Kids ages: Big Sister 7y5m, twins 4y10m
Flights: Hong Kong - Manilla - Tagbilaran v.v. on Philippines Airlines
Booked through: myself / directly
Originally we were not planning to go very far nor spending a lot of money, but my plans changed after talking to a friend who had been to Bohol and finding fairly inexpensive tickets ($11k for all 5) on Zuji. On Tripadvisor I found the Amorita Resort on Panglao Island which is connected to Bohol via a causeway. We booked 4 nights in a Deluxe room (it's not really Deluxe, especially the bathrooms, but it's fine, nothing special but more than sufficient for what we needed) which had 2 Queen Beds and a small sofa (about 120 cm wide) so we could all fit in the one room (it's hard to find places for a family of 5, and we often end up with 2 rooms). They also have Villas with small pools but we wouldn't have been able to fit in one villa anyway. More importantly the fact that the twins weren't confident swimmers yet, having them stay in their "own" pool villa sounded like a bad idea. Plus it would have made it significantly more expensive.
We were lucky that our flight to Manilla left on time as we're trying to catch the last flight of the day to Tagbilaran. Changing to domestic flights on Philippines Airlines means in most cases (a few large domestic destinations excluded) that you have to change terminals. Normally not a big issue but in Manilla this means you basically have to clear immigration, customs, get your bags, step in an urban taxi, survive Manilla traffic, and check in all over again! Without rushing (and having a little more than 2 hours between flights), we barely made it, we could board straight away! Tagbilaran is, according to my kids, the smallest airport ever! The arrival lounge is basically the size of a large living room.
On the way back we were not so lucky. Our flight to Manilla was delayed, we missed our connection to Hong Kong and had to wait for another 4 hours for the last flight of the day (luckily there was one). Next time I am connecting in Manilla I would strongly suggest using Cebu Pacific* as all their flights land and depart from the same terminal so at least you don't have to fight your way to Manilla traffic! It's often cheaper as well though Philippines Airlines has good deals (we had one of those). You still have to clear completely, go back upstairs to check-in but it should at least save you a valuable 20 minutes or so, and the hassle of getting into a taxi, etc.
Please note that these days no terminal change is necessary anymore (so no urban taxi rides) however, you still need to clear completely before checking in for your next flight again ...
Bohol is a very nice destination, besides the beach there are some sights worth seeing as well, the famous Chocolate Hills, go see the Tarsiers (the smallest mammals in the world), visit some historical churches, do a Loboc river cruise with the most tacky musicians and not the greatest food but still a fun hour or so. We used this travel agent to book our trip (we shortened it as we didn't have to overdo it with an 8 to 5 or 6 pm tour. They were responsive, showed up in time, and would recommend them. You can visit some outlaying islands like Virgin Island and Balicasag Island which are only a boat trip away. You'll find plenty of banka owners on the beach trying to get you on board.
Amorita Resort is build on a cliff and overlooks Alona Beach, which offers plenty of bars and restaurants. Nothing fancy, or super impressive, but quite some choice for a decent meal, and the hotel also offers some reasonable choices. The end of the beach, close to the hotel was quiet. In the afternoon we would go down to the beach, buy a cheap beer from one of the bars and let the children play on the beach. So quiet, and so peaceful! Alona Beach is touristy in a Filipino way but nothing compared to big resort towns, it's very simple, very friendly and easy going. For more detailed information on the hotel you can always check my Tripadvisor contributions.
* Unfortunately at this moment (Jan '13) the Manila - Tagbilaran flight on Cebu Pacific leaves early in the morning, not offering a connecting. Other airlines to check are Air Philexpress (Philippines Airlines low cost carrier and Zest). Make sure you have at least 3 hours if you want to play it safe; you could get lucky in a little over 2 hours IF your flight arrives on time in Manila.
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