The “Chocolate hills” complex is probably the most famous tourist spot of Bohol and one of the most famous tourist destinations in the Philippines. There are approximately 1260 hills to 1,776 hills spread over an area of more than 50 square kilometres (20 sq mi).

Chocolate Hills – How to get there 

Go to the bus terminal in Dao and take a bus going to Carmen city. Ask the driver to drop you off at the Chocolate Hills complex about 55 km (34 miles) from Tagbilaran, you will not miss it because there is a billboard on the road. From there it is a 10-minute walk along a road winding up to the complex.

The Chocolate Hills look like giant mole hills, some even describe it as a women’s breast. They are uniform in shape and ranges from 30-50 meters (98 to 164 ft) high with the largest being 120 meters in height.

The hills are covered with green grass that turns brown during the dry season which makes the hills look more like chocolate.  Geologists believe that the tops of the hills were formed from marine limestone.

Legend explains how the Chocolate Hills were formed as the story of two giants who threw stones sand at each other in a fight that lasted for days.

When they were finally exhausted, they forget their feud and became friends, but forgot to clean the mess they made during their battle when they left.

The second version is the romantic tale of Arogo, a young and very strong giant who fell in love with Aloya who was a simple mortal. After she died,  the giant cried with so much pain and misery. When his tears dried, the tears then turned into hills as a lasting proof of his grief.

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And the third story is about a giant Carabao who ate all their crops in the area. The farmers decided to leave out spoiled food for him to eat and get sick. And sick he got – his stomach couldn’t handle the spoiled food, leaving behind a trail of faeces which turned into the Chocolate Hills when they dried. However, geologists have not reached consensus on how they were formed up to this day.

The Chocolate Hills Complex has a hostel, restaurant, swimming pool and an observation deck to view the amazing hills. In Sagbayan Peak in the town of Sagbayan, you can go up to view the hills. You have to climb 214 steps to enjoy the magnificent view from an observation outpost above the hills.

You can stay at Nisa’s Travelers in Tagbilaran – there are single rooms (shared bathroom, fan), Wi-Fi and breakfast included. If you only come for the Chocolate Hills, Tagbilaran is a convenient base for your starting point.

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