Unveiling the Captivating Beauty of Bojo River in Aloguinsan, Cebu

Happy Friday Hivers!

Aloguinsan, Cebu, is known for its picturesque Bojo River. The Bojo River cruise and eco-cultural tour are well-known activities in the area, where tourists can observe various species of mangroves. This eco-cultural tourism is operated by the organization named BAETAS (Bojo Aloguinsan Eco-Tourism Association) in cooperation with the LGU. Join me as I unveil the captivating beauty of Bojo River.

Mr. Sun was shining brightly that day. I was a little worried because, during our visit to Bojo River, my 73-year-old father was also with us. I was silently praying for the sky to be covered with thick clouds so that the weather wouldn't be too hot. However, we were truly blessed with good weather.

My anxiety eased when we arrived, as the pathway was completely covered with many trees. Despite the hot weather, we didn't feel the scorching heat of the sun.

We walked a few meters before reaching the registration area. We paid the boardwalk fee of PHP 20.00 each before continuing our journey to the river.

I jokingly told my niece to savor the boardwalk since we paid for it. I didn't complain about it, as I enjoyed walking on the boardwalk filled with greenery.

After walking on the boardwalk, we hiked a few more meters before finally saying hello to the river.

How could someone ignore the beauty of the river? The calm water invites us to come, immerse ourselves, and savor its coldness. However, my companions were afraid of the crocodiles (just kidding).

We paid for the boat first. It cost us PHP 400.00 each, and we also paid an additional PHP 300.00 for the whole group because we opted for the glass-bottomed boat. The glass-bottomed boat is more expensive compared to the ordinary boat, but it is comfortable because it's spacious and has a roof.

BAETAS also offers a full tour package that includes lunch and snacks. They have provided cottages where tourists can enjoy their meals. These cottages are situated right in front of the river, so you can expect to have a stunning scenery while savoring your meal.

Before we were allowed to embark on the boat, someone from BAETAS conducted a briefing. She talked about what to expect during the river cruise, the safety precautions, and a bit of history about the place.

After the briefing, she requested that we put on our vests. My brother was busy assisting her daughter while she put on her vest.

So, let's begin the Bojo River cruise and eco-cultural tour now.

As we started the tour, I noticed that the place is well-maintained. The clean river shows how BAETAS takes care of the area.

While cruising, I couldn't help but think if there might be a crocodile here due to the thick mangroves around. I could imagine how crocodiles might swim beneath the river, as I've often seen in movies.

The tour guide who was with us provided assurance that there are no crocodiles in the area. She jokingly mentioned that they had ordered crocodiles on Shopee (an online store platform in the Philippines) but they hadn't arrived yet.

The river is connected to the sea, and when it's low tide, the water in the river also recedes. So, if you plan to visit Bojo River, make sure to check if your visit coincides with high tide, as river cruising won't be possible during low tide.

We weren't aware of this before we visited Bojo River; however, we were fortunate that it was high tide during our visit.

We were almost at the mouth of the river, where we could see the Tañon Strait. According to our tour guide, this place once served as a passageway for trading a long time ago.

While I was excited to see the mouth of the river because I could finally see it with my own eyes, both my father and brother were captivated by watching the schools of fish. The use of nets in fishing is prohibited in the area because small fish are also caught in them.

After a few minutes of cruising, we finally saw the mouth of the river where it meets the sea. The sight was truly jaw-dropping.

As we reached this area, we were able to clearly see the marine life. The water was quite deep, and I could see some dark areas beneath the water. It was somewhat a creepy sight.

Welcome to Tañon Strait, Hivers! We can also see Mt. Kanlaon from here because the island you can see is Negros Island.

The tour guide allowed us to savor the scenery for a few minutes before we headed to the floating cottage. It was truly wonderful and filled with tranquility.

We were told that we had 30 minutes to enjoy the water, but no one swam. Instead, we spent the time enjoying the area through picture-taking and chatting about different funny stories.

I asked my father to sit down on the floor so I could take a photo of him. He was afraid because he doesn't know how to swim and worried he might fall into the water.

It was truly a wonderful river cruising experience. I asked @melria if she was happy because that was our treat for her before leaving the Philippines to study abroad. Her genuine and joyful smile showed just how happy she was.

Thank you for reading and see you on my next blog. Cheers!

Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places.