Chocolate Hills
More than a thousand conical hills that turn chocolate brown in the dry season, one of the strangest natural sights in the Philippines.
Overview
The Chocolate Hills lie in the centre of Bohol island, made up of about 1,268 similarly shaped conical limestone hills across some 50 square kilometres. In the dry season from November to May the tropical grass covering them turns brown, making the hills look like rows of chocolate, an image with real visual impact. From the viewing deck there is a spectacular panorama of the whole field, which is a national geological monument.
History
The hills are formed of limestone that was uplifted and then weathered by rain and groundwater over tens of thousands of years, though their unusual uniformity continues to puzzle geologists. Local legend tells instead of a giant who wept over a lost love, his tears turning into the hills. They were declared the country's first national geological monument in 1988 and are on the Philippine tentative list for World Heritage status.
Highlights
- •The 360-degree panorama of the hills
- •The brown hills in the dry season
- •Boating on the Loboc River
Practical tips
- •Go early to avoid the heat and crowds
- •Combine with the tarsier sanctuary nearby
Practical information
- Best time
- March to May for the brown colour
- Tickets
- Open all day
- Opening hours
- About PHP 50
- Local food
- Roast suckling pig, seafood and mango
- Getting around
- Bohol is reached by ferry; the Chocolate Hills and tarsier sanctuary need a hired car
- Visa
- A visa is required; holders of a valid US, Japanese or Schengen visa may stay visa-free for seven days, subject to official Philippine announcements.
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