Chocolate Hills Aren’t Chocolate

My trip to the Chocolate Hills started with a very loooong drive from Panglao (where I was staying, btw). The road was all zigzaggy, but the views along the way were beautiful. Imagine rice fields, mountains, trees, and all that nature stuff that’s somehow super calming to me. Why is it so calming?? Maybe I just like road trips, the in betweens you know? Or maybe green is just a relaxing color. It has the same effect on me as when I’m looking at a large body of water.

Is it real chocolate?

Oh, here’s a fun fact I picked up from our driver! Do you know why they’re called the Chocolate Hills? And no, it’s not because its made of chocolate or just because they’re brown. Like, obviously they’re brown, but that’s not the whole story. People didn’t just look at something brown and go, “Yup, that’s chocolate.” 😂

So apparently, the reason is way more specific. When you look at the hills from above, they look like little chocolate kisses — you know, like those sweets you used to love eating as a kid (and even now). There was this moment in history where someone in a helicopter looked down and thought, “Whoa, this looks like chocolate!” And boom — Chocolate Hills.

In the summer, the grass on the hills turns brown, and that’s when they actually look like chocolate. Sadly, I missed out on that because it wasn’t summer when I went. So, instead of chocolate hills, I got… green hills.

It is made of dead corals

The driver hit us with another crazy fact: the hills are actually made of dead corals, which is why only grass grows on them. Like, you could try planting a tree, but it’s not gonna grow. Then he goes, “Oh, and the hills were shaped by waves because… they used to be underwater.” Um, WHAT?! 🤯 Can you even imagine? Sea creatures used to live there! These hills used to be an ocean floor?!

Now, back to my trip. The whole time on the way to the Chocolate Hills, I was crossing my fingers, hoping it wouldn’t rain. But of course, it did. Exactly like what my magical weather app said — which I ignored by not bringing an umbrella or a hat.

Tikbalang in the hills

When we arrived, I tried borrowing an umbrella from this tiny office building at the drop-off point but there’s no extra umbrellas left. So, I’m sitting there in the waiting area, and someone goes, “May kinakasal sigurong tikbalang. Maaraw kanina bigla na lang umulan.” If I was a little kid, I would’ve turned white with fear and my heart race after hearing that.

Quick backstory: when I was a kid, people used to say if it’s sunny and then it suddenly rains or starts drizzling while the sun is still out, it means a tikbalang is getting married. This used to freak me out as a kid, but now that I think about it, why am I so scared of a tikbalang wedding. I mean, it sounds kinda romantic! Imagine the tikbalang saying, “To celebrate our love, let’s make it rain a little.” A little dramatic, but honestly, who doesn’t love a good dramatic wedding moment?

Anyway, since no umbrella was in my future, I decided to buy a hat from the souvenir shop. And let me tell you, that hat was so cute. I also grabbed a fridge magnet for my mom because she loves those.

As if by magic, the rain stopped, and the sun came out. Hallelujah! I climbed up 214 steps (no I didn’t count) to get a better view of the hills. They weren’t chocolate-colored, they were more like greenish-yellow, but the view was still chef’s kiss. I managed to snap a few pics, though I really wished I had a better a camera with .5 settings. Oh well.

After my mini hike, I bought some water from this air-conditioned restaurant nearby, which felt like heaven after all that walking or climbing. So yeah, if you ever go to Bohol, you shouldn’t miss the Chocolate Hills. I’m already planning to go back in the summer just so I can finally see them in their full chocolatey glory.

Ubeco on a Rainy Afternoon

After a long journey and a quick nap on my first day in Bohol, I was on a mission to find a spot that would hit the spot. Enter Ubeco, a place I stumbled upon thanks to Google Maps and a bunch of glowing reviews. Here’s how it went down.

The place looked minimalist and chic, serving up a mix of Asian dishes. It’s only a 15-minute walk from my hotel, but it was raining and I didn’t have an umbrella, so I had to hop in a tricycle.

There’s a tricycle outside the hotel so I asked the driver to take me to Ubeco. The fare was just PHP 30. I had fun talking with the tricycle driver on the way to Ubeco. He even gave me a calling card in case I would need a ride in the future.

The ambiance in Ubeco was good and relaxing. I ordered teriyaki fried rice and the calamansi drink.

The calamansi drink reminded me of my childhood because it tastes like “Celine” the vitamins my mother gave me when I was young. I have no idea if that’s how it’s supposed to taste, but it looked pretty in the photo. The teriyaki fried rice didn’t really scream teriyaki to me, but after my starvation-induced state, that first bite was like a slice of heaven. The egg was great, and there were so many spring beans that I thought I might turn into a bean myself if I ate any more.

The fried rice was also a lot for me, and I think the calamansi drink ruined the taste of the teriyaki fried rice for me.

I ended up asking for a takeout box for the leftovers because I didn’t want to regret not saving some for later. Overall, the food was tasty but a bit on the pricey side. Now, I’m craving that teriyaki fried rice and might try to make it myself at home. If I do, I’ll definitely share the recipe here.

So, that was my adventure at Ubeco. Despite the rain, it turned out to be a good brunch experience. If you’re ever in Bohol and need a good spot to chill with some tasty (if slightly overpriced) food, Ubeco’s worth a visit. And who knows? Maybe I’ll master that teriyaki fried rice and impress everyone with my cooking skills. Stay tuned!

The Tuko At My Hotel In Bohol

For my stay in Bohol, I chose Bassa Nova Villa, which I booked for PHP 4500 for two nights. It’s this super cute, Bali-inspired place on Panglao Island that looked aesthetic and spacious in the pictures. After the long trip I had from Manila to Cebu and then Cebu to Bohol, all I wanted was to collapse on the bed and reboot.

Fresh sheets

On my way to the hotel, I ended up being the navigator with Google Maps since the tricycle driver didn’t know where Bassa Nova Villa was, I guess because it was new. It felt like an eternity getting to Bassa Nova Villa. I started thinking maybe I should’ve just hopped on one of those Jeepney-style tricycles instead.

After an hour, we arrived. The hotel staff immediately helped me with my bags as I was going out of the tricycle. They gave me water and made me sit as they prepared my room. They then walked me to my room which is Room 10 on the 2nd floor. The room was huge and comfy, with two double beds and a nice balcony.

I immediately flopped onto the bed and was greeted by the coolest, most relaxing sheets ever. It felt like the bed was giving me a big, comforting hug which I deserved after everything I had just been through.

Bathroom quirks

Now, with the bathroom review. If you’re on the shorter side (like me), get ready for some serious tiptoeing to see yourself in the mirror. And the bidet? Total mystery. I couldn’t figure out how to get it working—either it’s broken or I’m just not tech-savvy. The shower was cold at first, but it did warm up after a bit which was fine because I’m all about those chilly night showers anyway.

The next morning, I had a tour pickup at 8:20 am. I didn’t notice the time slipping away, but thankfully, the staff knocked on my door to let me know someone was waiting outside. Major relief!

On my last night

On my last night, I decided to try the restaurant and ordered Thai curry. It was delicious, and they even toned down the spice for me, which I really appreciated.

I wanted to explore more before checking out, but the rain had other plans. I didn’t get to swim in the pool, which was a bummer. But overall, the stay was really nice—the staff were thoughtful, and the place had a great vibe. And oh, on my last night, I heard a tuko (that lizard noise) three times, and I totally freaked out. I honestly thought a mythical creature was coming for me.