As our world becomes busier, we tend to yearn for escapes. We long for settings that are entirely different and more scenic than the daily chaotic urban culture we are part of. It is no wonder then that agritourism has started a fad of its own. Agritourism sites offer an escape to the countryside, away from all the hassle and bustle of city life to simpler, greener, healthier, and sustainable spaces. These sites also offer amazing and unique learning experiences, whether it's nature walks, plantation tours, fruit harvesting, organic cooking classes, or wildlife exploration.
The Philippines, traditionally an agricultural country, has no shortage of sites thriving because of this new tourist interest in farms and eco-tourism havens. One such destination is the Bohol Bee Farm, a beautiful agricultural haven best known for bee cultivation and organic farming.
Here's what you need to know about Bohol Bee Farm.
Location
The Bohol Bee Farm is located within a wooded coastal enclave on the southern side of Panglao Island. It is approximately 8 kilometers from the New Bohol Panglao International Airport and 9 kilometers from the famous tourist strip, Alona Beach. It is near the Panglao Island Circumferential Road so it is easily accessible via public transportation. If you're on a packaged tour or a private van service, you can ask your driver to include Bohol Bee Farm in your itinerary for the day.
The Farm and its Features
The farm began in the early 2000s as a one-hectare vegetable garden with a few bee colonies. The owner, Victoria Wallace, sold vegetables, homemade breads, and honey in little glass bottles. Finding a market, she soon opened a restaurant in a cottage and a modest-two room vacation inn. Here she showcased the recipes for her pastries, spreads, and other food items made from ingredients in her organic garden.
As the business grew over the years, so did the farm. It now sits in a seven-hectare waterfront property as a full-fledged resort and restaurant.
For accommodations, the resort has 38 guestrooms composed of Ocean View Rooms, Family Rooms, Beehive Rooms, and Garden Rooms. It also has a full-service spa, a sun deck, and several swimming pools.
For dining, there is the rustic restaurant perched on the seaside cliff of Bohol Bee Farm called The Buzzz Cafe. It is well-known for its breathtaking views and organic gastronomic offerings such as the fresh garden flower salad, vegetable lasagna, squash muffins, honey glazed chicken, and other home-made healthy delights.
For dessert, there is The Buzzz Ice Cream. It is popular for its organic ice cream served in cabcab or cassava cones. Flavors range from the usual favorites like mango, chocolate, ube, and avocado, to interesting ones like malunggay, spicy ginger, durian, salted honey, and peanut kisses.
For activities, the farm offers the Bee Farm Tour which will take you to a thirty-minute walk around the property. During this tour, you'll be taken to the organic farm where you will see the bees up close and know more about the herbs, flowers, and vegetables grown here; the production area where various products are made; and the crafts and livelihood area where livelihood activities are introduced such as raffia weaving, furniture making, and basket making.
The farm also offers diving courses, diving trips, and water sports activities like paddleboarding, snorkeling, and kayaking.
For souvenirs and shopping, there is The Buzzz Shop. It showcases a range of locally and organic-made breads, spreads, seasonings, skin-care products, and arts and crafts.
Admission
The Bohol Bee Farm is open to the public, free of charge. This means anyone can check out the place, dine in the restaurant, or shop in the store without paying an admission fee.
However, if you will be joining the Bee Farm Tour, there is a fee of PHP30 per person.
Experience
We scheduled Bohol Bee Farm as our last tour stop before our private van service would take us to our hotel for check-in. We arrived there at around 4:05PM. It was a perfect time to visit the farm as it was a less busy time of the day and the farm didn't feel crowded.
We proceeded to the information counter to check if there is still an available Bee Farm Tour for the day. We were worried we might have missed the last tour as the schedule says that the tour is available only until 4:30PM and it runs every 30 minutes. Guess we got lucky that the last tour hasn't started and we were able to join.
The tour started with our guide taking us to a side garden. He shared interesting facts about herbs, edible flowers, and vegetables grown inside the farm and their health benefits and uses. He also introduced some methods of sustainable and earth-friendly farming.
We then walked to the Crafts and Livelihood Area. The tour guide discussed the different livelihood activities taught to the farm's employees that can be pursued in tandem with farming. The activities include raffia weaving, furniture making, and craft projects like basket, bag, and fabric-making.
We also checked out the Production Area. He showed the areas where the delectable organic ice cream, spreads, pastries, and delicacies are made. The products that come out of the Production Area are sold at the farm's The Buzzz Shop.
