 |
| Chocolate Hills, Exotic Tourist Destination in Bohol Island, Philippines |
Have you ever heard of the Chocolate Hills? Don't be fooled by its name! The Chocolate Hills are not mountains made of chocolate; instead, they are dome-shaped or conical hills covered with brownish grass during the dry season. From a distance, the Chocolate Hills look like a cluster of giant chocolate mounds ready to be devoured. This extraordinary natural panorama has become a popular tourist destination on Bohol Island, Central Visayas, Philippines.
Location and Distribution of Chocolate Hills
Known as "Mga Tsokolateng Burol" in Tagalog and "Mga Bungtod sa Tsokolate" in Cebuano, these symmetrical mounds number in the hundreds and are predominantly concentrated in three local government areas or municipalities: Sagbayan, Batuan, and Carmen. A small portion of Chocolate Hills is also scattered in the municipalities of Bilar, Valencia, and Sierra Bullones. These six municipalities are part of the province of Bohol.
Composition and Structure of Chocolate Hills
The Chocolate Hills are composed of hundreds of limestone mounds covered with grass. Encompassing an area of 50 km², the hills vary in height from 30 to 50 meters, with the tallest hill in the Chocolate Hills reaching 120 meters in height. The grasslands on the Chocolate Hills are dominated by kans grass (Saccharum spontaneum) and cogon grass (Imperata cylindrica), although some ferns and compositae (asters) also grow there. During the dry season, these grasses turn brown, giving the name Chocolate Hills.
Charisma of Chocolate Hills
The Chocolate Hills are incredibly charming, especially when viewed from a distance, particularly during the dry season. This cluster of brown hills resembles hundreds of ripe cakes, tantalizing both the appetite and the eye. Visitors can behold the sights of Chocolate Hills from the Chocolate Hills Complex in Carmen or from Sagbayan Peak in the Sagbayan area. One can also appreciate the beauty of the Chocolate Hills by climbing the highest hill in the area.
History and Geology of Chocolate Hills
On June 18, 1988, the National Committee on Geological Sciences declared the Chocolate Hills a National Geological Monument. Unfortunately, a powerful earthquake that struck Bohol on October 15, 2013, caused one of the hills in the Chocolate Hills to partially collapse and damage the observation deck. The epicenter of the earthquake was located in the Sagbayan area at a depth of around 12 km.
Formation Process of Chocolate Hills
The Chocolate Hills are believed to have formed during the late Pliocene to early Pleistocene period. The process behind the unique karst hill formation still perplexes scientists. One theory suggests that the geological formation is a result of the uplift of coral deposits that underwent weathering and erosion over millions of years by water and wind. Fossils of marine animals such as mollusks, foraminifera, and algae are abundant in the Chocolate Hills, yet the enigma of how these geological formations took shape as smooth, nearly symmetrical domes and cones remains unanswered.
0 Comments