ft. to 165 ft. in height; they are not so high.
  • There are around 1,268 hills that occupy the three municipalities.
  • The Chocolate Hills is included in UNESCO’s tentative lists of natural wonders.
  • It is declared as the Philippines’ 3rd National Geological Monument.
  • It earned the spot as the 8th Wonder of the World.
  • A “No building policy” around the Chocolate Hills area was imposed to preserve this heritage site.
  • The Chocolate Hills is seen in the country’s 200-peso bill along with tarsier, the smallest primate.
  • It turns green in rainy season and brown like chocolates in dry season.

By knowing these facts, you are now surely interested to visit this sightseeing spot and see for yourself.

Things you can do in Chocolate Hills

There are a lot of exciting activities and fun-filled adventures in Chocolate Hills that you will surely enjoy and always remember.

Here are some of them and are offered by Chocolate Hills Adventure Park.

  • Wave Runner Surf Zip
  • Rush Bike Zip
  • Zorb Ball
  • CHAP Body Ball
  • Decagon
  • Tarzan Swing
  • Team Building
  • Butterfly watching

Frequently Asked Questions

Are you planning to visit the Philippines soon? Is it for leisure, business, or study tour?

Whether you are on honeymoon, on a business trip, on a solo vacation, or on a study abroad program, you can always visit the Chocolate Hills. Surely, you have a lot of questions about it while on vacation. Let us answer them for you.

Q1: How do I get to Chocolate Hills?
A1: There are various ways to get to Chocolate Hills. Your jump-off point is at the City of Tagbilaran. 

      • By air – you can directly land at Bohol International Airport from your home city or country. It is the easiest way to go to Bohol.
      • By ferry – this is one of the best options especially when you are from Negros, Leyte, or Cebu. You can take the ferry bound to different ports of destination in Bohol like in Tagbilaran, Tubigon, Getafe, and Ubay.
      • By land – you have to go on a land trip from your jump-off points to get to Chocolate Hills. Van rentals are available on the island as well as tour agencies to arrange your tour. 

Q2: When is the best time to visit?
A2: Anytime is fine if you want to visit Chocolate Hills as long as the weather is good. However, the hills are green in rainy season from June to January. If you want to experience the chocolate-like mounds, you can visit from February to May. The hills are dry brown, mimicking chocolates’ color.

Q3: Can I avail of tour packages?
A3: There are many tour packages you can avail in Bohol, not just visiting Chocolate Hills but also other tourist destinations in the province.

Q4: What activities can I do in Chocolate Hills?
A4: Aside from witnessing the breathtaking and picturesque view of this majestic scenery, you can also enjoy ATV adventures, zipline, midair bike, and bungee jumping. Tour agencies can give you recommendations while you are on a tour. 

Source: klook.com

Q5: How many days should I spend to visit Chocolate Hills?
A5: For Chocolate Hills alone and its surrounding tourist sites, a day tour is fine. It is recommended to spend at least 2 or 3 days to really enjoy.

Q6: I’m a backpacker, where can I stay?
A6: There are affordable bed and breakfast inns near Chocolate Hills or neighboring towns where you can stay for a night.

Let’s go!

Ready to venture the Chocolate Hills Trip? If you are an ESL student in Cebu, don’t just limit your urge to experience top Cebu destinations and activities, but also explore other islands. Include it in your bucket-list when you visit the Philippines soon.

Indeed, the Chocolate Hills is one proof that it’s always fun in the Philippines.

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