Chocolate Hills in Bohol - the 2012 and 2015 Visit Comparison - Memory Lane Week #172 Challenge

Hi, ASEAN Hive friends!

So happy to be back blogging again. Before posting here, I visited different communities to gather inspiration for topics to write about. It's great to drop by here in this community and realize that I need to join, as I have some travel photos for comparison. This week's ASEAN Hive Challenge, "Memory Lane," really fits in.

As a traveler, I love re-visiting places. In 2012, my first visit to Bohol was with my relatives. It was an all-expense-paid trip by my aunt, so my mother and my sister were lucky to get invited. As we live in Cebu, we just need to take an Ocean Jet Ferry from Cebu City Port to Tagbilaran Port.

The Chocolate Hills

Chocolate Hills in 2012

My aunt hired a van with a driver to tour us around. One of the famous spots in Bohol is the Chocolate Hills. I was using an Olympus digital camera. For you to see this view of Chocolate Hills, you need to climb the stairs.

Chocolate Hills in 2015

In 2015, I was traveling with a traveler. We hired a tricycle for two people. This is to test myself on how to travel in Bohol on a budget. What I realized in this photo is that I was wearing the same gray vest. I love this vest as I can hide my bra or bikini straps underneath. I wasn't that revealing while wearing sleeveless or spaghetti strap dresses.

There was a change in the railings from metal to wood after an earthquake in 2013. The Chocolate Hills Viewpoint was affected by the earthquake and temporarily put on wooden railings.

The Chocolate Hills Viewpoint is located in Carmen, Bohol.

Sagbayan Peak

Sagbayan Peak in 2012

Sagbayan Peak is another viewing point located in Sagbayan, Bohol. During our first visit here with the relatives, we realized that it wasn't stressful on the knees to see the Chocolate Hills. The adults love the vibe here, as it is chill. I took a photo of the dinosaur here.

Sagbayan Peak in 2015

In 2015, I decided to have another photo here. We never see any damage here in Sagbayan after the earthquake. Still, the place was quiet as it wasn't overcrowded with visitors, unlike the view deck in Carmen.

Pine Trees in 2012

There are many things to do at Sagbayan Peak, as it is a nice place for kids. You can have a picnic here. You can chill and walk around the pine trees. It is better to spend more time here than in Carmen.

To give you some idea, they have this Disneyland moment at Sagbayan Peak. You take photos with a castle, a mini store, a photo with Superman, and the Hulk.

Pine Trees in 2015

They added colorful flags and more playgrounds. After three years, the place was improving.

Visiting Bohol was not only the first and second, but I was able to visit many times after 2015. It's just that I never took the same photos in the same places. In the next few years, I concentrated on another activity, such as scuba diving on Panglao Island. That's for another adventure blog.

Blogging this is very nostalgic to me. If my French family has the chance to visit the Philippines, I would bring them to Bohol. My husband and I were watching a travel documentary about the Chocolate Hills in Bohol on French TV, so he wanted to see it in person.

Thanks to @justinparke for this wonderful challenge.