Lastly, we went to another garden for the bee talk. He showed a honey bee box and discussed the importance of honey bees and beekeeping. He also allowed some of the guests to walk over and see the bees up close.
After the tour, we went to The Buzzz Shop and bought some pasalubong.
For more information about Bohol Bee Farm, visit the website here.
Have you visited the Bohol Bee Farm? Please share your experience in the comment box below!
Please also read:
Bohol: A Travel Guide for First Timers
South Palms Resort: Living Up to Expectations?
Veraneante Resort: A Good Off-the-Grid Hideaway in Panglao
Chocolate Hills: A Stunning Natural Wonder
Baclayon Church: Beauty in Faith
Tarsier Conservation Area: Not Exactly A Conservation Sanctuary
Bohol: A Budget Travel Guide for Juans
The Philippines, traditionally an agricultural country, has no shortage of sites thriving because of this new tourist interest in farms and eco-tourism havens. One such destination is the Bohol Bee Farm, a beautiful agricultural haven best known for bee cultivation and organic farming.
 |
| The Bohol Bee Farm in Panglao |
Location
The Bohol Bee Farm is located within a wooded coastal enclave on the southern side of Panglao Island. It is approximately 8 kilometers from the New Bohol Panglao International Airport and 9 kilometers from the famous tourist strip, Alona Beach. It is near the Panglao Island Circumferential Road so it is easily accessible via public transportation. If you're on a packaged tour or a private van service, you can ask your driver to include Bohol Bee Farm in your itinerary for the day.
The Farm and its Features
The farm began in the early 2000s as a one-hectare vegetable garden with a few bee colonies. The owner, Victoria Wallace, sold vegetables, homemade breads, and honey in little glass bottles. Finding a market, she soon opened a restaurant in a cottage and a modest-two room vacation inn. Here she showcased the recipes for her pastries, spreads, and other food items made from ingredients in her organic garden.
As the business grew over the years, so did the farm. It now sits in a seven-hectare waterfront property as a full-fledged resort and restaurant.
For accommodations, the resort has 38 guestrooms composed of Ocean View Rooms, Family Rooms, Beehive Rooms, and Garden Rooms. It also has a full-service spa, a sun deck, and several swimming pools.
 |
| Ocean View Room c/o website of Bohol Bee Farm |
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| The Kape Bee and Bar |
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| The Buzzz Ice Cream |
The farm also offers diving courses, diving trips, and water sports activities like paddleboarding, snorkeling, and kayaking.
For souvenirs and shopping, there is The Buzzz Shop. It showcases a range of locally and organic-made breads, spreads, seasonings, skin-care products, and arts and crafts.
 |
| The Buzzz Shop |
The Bohol Bee Farm is open to the public, free of charge. This means anyone can check out the place, dine in the restaurant, or shop in the store without paying an admission fee.
However, if you will be joining the Bee Farm Tour, there is a fee of PHP30 per person.
 |
| The Bee Farm Tour Ticket |
We scheduled Bohol Bee Farm as our last tour stop before our private van service would take us to our hotel for check-in. We arrived there at around 4:05PM. It was a perfect time to visit the farm as it was a less busy time of the day and the farm didn't feel crowded.
We proceeded to the information counter to check if there is still an available Bee Farm Tour for the day. We were worried we might have missed the last tour as the schedule says that the tour is available only until 4:30PM and it runs every 30 minutes. Guess we got lucky that the last tour hasn't started and we were able to join.
The tour started with our guide taking us to a side garden. He shared interesting facts about herbs, edible flowers, and vegetables grown inside the farm and their health benefits and uses. He also introduced some methods of sustainable and earth-friendly farming.
 |
| Organic herbs and vegetables are grown in Bohol Bee Farm |
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| Our tour guide showing the weaving area |
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| The finished crafts products are displayed in the Crafts and Livelihood Area |
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| The Production Area |
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| A honey bee box |
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| Featured delectable spreads like honey, malunggay, pesto, mango, and choco |
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| Featured products like tablea, coffee, salabat, and crafts |
Have you visited the Bohol Bee Farm? Please share your experience in the comment box below!
Please also read:
Bohol: A Travel Guide for First Timers
South Palms Resort: Living Up to Expectations?
Veraneante Resort: A Good Off-the-Grid Hideaway in Panglao
Chocolate Hills: A Stunning Natural Wonder
Baclayon Church: Beauty in Faith
Tarsier Conservation Area: Not Exactly A Conservation Sanctuary
Bohol: A Budget Travel Guide for Juans
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