Under the Sun in Aloguinsan (Bojo River + The Hermit’s Cove Adventure)

Long before it was named by Green Destination as one of the top 100 sustainable destinations in the world, I’ve already heard some people talk about the Bojo River in Aloguinsan. After the news broke last week, the Bojo River cruise was all the rage in the local scene.


Finally, our conflicting schedules have met so my friends and I agreed that we will go to Aloguinsan to see this wonder for ourselves. And while the opportunity is there, we also agreed to visit The Hermit’s Cove.

Travel Tips: 
If you are traveling from South Bus Terminal, be sure to come early. There are only very few trips to Aloguinsan so better come early. There are alternative ways to go like hailing a bus to Toledo or Pinamungajan but that could mean going for another hour of road trip via a multicab.

Also, make sure that you eat, pee or poop before the trip as the bus will not make any stop and you are left to deal with whatever uncomfortable situation for the three hour trip which doesn’t sound like a lot of fun, right?

The Farmhouse, Aloguinsan

Before guests can go to Bojo River and Hermit’s Cove, they should first register at The Farmhouse which also serves as the Tourism Office. A guest can choose between two options for the river cruise:
1. Walk-in and pay 400 for a guided tour plus free use of facilities like life vests, sarok and CR
2. Pay 650 for a welcome lei, welcome song by the locals, free use of facilities and be served snack and lunch. This option needs prior reservation (2-3 days) as the locals need to prepare the food.

Someone's in-charge of the registration and money. Hehe

Here's the gang under the "ampalaya tunnel" (where ampalaya vines used to crawl but unfortunately for us there are no ampalayas yet).

What a beauty.

Bojo River Cruise

Before the cruise, you will be oriented on the history of the organization and the river.

Before you are allowed to cruise the river, you will be briefed of what you are allowed and not allowed to do and the history of the eco-tour among other things. Here are some things you will learn:
• “Bojo” (with a J) means river ceiling. The “boho” with an h on the other hand is the Cebuano word that means hole.
• The river is about 2-3 meters deep so you can only cruise it during high tide.
• According to our guide (whose first name I forgot), there are 22 species of mangroves along the Bojo River.

Here's our kuya guide. He's so game and supports our shenanigans during the cruise.

Here are some of the species we found when we walked around after the cruise:

As a kid, I grew up seeing my mom turn the "bakhaw" and the "tigpod" into a Christmas tree. Of course, we can't do that anymore as these are protected species.

Do you know that the nipa is a mangrove species?

• The guides are fisherfolks who were trained by the government as soon as then Gov. Garcia saw the potential of turning the Bojo River into an eco-tourism destination. While a lot of them resisted, those who chose to stick with the program now reap the benefits of the river.

• A huge chunk of the P400 or P650 guests pay for the cruise goes to the BAETA (Bojo Aloguinsan Eco-Tourism Association). The members spread evenly all of the day’s proceeds which they use to fend for their families. So, not only are you going to enjoy the sights and learn about mangroves and protecting the river and the ocean, you will also be able to help the fisherfolks. Kuya also shared that there are times when they have no guests which means they have no income for that day but hopefully, with their latest achievement there will be more guests coming so they will have more stable income.

• Your guide will amaze you with all the scientific names of the mangroves. According to our guide, they were trained by personnel from the University of San Carlos. He also shared that they had a “moving exam” when identifying the scientific names of the mangrove plants during their training.

• Apart from the mangroves, the Bojo River is also rich with folklore and history. For instance, your guide will share to you the story of how there used to be wild monkeys living in the area but the blasting done by some people in search of the Yamashita Treasure drove them away.

• You will also learn the story of Maria Tang-an, a diwata who used to lend people some items. The elders told the locals that they will write their petitions on a piece of banana leaf using chicken feather as pen. The next time they come, the items they want to borrow are already waiting at the “cathedral door”. However, Maria stopped lending people things when someone returned a damaged item.

This is the "cathedral door" where Maria Tang-an is believed to live.

• The brackish water of the river is due to the fact that it opens to the vast Tañon Strait. Once you reach the strait, you will be amazed at how clear the water is. You will be able to see the corals even from the surface. The area is protected so the corals are in good hands.

Here are some photos of the gang while cruising stunning Bojo River:

Don't you just think that this river is a mini El Nido?

Once the tour is over, you will be allowed to swim in the shallow portion of the river. Can’t swim? This is where your life vest will be a great help. Learn from non-swimmers like us.

