Alicia Hills: The Gleaming Rolling Hills of Alicia, Bohol

Every adventure connoisseur needs a little spontaneity in their getaways. In the age of Facebook, Instagram and Google, we rarely take a hike for a simple exploration adventure. Nowadays, everything is researched, planned and even rehearsed. Of course, we all know the thrill of hiking somewhere awe-inspiring is still there. But, wouldn’t it be better or more exciting if your escapade started the moment you chase the 5:00 a.m. boat trip to Bohol? Wouldn’t it be more rewarding and fulfilling to go somewhere barely touched by tourists like Alicia Panoramic Hills?

Alicia Town Proper

And, I get it – most of us don’t like the feeling of uncertainty. We are all scared of exploring the unknown and not having a clue on what’s going to happen. We are afraid that things will not go as expected or things will be rather uncomfortable, when we dive into unfamiliar territories like Alicia Panoramic Hills in Alicia, Bohol. In most aspects of our life, we want everything to be clearly visible and in their proper place.

But as Amelia Atwater-Rhodes said, “life is nothing without a little chaos to make it interesting”. And guess what? Diving into unknown can also be a rather rewarding experience. Once you explore the unknown and step outside your comfort zone, you’ll be breaking the barriers that you and others had set for yourself.

You’ll feel totally free and allow yourself to do something new.

And, eventually, you’ll rediscover your passion and innate talents without being held back by external opinions, your own fears and societal norms.

At the summit of Alicia Hills

Speaking of diving into unknown, my bf (Kenn) and I have been exploring a bunch of unfamiliar spots in Cebu, for the past 2 years. With our impulse to see our island beyond the travel magazines, we’ve discovered some intriguing places not just in Cebu but also from the neighboring islands in the Visayas. And, one of our favorites is of course, the Alicia Panoramic Hills in Alicia, Bohol.

Earlier on April, we ventured the magnificent and thrilling Alicia Panoramic Hills or locally known as Labawan Peak in Alicia, Bohol. We got no idea of this place at first but through the help of my Niece-in-law who was from Bohol, we able to get an information & we immediately planned an itinerary two days before the day of departure. While our spontaneous adventure was an absolute blast, I felt like we still have some unfinished business with this secluded town in Alicia, Bohol because we didn't get to arrive earlier so we could see the stunning view of Alicia on a sunrise. And that's why we made a promise to ourselves to return to Alicia sometime next summer.

Climbing Alicia was like almost beyond compared to Mt. Kapayas which was the toughest I've ever climb so far in Cebu. Why do I say so? It's not because it has more steeper slopes or highly-inclined hills but it's because you are being exposed too much from the heat of the sun when you climb it during the day that can make you climb harder. Nevertheless, Alicia is still one of a kind. I have known Bohol for so long now and it became already one of the best places in the Visayas because of the many tourist attractions, and I've been there for 4 times already. Who would have thought that this province can also offer a grandiose and gleaming rolling hills in Camba-ol, Alicia, Bohol – the Alicia Panoramic Hills.

As we were admiring the views from the summit, we caught a glimpse of a couple of rice fields and picture-perfect rolling landscapes nearby.

My cousin's family in their hometown, Candijay Bohol

For this spontaneous April escapade, we were joined by my cousin's family who went there for a birthday celebration in Candijay, Bohol, and stayed there in their place for one night prior to our exploration in Alicia.

Not only did we scale Labawan Peak but we also experienced swimming into the cold springs and explored a nameless mountain. On top of it all, I figured out why spontaneous hikes are addictive and healthy.

Here are some of the things that I’ve learned on our Alicia Climbing Experience:

You’ll always feel upbeat and excited

Along the way, Kenn and I seemed so psyched and happy. Even though we were practically sleepless, I could sense the excitement and the adrenaline running in the veins of my hiking buddy.

muddy and slippery rocks along the way

As partners, we have been diving into the unknown, for months. Whenever we feel stuck or bored, we just do something that’s out of our comfort zone. And ultimately, our hikes became so much exciting, after we got used to being optimistic and animated about not knowing what’s about to happen.

You'll become fearless (sort of)

We had a mid-blowing and heart-pumping moments as we ascend at the first two hills but it didn’t stop us to reach the summit. As a matter of fact, we even cherished the view and soaked up the breezy atmosphere. As an evidenced, we took tons of pictures from a variety of angles, to preserve the pleasant memories of Alicia Hills adventure.

You’ll learn to make decisions on the fly

Life is unpredictable. Even when you plan everything meticulously, things often don’t work out the way you want to them to. So, I’ve figured out that less planning is actually better. In life, you sometimes have to stray from your plan, and just go for it.

And, that’s how we’ve approached our hikes last summer.

Truthfully, not all our quick decisions turn out to be great. But, after a series of spontaneous hikes, we’ve become more intuitive and learn to make good decisions on the fly.

You stay fresh and achieve something great

With our innate desire to try something new, we will never get bored, and always find ways to stay fresh.

Even better, we’ll have the ability to achieve something great, with our curiosity and optimism.

And in our Alicia Hills hike, we did make our adventure a whole lot more memorable and interesting.

Amidst the scorching heat of the sun, we found this lovely mountain with stunning panoramas.

You’re less stressed out

Our Alicia Hills hike wasn’t perfect. The truth is, we had quite a problem catching a habal-habal ride that has a cheaper fare in going to Alicia Panoramic Hills. Their regular fare was 200 pesos.

Despite the haggle, the two of us didn’t seem to be on a bad mood.

We just made the best out of the situation, we were cracking up jokes and enjoying each other’s company.