The Chocolate Hills are an unusual geological formation in Bohol, Philippines. According to the latest accurate survey do there are 1,776 hills spread over an area of more than 50 square kilometres (20 sq mi). They are covered in green grass that turns brown during the dry season, hence the name.
The Chocolate Hills are a famous tourist attraction of Bohol. They are featured in the provincial flag and seal to symbolize the abundance of natural attractions in the province. They are in the Philippine Tourism Authority's list of tourist destinations in the Philippines; they have been declared the country's third National Geological Monument and proposed for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The Chocolate Hills is a rolling terrain of haycock hills – mounds of general shape which are conical and almost symmetrical. Estimated to be at least 1,268 individual mounds to about 1,776, these cone-shaped or dome-shaped hills are actually made of grass-covered limestone. The domes vary in sizes from 30 to 50 metres (98 to 160 ft) high with the largest being 120 metres (390 ft) in height. Bohol's "main attraction," these unique mound-shaped hills are scattered by the hundreds throughout the towns of Carmen, Batuan and Sagbayan in Bohol.
History of Chocolate Hills
Once upon a time, there were two giants who began to throw stones and sand against each other. Their fight lasted for several days. Finally, when they grew tired, they decided to become friends and leave the island where they fought. They also left behind the mess, which is now called the Chocolate Hills.
This story is just one of the legends of the most famous tourist attraction in the island of Bohol – the Chocolate Hills. How this group of hills was created has been the subject of many debates. Some proposed that, like the pyramids of Egypt, the Chocolate Hills were man-made, but this idea was immediately abandoned because creating these hills will be far more complicated than the pyramids. There are, in fact, 1,268 hills.
Possible geological theory that has been forwarded to explain the formation of such perfectly shaped hills is the one stating that the hills were the result of thousands of years of weathering of marine limestone. The details of this geological theory can be found on a bronze plaque placed on top of the observation hill, one of the Chocolate Hills that has been developed into a resort. To get to the top of this hill, a tourist must climb the 214 steps.
At the top you can view this unexplainable geological miracle that can only be found in Bohol. All the hills are similar in shape and their heights range between 30 to 50 meters. During the wet season, the hills are carpeted with grass and one will have a difficult time thinking of them as “chocolateâ€. But during the dry season, the grasses lose their green color and the hills are dyed chocolate. Looks tasty!
After the climb you can rest, refresh and eat at the restaurant of the hill resort. And if the tourist decides to know what these hills look like at dawn, he may stay at the half-completed hotel. Though half-completed, the tourist will find that the staff go out of their way to make the stay of tourists comfortable.
Chocolate Hills as it is declared an official or notable wonder of Asia. The hills from a distance give an impression of half a ball grown out of the ground.
Where to stay?
http://www.bohol-philippines.com/chocolate-hills-hotel
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