Loboc River Experience
I thank God for the opportunity to visit other places. I regard this just as a blessing. We had been to Bohol Island many years ago, but haven't explored the new hypes like the Loboc river cruise. So in this last visit we did have a go for this river cruise. The cruise lasts about an hour , 30 minutes back and forth of the same river . What you pay for each person includes buffet food and a choice of soft drinks, which cost 300 pesos per person ( but let me check the old receipts yet :)
I have to be honest here, I wasn't that impressed. I hope this would not be understood as destructive criticism but as an objectively expressed opinion which may shed light in improving the service in the future.
Any place which has a river could do the same as they did in Bohol. Honestly, anyone could organized tourism trips, have it assessed and regulated / registered by tourism office etc. , without making complicated investments that might loose out.
The Loboc river cruise could have been more enjoyable if there's options of cruises or other means of river transport to see and experience the river and not the floating Karaoke resto boat alone. There are many of this type, all with the my dreaded karaoke.
Our preference was having a smaller boat to ourselves, like a banka with someone who paddles or a small motor boat.
But there's none of it at Loboc. Adding to that, it maybe good if there canoes for rental too.
Ideally , small moving paddle boat could be better while taking a video or a photo. We will be able to stop or slow down where we like or stay as long as we like.
Anyway, I was almost enjoying the river scenery and taking photos as we went along, when suddenly a Karaoke singer blasted over a loud Beatles song to kick start the journey - with all Karaoke songs til the end . With no disrespect to the singer, but it's not Karaoke songs I was paying for to listen , it was mainly the peaceful nature of Loboc river experience. My o' my, I've never felt so annoyed on the trip , the overwhelming Karaoke noise hit me hard.
I'm born and raise pinoy, but I don't like karaoke, period !
Not that I have horrible singing voice, but who likes to listen dearly of the songs we sing, honestly speaking - our pets, dishonest friends and family who pretend to like our singing, oh yes, are they honest enough or secretly put on their ear plugs ? If we don't sing a par as Adele or Madonna and others out there who hit the box office , no one would cue up to listen to our songs, that's the truth, let's be realistic.
Anyone to says Karaoke singing is part of the Filipino cultural experience, that might be true but not every Filipino share the same opinion and of the same preference.
It's not that I'm very much westernized, I just don't like karaoke ever since I've known it. I used to have friends / acquaintances inviting me for Karaoke night out - what ? I'd rather hide than torture myself going with a karaoke loving crowd and sinfully pretending I like my friends singing hahaha.
To continue, I was enjoying the Loboc scenery, but the karaoke spoiled my experience. Karaokes should be inside and used in a Karaoke Bar, not on a nature river cruise, seriously speaking. Has Bohol tourism got it right ?
On another note, it made me wonder as it's very obvious, the wealthy tourism stake holders took the monopoly of business along the Loboc River. The river is a blessing to everyone, not just the wealthy few to engage business / services. Why not give the poor a new way to earn a living and improve life by being involve and partaking with the Loboc blessing. Although, it could be argued, they it gave the poor more employment opportunities working with the tourism industry, yet that's just it . I would be glad to pay a local to take me or us on paddle boat along the Loboc . Authorities just have to regulate / taxed it. I'd rather listen to the chirping birds along the Loboc on a paddle boat than the rattling Beatles or Martin Nievera songs on Karaoke.
The food : If you fancy a Tocino, or a Barbeque, it's nice when it's freshly cooked from the grill. Not cold and prepared way hours earlier for a buffet.
Loboc River Experience
I thank God for the opportunity to visit other places. I regard this just as a blessing. We had been to Bohol Island many years ago, but haven't explored the new hypes like the Loboc river cruise. So in this last visit we did have a go for this river cruise. The cruise lasts about an hour , 30 minutes back and forth of the same river . What you pay for each person includes buffet food and a choice of soft drinks, which cost 300 pesos per person ( but let me check the old receipts yet :)
I have to be honest here, I wasn't that impressed. I hope this would not be understood as destructive criticism but as an objectively expressed opinion which may shed light in improving the service in the future.
Any place which has a river could do the same as they did in Bohol. Honestly, anyone could organized tourism trips, have it assessed and regulated / registered by tourism office etc. , without making complicated investments that might loose out.
The Loboc river cruise could have been more enjoyable if there's options of cruises or other means of river transport to see and experience the river and not the floating Karaoke resto boat alone. There are many of this type, all with the my dreaded karaoke.
Our preference was having a smaller boat to ourselves, like a banka with someone who paddles or a small motor boat.
But there's none of it at Loboc. Adding to that, it maybe good if there canoes for rental too.
Ideally , small moving paddle boat could be better while taking a video or a photo. We will be able to stop or slow down where we like or stay as long as we like.
Anyway, I was almost enjoying the river scenery and taking photos as we went along, when suddenly a Karaoke singer blasted over a loud Beatles song to kick start the journey - with all Karaoke songs til the end . With no disrespect to the singer, but it's not Karaoke songs I was paying for to listen , it was mainly the peaceful nature of Loboc river experience. My o' my, I've never felt so annoyed on the trip , the overwhelming Karaoke noise hit me hard.
I'm born and raise pinoy, but I don't like karaoke, period !
Not that I have horrible singing voice, but who likes to listen dearly of the songs we sing, honestly speaking - our pets, dishonest friends and family who pretend to like our singing, oh yes, are they honest enough or secretly put on their ear plugs ? If we don't sing a par as Adele or Madonna and others out there who hit the box office , no one would cue up to listen to our songs, that's the truth, let's be realistic.
Anyone to says Karaoke singing is part of the Filipino cultural experience, that might be true but not every Filipino share the same opinion and of the same preference.
It's not that I'm very much westernized, I just don't like karaoke ever since I've known it. I used to have friends / acquaintances inviting me for Karaoke night out - what ? I'd rather hide than torture myself going with a karaoke loving crowd and sinfully pretending I like my friends singing hahaha.
To continue, I was enjoying the Loboc scenery, but the karaoke spoiled my experience. Karaokes should be inside and used in a Karaoke Bar, not on a nature river cruise, seriously speaking. Has Bohol tourism got it right ?
On another note, it made me wonder as it's very obvious, the wealthy tourism stake holders took the monopoly of business along the Loboc River. The river is a blessing to everyone, not just the wealthy few to engage business / services. Why not give the poor a new way to earn a living and improve life by being involve and partaking with the Loboc blessing. Although, it could be argued, they it gave the poor more employment opportunities working with the tourism industry, yet that's just it . I would be glad to pay a local to take me or us on paddle boat along the Loboc . Authorities just have to regulate / taxed it. I'd rather listen to the chirping birds along the Loboc on a paddle boat than the rattling Beatles or Martin Nievera songs on Karaoke.
The food : If you fancy a Tocino, or a Barbeque, it's nice when it's freshly cooked from the grill. Not cold and prepared way hours earlier for a buffet.