Elly Shofia
Chocolate Hills is one of the places in the Philippines which is famous for its natural beauty and uniqueness. This hill area covers 50 ha and is located on Bohol Island, Central Visayas, Philippines.
This area consists of thousands of hills surrounded by dense forests, the color of the green hills will turn brown in summer. That’s why it’s called Chocolate Hills.
This hill area is most easily accessed by a two-hour ferry ride from Cebu to Tagbilaran. If from Manila, you need to take a plane to Bohol-Panglao.
If you would rather not take a plane, you can access it by boat from Manila, Siquijor and other ports. This hill area is already quite exposed, that’s why access will also be easier.
Read also: Vinicunca, the Enchantment of Rainbow Mountain with 14 Colors
Contents
A Thousand Hills That Can Turn To Brown
The number of hills in Chocolate Hills reaches thousands, the number is around 1,268 to 1,776 hills. Thousands of hills have almost the same shape and size.
If seen from a height, the view of these hills will look truly wonderful. The height of each hill is not very high, ranging from 100 to 165 feet, but there is one of the highest hills with a height of 395 feet.
Scientifically, thousands of hills were formed because there was a geological shift in the Earth. As a result, the coral pile from the sea rises.
Over thousands of years, the coral piles turned to chalk. Then wind erosion shapes it into domes and cones.
The hills in this area are formed from limestone covered with soil and the entire surface is covered with grass. In summer, the green grass will dry out so that the surface of the hill will appear brown.
The number of hills that turn brown is what causes this hill area to be called the Chocolate Hills.
Chocolate Hills Becomes a Conservation Site
The Philippine government is aware of the potential of the Chocolate Hills, that’s why conservation and preservation efforts are being carried out.
In 1988, this hill area was inaugurated as a National Natural Heritage. This step was taken to protect and preserve the hill area for the future.
In 2011, this hill area was proposed to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. However, these efforts have not been realized to date.
However, the government and various organizations work together to maintain the sustainability and authenticity of this hill area. Various conservation and ecotourism development programs are carried out to attract visitor interest.
Chocolate Hills Has Potential for Research and Knowledge
Scientists and geologists can study the process of forming these hills, thousands of hills with almost the same shape and size are certainly interesting things that need to be studied.
The ecosystem around these hills is also interesting to study. Research on ecology will provide more insight into the biodiversity that exists in the hill area.
Read also: The Narrows, Climbing Place Between Beautiful High Cliffs
The Story Behind Chocolate Hills
This unique phenomenon of thousands of hills will certainly create stories or legends that are believed by local people.
One story reveals that these hills were created due to a fight between two giants. They threw large stones at each other, until finally, they were exhausted and fell asleep.
When they woke up, they forgot about the fight they had done. They just left without cleaning up the big stones they had thrown.
These scattered stones are believed to be the origin of the Chocolate Hills.
Another story says that there was a giant named Arogo. He falls in love with a girl named Aloya.
Aloya fell ill and eventually died. Arogo is sad and cries every time he remembers Aloya.
Every drop of Arogo’s tears that fell turned into a hill, which became known as the Chocolate Hills.