Wisps of sunshine escaped and filtered through the heavy morning clouds of Panglao Island in Bohol. It was our last day in the province and the morning found us at one of the topmost floor of Bellevue Resort—on a verandah with a circular Jacuzzi, looking out into the calm waters of the Bohol Sea.

Going through the floor to ceiling glass door, a soft queen-sized bed sits on a wood-laden floor surrounded by luxurious furnishings. A carved wooden ceiling fan lazily swings overhead, complimenting the room’s air-conditioning.

It was a tropical haven, a haven we stayed in for the night. Well, almost.

Some claim that the best place to take a sunset-kissed portrait in Panglao Island is at Amorita Resort’s open-aired Saffron Restaurant. Sitting right beside an infinity pool and facing the western side of the Bohol Sea, the tables at the restaurant glow in saffron colors as the sun sets, hence the name of the place.

Unfortunately, it was already way past twilight when we arrived at Amorita Resort. The group has been exploring Anda, one of the easternmost towns of Bohol, and there was nothing left of the famed western glow as we filed through and took our seats at the celebrated five-star resort’s restaurant.

►CHECK OUT: QUINALE BEACH ANDA | LAMANOC ISLAND

From the Anda’s National Road, it took another 4x4 truck ride before we reached Anda White Beach Resort. Located in Barangay Bacong, the place is secluded enough for tourists wanting to have a bit more privacy when staying in Bohol.

From the resort’s in-house restaurant-bar, we emerged into their blue elevated infinity pool overlooking the beach. Waving coconut trees surround the place, exuding a really tropical ambience.

Err… Where’s the beach, exactly? I silently asked, as our diminutive outrigger boat docked on a patch of mangrove trees at Bohol’s Lamanoc Island. I have my board shorts on and my snorkel ready within my dry bag. After seeing Anda’s Quinale Beach, I was thinking we’d be having something like it on our next destination, we’re going to an island after all. I was also told we’d be having our lunch there.

My mind quickly painted a white sandy beach shaded with coconut trees, with bamboo huts facing a sparkling turquoise sea. Boy, was I in for a big surprise.

The walls of the rooms curved through the balcony covered overhead by a thick thatched roof reminiscent of the houses in Batanes. We passed through a window made of rattan weaving and I instantly wondered why no one has thought of utilizing such a design before. The Amun Ini Beach Resort & Spa in Anda, Bohol was serving us one surprise after another as we walked through its grounds.

In Ilonggo, Amun Ini means This is Ours. That’s more than one word than the original, but trust me, that’s what it means. And I guess such is the philosophy behind this three-hectare resort hidden along the more private and quieter parts of Anda’s coastline.

The Quinale Beach in Anda, where arguably, the finest beach sand can be found in the country, is home to a few resorts. Although access to the beach is almost free—no fees for the local and ₱10.00 for outsiders—for tourists wanting to stay overnight and on a tight budget, Anda de Boracay is the perfect lodging of choice.

The resort is located just some meters away from the municipal plaza and can be accessed either via the town road or through the beach. I prefer the latter, there’s nothing like walking through Anda’s fine white sand beach, your feet sinking softly with each leisurely step.

For the longest time, I’ve had this constant debate with an old friend as to which beach has the finest sand in the Philippines. She would bet her credit card that Boracay White Beach holds the title, while I counter that Bohol’s Panglao Island, particularly in Bolod, has it in the bag. The argument has gone for years, usually ending with spent beer bottles and no precise resolution right after.

A few months ago, I found that we were both not quite right in our assumptions.

Kids dressed in green Filipiniana garb warmly welcomed us with smiles and dances as we alighted from our bus. We’ve just spent the night at the Bohol Beach Club and after two hours of navigating the winding roads of Bohol, we were finally at one of the south-easternmost town of the province, Anda.

Bohol’s first is now Bohol’s newest, so goes Bohol Beach Club’s catchy new line. The resort, which claims to be the first of its kind in the province since its inception in 1984, has recently undergone an eight-month long renovation and has now reopened to the beach-going public.

We were lucky enough to be one of the first few guests to see what Bohol Beach Club has to offer after its almost a year of hiatus. Coming from the adrenaline-pumping activities of the Chocolate Hills Adventure Park (CHAP), we were looking forward to finally bedding comfortably for the night.