Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Loboc River Cruise


The Loboc River Cruise has two starting points: by the Loay Bridge located in the neighboring town of Loay, or at the Loboc town proper.  The lunch/dinner buffet cruise usually runs for an hour or so back and forth.

The buffet costs about 300 pesos per person, while the kids below ten years of age are charged half.  There’s also the additional fee of100 pesos before entering the dock. It is for the maintenance of Loboc River in general and the facilities in particular.

The vessel is either a floating raft or two boats secured together (like a catamaran), which is then pushed by a motorboat (banca).




The buffet table offers authentic Filipino/Boholano dishes.  Soups, grilled seafoods, grilled meats, native delicacies, and fresh sweets and delicacies are abundantly served.

There’s also live music on board in the background performed by local bands.  But the riverside scenery remains to take center stage.


From the boat, the nipa palm plantation along the river are in view, and at times, wild ducks are reportedly seen feeding and swimming in the river.  And during the weekends and summer vacations, kids climb the top of coconut trees along the river bank and show off their diving skills.


The Busay Falls, which is about one and a half meter at most, mark the point where the floating restaurant cannot go any further.  The boat lingers in the area for a while to allow the guests to appreciate and take photographs of the scenery, and then it heads back.


On the return trip, instead of caged tarsiers that they once displayed in the past, a local performance group now showcases native traditional songs and dances.  These cultural performances have become a livelihood program as this one presented by the folks of Barangay Gotozon.


The cruise itself is relatively safe.  However, about a year ago, disaster officials closely monitored the Loboc River following the opening of the floodgates of the hydroelectric plant upstream.  Operators of the power plant decided to open the gates due to incessant rains resulting in rising water levels of the river.  Everything turned out all right, though.


This is indeed a very satisfying food and scenic tour attraction.  No wonder there are those who come back frequently -- both foreign and domestic tourists.  The inviting breezy cruise is a spiritual delight, while the lush greenery and the various nipa huts along the river banks provide a soothing backdrop. 


Other attractions in the area include the Loboc Church, the remarkable unfinished bridge built during Marcos’ era, and the Krus Dako (big cross) on top of the mountain. 
 
There are also the cable car and zipline that traverse a distance of 420 meters that provide tourists the best view from a height of between 100 to 120 meters of the landscape below.  Of course, there is also the Loboc tarsier sanctuary located at the town of Loboc.  

And on Saturdays at 1pm, The Loboc Children’s Choir performs at the convent.




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8 comments:

  1. this is a fun cruise. i've seen my fb friends post photos of their loboc cruise. inggit me.

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  2. This is definitely something I have to try soon!

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  3. Thanks for stopping by to comment on my wall murals. There is another town that has amazing ones. It's Chemainus BC. Here's a link where you can scroll through the many wall paintings. - Margy

    http://www.muraltown.com/1.html

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  4. I really want to visit Bohol and explore the many attractions I've been seeing in other site too. Thanks for the information you shared here. I want to try the cruise.

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  5. I miss this place. I've been to Bohol only once and it was only two days tour. Wanted to go back and just have a lazy relaxation :-) photos are awesome... hats off to your writing skills Tito Eric. This won't be my last visit.

    oh...thanks for the visit and comment in my blog...

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  6. That looks so fun and scenic. And the food looks amazing!

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  7. My mouth is watering just thinking of all that good, fresh food. And my eyes are yearning to take that cruise. So beautiful is the countryside along the river.

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  8. Here's another one in my bucket list!

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