Traveling with Kids to Cebu and Bohol : Travel Blog 1

Have you tried traveling with kids? What are your experiences and stories?

Traveling with kids for a long distance trip is really challenging yet very rewarding travel experience. You can see the happiness of your kids as they enjoy the activities that you do. But what are the necessary things or factors that you should consider when traveling with kids especially when its for leisure? Let me give you some tips as I take you to our throwback trip to Cebu and Bohol, that time our kids were still two, Eilan(4 years old) and Lianne(2 years old).

PREPARATION

We booked our plane tickets for the travel 6 months before the travel because there was a promo of PAL that time. We just availed the ticket for at most 2,000.00 good for 4 persons only. We chose a specific place that we have not tried yet but we know that could have activities suitable for kids. So we choose CEBU-BOHOL for our 4 days, 3 nights trip.

• Tip #1 : Book ahead of time, avail promo and decide for the place and number of days.

When our booking is confirmed, I call my friend "Google" for showing me some options on the activities to be done and the necessary documents to be prepared. I also needed the assistance of "Mr. Facebook" for travel agencies that can be contacted for tour packages. So there I find some relevant information that helped me decide on how can we make the travel fun memorable. Also, it will help you in preparing for the budget.

• Tip #2: Do your own research. Find relevant information for the trip including cost, necessary documents, routes.

After my research, I made a list of what are the things to do, to prepare and to bring. This list served as my guide of the necessary things that I should prepare. Then I booked ahead of time the hotel accommodations through Agoda App. I chose hotels that allows kids and have free breakfast. I also booked for the Travel and tours agency that would fetch us in Bohol.

• Tip #3. Book hotel accommodations and travel tours ahead of time. This is very helpful because it will not cost you time in looking for accommodations and tours on the actual day of tour. It is cost and time saving as well as stress saving.

• Tip # 4. Pack things that are light to bring. In packing the luggage, we consider that we availed the promo and we should only travel light, only with hand carry bags. So we prioritize the kid's needs. Pair of clothes, jackets, kid's blanket, milk, medicine (you should not forget to bring this for emergency cases) , extra food like biscuits(kids always say hungry, airport food are more likely pricey) , and coloring sheets (for kid's activity while waiting for the flight or in the hotel).

• Tip # 5. Print the necessary documents. We print all the tickets, the bookings on hotels, photo copy of birth certificate of kids and we also printed customized ID cards for kids in case that they will be lost, they are wearing ID cards and we can be contacted.

ACTUAL TRAVEL

So all things were prepared and we were ready to go. We arrived early in the airport so that we could do the necessary activities to be done. I was the one who facilitated for our check-in. Hubby was always on lookout for the kids.

• Tip #6. Arrive early on the airport or bus stations.

While we were in the airport, the kids were so excited because this will be the first time that they will ride an airplane. When we boarded the airplane, Eilan said "It's like a bus". They enjoyed watching the clouds and enjoyed the short travel from Davao to Cebu. We arrived in Cebu at the afternoon and we immediately headed to the Hotel where we booked. Then we checked in, and reserved our energy for Bohol the next day, the kids used the coloring books we prepared for them and they also watched some TV shows.

Bohol Trip

Early in the morning, we availed our free breakfast and added orders for the kids. We immediately headed to Cebu Pier 1 for OceanJet High Speed Ferry. Eilan has motion sickness so we availed the outside seats, actually they were the cheapest ones so that he can breath in the fresh air. The trip lasted for almost an hour and we came to Bohol safe and the tour agency driver was already waiting for us. The driver was so accommodating and he welcomed us, since we were 4, we just rented a car.

We arrived in Bohol at noon time, we were hungry then, so the first destination was Loboc River Cruise. We had our lunch there, we enjoyed the food and the entertainment activities. The kids sometimes throw some food, wishing there will be fishes to eat it.

After our lunch, we were asked by the tour driver of what are the destinations that we are going to go. We told him that we want to go to Loboc Wildlife Nature Park , Man-made forest and Chocolate Hills and asked for his suggestions as well. He said that tourist attractions in Bohol have different locations, but the three could be done in that span of time. Now, let's go to the places we visited.

Loboc Wildlife and Nature Park

We chose this place because it has different species. The kids enjoyed watching and mingling with animals, it's like a mini zoo. There were different kinds of reptiles, we met tarsiers, wild animals and Cleo the Lion. They have a tour guide that will tell you interesting stories about those animals.

Man-Made Forest in Bilar Bohol

We have a quick picture taking here in Bilar, man-made forest. That time, there was no payment yet, picture taking was FREE. You just have to be quick because busses and other cars pass by.

Chocolate Hills through ATV rides

As suggested by our tour guide/driver, we took a different route from where others usually go for viewing Chocolate Hills. We experienced ATV and Mud Car rides and climb up a highest hill by hiking. The kids enjoyed the muds splashing and the feel of hiking the hill. This was one of our best experience in Bohol and the kids kept talking about it until now.

• Tip #7. Choose activities that both you and your kids will enjoy.

After the Chocolate Hills, we really felt exhausted and we decided to go to our booked room accommodation in Panglao, Bohol.

Greenfield Tourist Inn

Greenfield tourist inn is not very near to the beach but they offer shuttle services on schedules. They also have a pool. But what I love the most is that they have a wide area that kids can freely play outside under the trees. The personnel were also accommodating.

• Tip #8: Choose accommodation that is child-friendly.

We had our rest, and prepared for another activity, the beach day in Panglao. We availed the shuttle services and walk to the beach front because the shuttle won't deliver you there. Then we look for alternatives on what are we going to do. So we just rented plastic beds and buy foods for the kids. Something that would not hurt our pocket. We chose to eat foods that are locally produced. And I can say that Bohol Bee Farm Ice Cream is one of the best ice creams I have tasted. The kids enjoyed making sand castles and roaming around the beach front.

• Tip #9. Spend within your budget and support local.

After the beach time, we had to prepare to go back to Cebu in the afternoon. We checked-out and go to a local store in Bohol to buy some pasalubong for our family. We again took the OceanJet and arrived at Cebu late in the afternoon, we have not booked an accommodation so we asked the taxi driver to help us find one. And we were thankful that we have availed an accommodation right away. I actually asked myself, why I was not able to book for this.

On the next day, it was our flight back to Davao. We don't roam around Cebu anymore because there was a festival that time and the place was so crowded, so we opt to stay in the room while waiting for the time to go to the airport.

CONCLUSION

Traveling with kids is not really an easy, you will really look-out on them and bring with you a bag full of patience because they will really play, roam around and do things as kids do. But seeing them laugh, hearing them remembering the details of the trip, that is so rewarding. Through our experience I am able to share to you some tips while traveling with kids. I really treasured this trip and I make a documentation in my journals. I thank the Lord for making this trip possible.

• Tip #10. Document your trip. Blogging is one way of documenting the travel, also putting it in journals or printing pictures.

Thanks for staying until the end of this travel blog. This really made me smile and reminisce our trip. I am actually happy that I was able to really put this into writing. See you in my Next Travel Blog and I will bring you to an international destination.

So how about you? Have you tried traveling with kids? I want to know your stories too.

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