Once you reach the Tañon Strait, this is what's going to meet you:

After the tour, you can take a shower or use the comfort room in the receiving area. You can use it for free if you availed yourself of the tour. It will cost P10 though if you didn’t.

The Hermit’s Cove

After our Bojo River cruise, we decided to go to another destination in Aloguinsan- The Hermit’s Cove.

Warning: You need to have a master’s degree in riding the habal-habal to come to Hermit’s Cove if you are not coming with a private vehicle. The road can go from smooth to rough without warning. From the Bojo River, you will reach the cove in 15-20 minutes.

When you reach the entrance to the cove, you will be asked to register at the reception area. Members of the Kantabogon Ecotourism Association will also orient you of the things that you can and cannot do. Remember that if you want to come to the cove, you will pay the P100 entrance at The Farmhouse/tourism office. They will just give you the receipt and the ticket which you will present at the receiving area.

Lakas maka-Arci and Jericho ng peg oh.

The steps leading to the beach has 88 steps... yes, Melanie counted.

As mentioned, you will be oriented of the things that you can do and can’t do such as:
• You are not allowed to bring alcoholic drinks inside thus, those who were “wais” and had the drinks placed in water bottles to smuggle inside should be sanctioned. And if they weren’t caught, God sees them.
• You are only allowed to swim within the area with Styrofoam floaters. The area is a cliff and is protected. Going beyond the floaters could be dangerous.
• You will have a table or cottage ready so don’t worry about paying extra for these things. In case the place is full, you can just sit by the sand because it is cleaned constantly.

History
The locals said that it is called “The Hermit’s Cove” because legend has it that a hermit (a hermitanyo) used to live in that place, away from everyone. This hermit’s name is Tabogon, thus the barangay’s name is now Kantabogon, a derivative of the Cebuano “kang Tabogon” which means the place/property of Tabogon.

Puto Buli

We were told that we were late for the cultural show where the locals had a demonstration on how to cook the “puto buli” made of buri palm. The good thing though is that we were in time for the cooking. Each slice is sold for P10. I took the chance and bought 10 pieces.

This puto buli was freshly-cooked when we gathered to buy some. 

Do you know that they are cutting the puto using a nylon string? The local said that they can’t use the knife as the puto will stick to it. The ingenuity of the local will never fail to amaze you.

Each slice is sold for P10.

Now, while Harvey said that he was a bit disappointed by the taste as there seems to be nothing ordinary in it, I give it to the locals for still knowing how to cook one of their delicacies.

According to the woman who sliced the puto, this was cooked by the poor residents as eating rice is still considered a luxury for many of them. The puto will harden in no time but you just have to steam it and it can be eaten again, best paired with your coffee or sikwate.

Swimming at the Cove

Seeing the cove on social media really set my expectations high but as they say, it is best not to expect anything. The sand isn’t as fine as I imagined it to be. In fact, the sand of Lapu-Lapu’s resorts is finer. But then again, the fault is with me as I expected too much.

Over all though, the cove is a great place for swimming. The water is clear, inviting and just the right temperature. There are also many fishes, a living testament of how well-maintained it is.

Once you are done swimming, you can bathe with fresh water which costs P5 per pail. You can also change clothes in one of the dressing rooms.

If you brought your own vehicle, you can also buy some baskets from the locals.

Going Back to the City

The habal-habal drivers should follow this fare matrix when taking their passengers to and fro different destinations.

Now, if you plan to go home a bit late in the afternoon just like us, expect that there will be no buses waiting for you in the town center. You can ask the driver to take you to Mantalongon which is a bit pricey or you can choose to ride a tricycle and go to Pinamungajan. You may still catch a bus from Pinamungajan where a Ceres liner terminal is located or you can opt to ride a multicab and go to Toledo to catch a bus or a van-for –hire. There are also v-hires that occasionally come to Pinamungajan.

Budget

Minibus (South Bus to Aloguinsan ) – P80
Poblacion, Aloguinsan to The Farmhouse – P10
Farmhouse to Bojo River – P20
Bojo River to Hermit’s Cove – P40
Hermit’s Cove to Poblacion – P50
Tricyle to Pinamungajan- P20
Multicab to Toledo – P25
V-hire to City- P100
Bojo River Cruise- P400
Hermit’s Cove- P100
Food- P108

TOTAL: P953