Going Organic: The Buzzz Cafe of Bohol Bee Farm

Some of you may have probably already heard of the Bohol Bee Farm, a "hidden" nature sanctuary located in the town of Dauis in Panglao Island. This place puts much emphasis on healthy living, giving its guests a relaxing environment and serving them food made from the freshest, organic ingredients that when put together form a delicious, and interesting dish that you wouldn't probably see outside of the resort (squash muffins, anyone?). 

For those who do not have enough time to visit the farm, then you could make a quick stop at The Buzzz Cafe of Bohol Bee Farm located at the Island City Mall in Tagbilaran City instead. It is pretty much a one-stop shop where you can dine and buy an assortment of products such as baked goods, dips, lotions, and soap (and much more!) which you could take home with you or to give them out as gifts. 

At the Island City Mall

Of course, given that the products are made by the Bohol Bee Farm, then honey is a major ingredient in most (if not all) of their products. Some of their products range from health and wellness products such as  Honeyed Salabat, Guyabano Tea and Malunggay Tea, to beauty and skin care products such as Honeycomb soap and Honeyed Tomato soap. Of course, you can also buy food such as ice cream, pastries, sandwiches and pizza, among others.

Malunggay Ice Cream, anyone?

Other ice cream flavors to choose from. 

Inside the cafe

Hair conditioner to suit different needs

An assortment of spreads and jams

Jars of malunggay spread

Beauty and personal care products

Baked goodies. All-natural and 100% organic

(The Buzzz Cafe of Bohol Bee Farm is located at the upper ground floor if the Island City Mall at the Dampas District of Tagbilaran City. For a complete catalog of their products, please visit the Bohol Bee Farm website at www.boholbeefarm.com)

Things to Do, Places to Go: Bohol

We're down to our last few weeks of summer here in the Philippines (in fact, it's already been raining almost everyday these past few weeks now), but that doesn't mean the fun has to stop. Before the summer ends (and before the kids start heading back to school again for nine months), wouldn't it be just great to head out somewhere and enjoy these remaining weeks of pure summer bliss? 

Fortunately, you do not really have to head out of the country to have the best vacation of your life--the Philippines has 7,107 islands which you can discover and explore. 

Bohol, an island province in the Visayas, has in recent years already become one of the country's vacation hotspots attracting both local and foreign tourists. Aside from having beaches that are less crowded than Boracay (which is a big plus for those who just want a peaceful time at the beach), Bohol is also known for its attractions such as the Chocolate Hills, the cute Tarsiers, and the historical Baclayon Church. A trip to Bohol would not be complete without seeing these "icons".

However, that is not all that this province has to offer. I have a list of alternative places that you could go to (aside from the usual attractions and activities), which are also certainly worth checking out, that would certainly make your trip to Bohol a most unforgettable and memorable one. 

1. See the Loboc River from a Bird's Eye View

Many guidebooks will tell you that you should go on a cruise along the Loboc River and enjoy the breathtaking views of the mountains and trees while having lunch or dinner, while being serenaded by singers with their guitars. However, if you're more adventurous and would like to try something new, then you might just want to give ziplining a try. 

Head on over to the Loboc Eco-Tourism Adventure Park, where a zipline or a cable car ride will give you magnificent views of the Busay Falls at the end of the Loboc River. The zipline here, at 600 meters, is the longest one in the island, and takes you 100 meters above the ground. Don't worry, though--your safety here is guaranteed.

2. Go Trekking and Take a Swim at the Mag-Aso Falls

Located in the town of Antequera which is about 20 kilometers from Tagbilaran City, the Mag-Aso Falls is  relatively unknown since it is located inland and is a bit too far from the usual tourists attractions. The name comes from the local term "aso", which means "smoke". This was named as such because of the smoke-like mist that covers the falls. 

3. Go on a Food Adventure--Eat!

If touring the province has made you hungry, Bohol has a number of restaurants or cafes worth checking out. One such place is Cafe Lawis, located inside the Dauis Pilgrim Heritage Center, near the Senora de la Asuncion Shrine. It is at the town of Dauis, at the edge of Panglao Island closest to mainland Bohol. They offer a good selection of pastas, baked goodies and beverages. Worth trying are their souffles which are available in Kinampay, Ginger, and Tsokolate Eh flavors. These take a while to prepare but they are most definitely worth the wait. 

