[Throwback (Travel) Thursdays 03.28.2013] The Good Friday walk along the Anda shoreline

If you'd ever be swept away on an island, wouldn't you want it to look just like this?

Eight years ago My Bibe and I went on a week-long backpacking trip to Cebu and Bohol with absolutely no hotel reservations or anything. After two nights each in Cebu's Bantayan Island and Bohol's Alona Beach in Panglao Island, we ventured several kilometers up north to the sleepy town of Anda, a 5th class municipality. I still recall the three-hour ride on a non-airconditioned mini-bus and the several stops it made along the way to pick up and unload passengers. The highway then was not yet concrete and we enjoyed complimentary face powder of dust. But it was fun.

Before our trip, My Bibe came across an article written by a German visitor to Anda where he narrated his experience of walking along the shoreline from his resort (Blue Star Dive and Resort) all the way up to the town proper -- which was quite a distance, by the way! We both agreed it was something we should do. And so we spent the following morning doing just that. It was a Good Friday.

Here I'm reliving that wonderful experience in photos:

The Anda shoreline, however rocky in most areas, boasts of white sand punctuated by several limestone rock formations. This one here was still near where we stayed at Dapdap Beach Resort, which was at least a kilometer closer to the town compared to Blue Star.

The tide was still a bit high when we started our walk. We strolled leisurely along small coves of white sand beaches and moved under rock formations to get around. Here My Bibe is inspecting (or pretending to, at least) a fishing net that's being hung to dry.

Where we could, we also walked on top of limestone rock formations. It was much better than negotiating with the tide when going under them.

Looks like we're going under this time, which wasn't so bad in this case.

But when a rock formation extended way too much into the sea, and swimming around it wasn't an option because of my lowly Kodak KB-10 point-and-shoot film camera, a few rolls of film, and our cell phones, we walked inland.

We likewise made it through cornfields. I remember thinking it must be really hard for farmers here because the soil was full of limestone rocks. Bless them for their hard work.

We also came across this spot with felled branches and dried leaves, which I thought was beautiful.

There was also this small cave we saw near the shore but we didn't dare go inside because we didn't have any lights. We walked towards the shore and this small patch of beach came to view.

Oh, it's just me camwhoring.

No, we didn't have to climb these rocks. I just thought it was a great spot for a photo op.

It was close to noon already and the tide was beginning to ebb.

Again we found a nice patch of white sand beach and stopped for a quick swim. And photos.

Okay, I think it was more for photos than for swimming. But we did swim, I swear.

All hail the castaway!

Wingardium leviosa! And I did it without a wand. Eat that, Hermione Granger!

More walking, this time along a palm-fringed beach.

We were nearing the town proper and a vast, fine white-sand beach was slowly being revealed. We also passed by a few folks enjoying a beach family outing.

We made it in town by noon. Dripping wet, we walked around the town and settled in a carinderia (eatery) somewhere for lunch. After asking around, we realized there were no trips that day back to Tagbilaran City (Bohol's capital) because it was a Good Friday. So we went back to the beach and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon. These kids here were singing us love songs while church bells were pealing in the background.

The beach along the Anda town proper was very shallow. During low tide, the beach becomes one vast stretch of white. Had a bit of fun chasing these blue-colored little crabs here.

Saw a blue starfish and another light-colored one. Time to go back to our resort.

You think we'd still walk back to our resort? We hired a habal-habal (a motorcycle fitted with additional seats). We had enough walking for one day already.

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GETTING THERE:
Bohol's Tagbilaran airport is served by multiple daily flights and by fast craft and ferry services from Cebu and nearby islands.

Once in Tagbilaran, hire a tricycle to get you to the bus terminal and find a bus going to Anda. It's better if you go there early just to be assured of trips. Take note that there aren't any airconditioned buses plying the route but thankfully, the roads are all concrete now. Travel time should be around two hours.

Alternatively, and depending on where your'e staying in Anda, your resort can arrange for transportation, like we did on our second time there when we booked Anda White Beach Resort.

More resorts have now opened at Anda. For more information, go to andabohol.gov.ph/stay.