Tarsier-sized Expenses for Your Bohol Trip

I was on the front seat of a kia picanto with my girlfriend and my other girl friends at the back. we were chatting with our driver who hails from the states and married a filipina. He asked us how much was our airfare and i think he almost fainted when he found out.

Our airfare totaled Php1,420.16 for the four of us. It was booked February for travel on July. That's Php355.04 each person, Php200 less if we travel without checked baggage. It takes a lot of patience and a bit of luck to catch such promo fares. (As of April 2011, all bookings are now have fuel surcharges, Php200 one-way for local travel and around Php500 one-way for international travel. Cebupacific also introduced Lite Fares, basically removing checked in baggage, previously at Php100, now at a minimum of Php150 for local, and Php350 for international).

We started looking for packaged tours around June and found a package amounting to Php16,000 (after a few haggling) for a 3 Days, 2 Nights stay for four which includes the following:

• Airport transfers
• 2 Airconditioned Rooms (2 pax sharing)
• Countryside Tour (Blood Compact Site, Baclayon Church, Chocolate Hills, Man-made Forest, Tarsier visit, and Loboc River Cruise exclusive of the Lunch Buffet)*
• Island Hopping (Balicasag and Virgin Island plus Dolphin watching) inclusive of Boat Ride and Snorkeling gears, exclusive of diving shoes at Php100 (believe me you're gonna need this, also haggle on the rental price)
• 6 meals inclusive of packed lunch during island hopping

*Lunch Buffet at the Loboc River Cruise ranges from Php300-500 depending on the menu. Prices are higher during peak season.

Aside from the terminal fees, our sidetrip to the malls (3D movies at Php70 can you believe it?!) and some groceries for pasalubong, our grand total would be at Php4,855.04 per person which I believe could be less if you really are on a tight budget.