Other must-visit places include Hayahay Pizza located at Alona Beach at Panglao Island (which claims to serve the best pizzas in the island), Saffron Restaurant and Bar at the Amorita Resort also at Panglao (where they have a wide selection of gourmet dishes which you can enjoy while enjoying the view of the beach or the sunset), and The Buzzz Cafe at Island City Mall at Tagbilaran (which basically serves the same delicious, organic treats from the Bohol Bee Farm such as the Malunggay Ice Cream or salad made out of flower petals).

4. Appreciate its History

Bohol has a number of old churches which date back to the Spanish colonial period. The most popular of these is the Baclayon Church, which is most often visited by tourists. There are, of course, other Churches that you may check out. The Church of Our Lady of Light at the town of Loon (25 kilometers from Tagbilaran City) is the biggest Church in Bohol. What was originally a chapel built in 1753 under the leadership of Fray Manuel de Elizalde has become an architectural marvel built by the Augustinians. 

The Church of San Pedro at Loboc, meanwhile, is the second oldest Church in Bohol, built in 1602 (and rebuilt again in 1638 following a fire). The ceiling of this Church is adorned with paintings. Adjacent to it is the Museo de Loboc at the third floor of the convent which contains statues and other religious artifacts. 

5. Enjoy Nature--Up Close

Philippe Tariser at Panglao Island is a mixed-use property owned by husband-and-wife tandem Nicolas and Patricia Moussempes. The place has a large botanical garden, a mini-zoo, a museum (that contains, among others, actual paintings from 16th century Europe and pottery, statues or carpets from India, China, or Indonesia which dates back to ancient times), restaurants, cafes, and an events place where you can hold wedding receptions, birthday parties or other similar events). A tour, which takes about 2-3 hours, takes you around the place to view the beautiful landscaping conceptualized and handled by the owners themselves, as well as an extensive collection of pottery and statues acquired by the owners from their numerous trips abroad. You may check out my review of Philippe Tarsier here.

You may also want to visit the Simply Butterflies Conservation Center at the town of Bilar, which houses over half of the 300 species of butterflies found in Bohol. The conservation center also houses several species of birds such as the Collared Kingfisher and the Spotted Dove. The night safari tour, meanwhile, allows you to check out several species of nocturnal animals such as owls and bats.

Bohol is a mere one hour flight from Manila. Philippine Airlines flies from Manila to Tagbilaran three times a day; Cebu Pacific flies 2-3 times a day (depending on the day of the week); Zest Air and AirPhil Express fly twice daily each. 

Philippe Tarsier--One of Bohol's Newest Tourist Attractions

For someone like me who has been to Bohol a lot of times (and I do mean A LOT), places like the Chocolate Hills (Bohol's most famous tourist attraction), the Baclayon Church, or the Loboc River don't really seem to excite me anymore. After having been there more than once, I find myself constantly looking for a new place to check out each time we schedule a trip to my mother's hometown. It seems like we've already seen the best of what Bohol has to offer--so what else is new?

If you happen to be in Bohol, you might as well check out Philippe Tarsier, a botanical garden/museum/mini zoo/cafe/events place all rolled into one sprawling, lush complex located at Panglao Island, known for its pristine, white-sand beaches similar to that of Boracay's, albeit less crowded and less commercialized. It is a mere 20-30 minute drive from Tagbilaran City, the capital of Bohol.

The ticket--my apologies for the blurred shot

Philippe Tarsier was conceptualized  and opened about less than five years ago by Nicolas Moussempes, a French interior designer and his wife Patricia, a Filipina from Bacolod, and a retired Cathay Pacific flight attendant. They initially acquired a small piece of property at Panglao Island, and eventually expanded to become what it is now--a fully integrated tourist attraction. 

We (my parents, other relatives and I) dropped by last December 26, 2011 to check the place out, as none of us have ever been there before (including some of my relatives who were Bohol residents). It was fairly easy to find, as we had signs to guide us. The main highway at Panglao Island was pretty good, but once we had to turn left to get to the place, we had to deal with an unpaved road to get to the place. We arrived at around 3pm and were greeted by some staff members, who ushered us into the souvenir shop which they had also designated as the place to buy the tickets.

