Loboc, Bohol
Loboc is a small town located 25 kilmometers away from Tagbilaran the main city on Bohol Island. It’s known for the Loboc river and the ways you can experience it. You can do a lunch cruise in a floating restaurant, go stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, or firefly watching. It’s also the perfect base for exploring the Chocolate Hills, the Hanging Bridge, and the Man-made forest.
Located right on the banks of the Loboc river are the Fox and The Firefly Cottages which are also home to SUP Tours Bohol.
Cottages: Photo Credit to Frederic from SUP Tours Philippines
Fox and The Firefly Cottages
This location makes you feel like you’re in the jungle, except you also have all the luxuries you would want to relax and enjoy the beauty of the river. It’s like a little sanctuary for travelers who want to experience the outdoors in a unique and authentic way. When we first looked for places to stay at and things to do what caught our attention was the name. You’re probably thinking how does firefly and fox go together, well it does. The owners, Frederick and Joan, named it after their cute dog “Fox” who roams the property and the “Firefly” part you find out when you stay there.
The design of the place is very unique. From the outside the cottages look very much like the ramshackle bamboo huts used by the locals. When you arrive it feels a little bit like stepping into a local village. Once inside though you discover they were created with a modern sensibility. The rooms are completely weatherproof, while taking advantage of natural lighting and ventilation to create optimal comfort. Using what’s typically referred to as Nordic design for the interior the owner proudly showcases his Belgian origins.
Our Room
We stayed in the beautiful suite cottage with a peaceful view onto a rice field with palms and grazing animals. We absolutely fell in love with the room. The cottage was designed in the Filipino traditional architecture with a modern twist to it. It was the perfect combination that made us feel a part of the jungle but yet so cozy and comfortable. The room used natural ventilation so even though there is no AC we felt comfortable at all times.
The room has a gorgeous patio that is opened by large glass sliding doors. It was furnished with comfortable chairs and a small table. The bathroom was our favorite part of the room. It was located outdoors and was perfectly covered. It gave a very uniquely free and open feeling while being perfectly private. The room was spacious with shelves, an office table, a mosquito net and a fan. We didn’t even use the fan because the room was cooled naturally.
The Property
The place also has a restaurant which serves traditional, western and vegetarian/vegan meals from morning till evening.
There’s definitely something to do for everyone, from chilling on the hammock, practicing yoga at the Santosha Yoga Shala located on the property, to joining the many tours that are offered. SUP Tours is located onsite with offerings such as mountain biking or stand-up paddle boarding on the Loboc River.
Photo Credit: Frederic from SUP Tours Philippines
Stand Up Paddle Boarding
Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUP) is one of the coolest water sports we’ve tried. You usually stand to paddle, and when you get tired you can sit or even lie down. It’s a great work out which also allows you to experience the river or lake in a unique way.
After getting a good night’s sleep we awoke at 7am to get ready for our waterfall SUP tour. Troy, a local Philipino man got our boards and paddles ready and took us out to the river.
I (Katie) had done some paddle boarding during my college days so I had a good idea of what it was like. It was Alex’s first time, and it was exciting to be doing it together. It was something we have wanted to do for a while now. The river had a weak current that we paddled against on the way to the waterfall. We paddled along the beautiful Loboc River surrounded by a dense jungle on either side. Peaking through the palms we sometimes saw local people as they did their morning chores. The air was still cool and fresh and there were very few people on the river. Mostly we saw staff from the floating restaurant boats, getting ready for tourists.
Our Guide
Troy spoke great English which he learned from tourists over the years, and we had some nice conversations about what it was like for him to live the Philippines. We also talked about the differences between our countries and our Christian faith. He told us about his wife and little girl. We told him that he had the best job. He agreed and said he felt very blessed to have it.
Growing up near the river as a young boy he would fish and go out on his paddle boat. His first job was at a church and then he managed to find work on one of the floating restaurant boats. He didn’t like it too much because it could get too wild with the tourists and the actual work got boring quickly. He applied to work for SUP Tours and got hired and trained as a stand-up paddle boarding guide.
The Waterfalls
After about an hour and a half of paddling we arrived at the waterfalls. They weren’t very big, about one and a half meters, but it was fun to try to paddle out to them and then get pushed back out by the current.
We had a little break, drank water, and ate snacks before slowly floating back. Since we were no longer going against the current, it took a little less effort to return.
Paddle boarding is a very fun activity to do. You don’t have to be in perfect shape to do it. It’s something you can do anywhere you have water! We’ll definitely be looking out for more paddle-boarding opportunities and hopefully someday purchase some of our own. If you have never tried it, we really recommend it.
Day trips in Loboc
After we checked out of our room we rented a motorbike from the place for 450 pesos to go visit the Chocolate Hills, the Hanging Bridge and the Man-made Forest. They also offer great tours for those who don’t want to drive on a motorbike themselves.
As soon as we got on the bike and drove out it started raining really hard as heavy clouds rolled over the sky above us. We decided to be brave and still drive out. As we passed the Man-made forest it started raining even harder. We had no ponchos and the road was getting a little bit dangerous for us to ride on. Even though we hadn’t made it to the Chocolate Hills we were feeling miserable and decided to turn around and head back. We ended up going on a different day and enjoyed all those places with sunny weather and clear skies.
If you’re in the Loboc area definitely take a day trip to these places:
- Hanging Bamboo Bridge
- Bilar Man-Made Forest
- Chocolate Hills
- Tarsiers – there’s a Tarsier Conservation Center on the way to the Chocolate Hills but we needed up going to the Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella because they are all about protecting the Philippine Tarsier and its habitat from extinction. They really are working towards increasing environmental awareness and are establishing protected areas for wildlife in Bohol. They also strive to provide economic and social development to the local communities by running eco-tourism.
This is something we really believe in and we are always happy to support eco-tourism.
More Things To Do
A few other experiences you can have in the Loboc area are enjoying the Loboc River by going on a boat tour with a buffet. In addition, you can go firefly watching during the evening with SUP Tours, and if you’re with children you can visit the Chocolate Hills Adventure Park, go on an ATV tour amongst the Chocolate Hills, ziplinning with Loboc Eco-Adventure Park and much more!
If you’re planning a trip to Bohol and are hoping to stay in Loboc, Fox and The Firefly Cottages are a perfect place to spend a couple of nights at! You’ll really experience the beauty of Loboc with comfort and come on, who doesn’t want to shower in an outdoors covered shower with palm trees and greenery all around you!
Let us know what you have any questions or your experiences that you enjoyed in Loboc in the comments below.
Go out and explore!
Katie
Disclaimer: In collaboration with SUP Tours Phillippines we were provided with a SUP tour and a one night stay in the suite cottage. This means that we featured them on our Instagram, Stories, and agreed to write this post about them. None of the content was dictated by them, and all opinions, and experiences are our own. If you would like to read about our experience working with them check out our Patreon account where we write about it in our post titled Working with SUP Tours Bohol.
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