Going to Bohol from Oslob vs. from the City

When we went to Cebu, our itinerary is mainly in Oslob because we are enthralled by the huge appearance of whale sharks. Whale sharks are massive type of fishes that is inhabiting Oslob. Other than Oslob, Cebu, they can also be found in Sorsogon in Bicol.

Swimming with the whale sharks early in the morning (6am) is a very rewarding experience for me. I learned that they are kind and gentle. They are very close to fishermen because fishermen feed them when there are visitors so that the visitors can encounter the gargantuan sharks. I asked the fisherman if they feed them everyday but he said that this happens only when they have visitors so they will not be dependent on them.

The next day, we planned to left Cebu and go to Bohol to meet our family waiting in Flower Garden Resort. There is a boat from Oslob to Bohol, which takes three hours of travel. Some may ask, what are the pros and cons of traveling from Oslob? Here are the answers:

1. Price: From Cebu city, boat ride is only 200 php plus the bus ride to the city, which is 140 php. Total is 340. From Oslob, fare is surprisingly thrice more expensive at 1000 php.
2. Location: For the location, port in the city is located near the church of Sto, Nino. In Oslob, boats are located near the cemetery in the famous Heritage Park, which is a walk away. 
3. Time: Obviously, if you are in a rush, it is better to ride from Oslob than going to the city because traveling to the city from Oslob will take 3-4 hours. It only means that the 1000 php that you are paying is for less time travel. When it comes to time constraint, the boat from Oslob is better because you do not need to go back to Cebu to go to Bohol. However, if you are not in a hurry and your time is longer then I would suggest to go back to Cebu city because fare is cheaper and the ride is safer. The famous ferry in the city is OceanJet, which is bigger and safer than the boat in Oslob.

Therefore, ride from Oslob if you are in a rush or you don't want to travel for 3 hours, but if you have a tight budget and want to be safe go to the city.

Tip: If waves are rough, go to the city because they use ferries to reach Bohol, whereas small boats are used in Oslob. The boat in Oslob can accommodate 50 persons.

How to go there: From Sacha's resort, walk towards the famous Heritage park. From the park, walk towards the cemetery. Filipinos are hospitable so you can ask them if you're a bit confused of the location.

Boat in Oslob

A Review of Sacha's Resort

View outside the resort

Sacha's Resort is a resort located in Oslob Cebu. It is one of our choices because Tripadvisor has a lot of good reviews about it with its cheap accommodation.

It is a family-run business owned by a Filipina and her German (I am not sure) husband. Guess where the name came from? It is the name of their son, Sacha. You heard it right. He is a male.

This place is very close to the famous whale sharks (30 mins away), Aguinid falls (40 minutes away) and Kawasan falls (one hour away). Additionally, it is a 10-minute walk to the prominent and wonderful Heritage park.

How to go there? From CBST (Cebu South Bus Terminal), there is a bus that goes directly to Oslob. The whole travel will take 3 hours from Cebu city and the bus will pass directly at Sacha's resort. However, because we do not know that it will pass the resort, we asked the driver to alight at the tricyle terminal near the resort. Fare to Oslob from Cebu city is 140php.

What do they offer? They have swimming pool, which has a great view facing the ocean and you can sit outside while waiting for the sunrise or sunset. They also serve breakfast for 125 php plus but I would suggest to walk near the market because there are a lot of street foods offering grilled fish, barbecue and grilled eggplant and sea weeds. It is totally delicious, cheaper and healthier than the foods in the resort. The street food market is near the Heritage park and is open in the morning and at night. Also, they have a driver who can bring you to places I mentioned above that will cost 600php each. Because we are only 4 in the van, we paid 2400 php, Tip: This is a bit expensive because places are near the resort. You can ride a bus instead because it is abundant in the area.

Room: The room that we have stayed has 2 large beds good for 4 persons, air-conditioned and has a bathroom inside. It is simple and if you are a backpacker it is great for a price of 750php each night.

Verdict: 7/10
The staff is kind and hospitable. During our stay, there is a slight rain shower making us apprehensive to leave Cebu to Bohol because we need to ride the boat directly from Oslob. Because of this, the staff from Sacha called the seafarers and asked if the travel is safe. Luckily, they informed us that we can ride a boat from Oslob. The resort is well maintained because they have a number of staff in the resort. The room, pool and bathroom is clean. On the negative side, I think their tour and food is a bit expensive.