The pathway leading to the souvenir shop/cafe/ticketing office

Ticket rates are at P500 for non-Bohol residents, P300 for Bohol residents, and P200 for children ages 4-11.  After settling our payment, we were then led by a tour guide who would tour us around the 4-6 hectare property. The tours are usually conducted in English, but since majority of those in our group spoke and understood Bisaya (the local language), the tour guide spoke Bisaya (with some English thrown in) for the tour. 

Just some of the various souvenir items for sale (this was just one side of the hut)

The staff also suggested that we purchase Off! mosquito repellents from them, as there were many mosquitoes there. True enough, as we were led by our tour guide (I don't remember his name) through the part where their cactus collection was on display, we were greeted by mosquitoes trying to suck our blood. Good thing we had our Off! lotions. 

The cactus collection

It was raining that day (typical weather for Bohol at this time of the year), so we were provided umbrellas, free of charge. Anyway, Philippe Tarsier's sections (like the mini zoo, botanical garden, restaurant, cafe, etc.) are given corresponding names. For example, the botanical garden is known as the Tarsier Botanika, while the museum is known as the Tarsier Artistika. To get to all of those sections, visitors must walk, so I would suggest that you coordinate first with the staff if you have any elderly or young children with you, so you could decide whether to leave them at the cafe or restaurant first, while everyone else tours the place.

Moving on, the botanical garden houses different types of plants (over 3,000 species of tropical plants) and animals (reptiles, mammals, birds), as well as the owners' extensive collection of pottery, statues, and other decorative items, which they have collected from their travels around the world. This gives the place more of an international vibe, rather than a Filipino one, and this will be more evident later on. 

Primates

More photos:

One of the several species of birds that are found here

You've been warned.

Monkeys

Pathway

Another pathway

By the way, the landscaping of the place was handled by Mr. and Mrs. Moussempes themselves. They, of course, had to hire people to help them in planting, but they didn't have to hire any professional landscape artists.

The photo above is a photo of a mini-shrine containing a religious figure of Mary. If you look closer, you will see that the structure housing the religious figure is actually made out of shells. Amazing.

Fountain

A reclining Buddha scultpure

Halfway through the tour, we had a "rest stop" at a hut somewhere in the middle of the place where we were fed cookies and iced tea. During this rest stop, my parents and other relatives took the opportunity to ask our tour guide about more background information about the place (like how the owners expanded the place, who took care of the landscaping, who the owners were, who their target market is, etc.). Our tour guide was kind enough to answer our questions.

I wanna see your peacock

An interesting part of the tour was the visit to Tarsier Artistika, or the museum. This museum contains a collection of various items which Mr. Moussempes has collected after travelling around the world for 40 years. Note that these items are the real thing, and not just replicas which you would find in some museums. Among the interesting items on display are 16th century paintings by European artists (which were obtained from art auctions), ancient sculptures, porcelain, and carpets from China, India, or Indonesia, African masks, a damaged plane engine from World War II, modern and rare furniture by some of the world's best designers,  and many others. 

Nude painting from Europe, one of many which the owners obtained through art auctions

Original European paintings from the 16th century

A miniature of a ship used by traders from Ancient China.

More paintings, with couches by some international designer in the foreground

These are from Ancient China--or India. I don't remember.

The other activities that visitors could do here include horseback riding and scuba diving. The place also accepts reservations for weddings, wedding receptions, 18th birthdays, or other private events. Just be sure to inform them well ahead of time to make a proper reservation. 

Wedding cake on display at the ticketing office/cafe/souvenir shop.

For those who have already been to Bohol's best (and quite frankly, overhyped) tourist destinations, then Tarsier Philippe will be a breath of fresh air. Since it is fairly new, there aren't too many people visiting the place yet, so it actually feels serene and more exclusive. While tickets may be quite expensive, you'll get to understand why as you tour the massive property. It's like a mini around-the-world tour squeezed into 2-3 hours. My only complaints about the place, however, are the mosquitoes and the poor road conditions from the time you leave the main highway until you reach the entrance. It would also be better to either bring your own car or rent one, since public transportation is pretty hard to come by in this part of the province.

Philippe Tarsier is located at Km. 16, Hoyohoy Tawala, Panglao, Bohol. For more information, do check out their website at www.philtariser.com. You may also call their landline numbers (038) 416-1289 or 416-0952, or call their mobile number at 0917-526-6001.