I have always enjoyed watching photographs of people doing sup boarding, they have looked so authentic, close to nature with some mysterious Native American touch in them.
I am still here in the Bohol island in the Philippines and I saw an ad that I could explore a beautiful Loboc river by the most authentic way – paddle or sup board, during which I would be able to see the jungle, waterfall, and local’s huts.
After I have experienced 3 hours paddling by Loboc River surrounded by mountains and palm trees, I can say that the whole journey to the Philippines is divided into the two parts: before and after the sup tour, and here’s why 🙂
We came to the Paddle Center located right near the river and after having a really delicious lunch I jumped on my board and the new adventure has begun.
You really don’t need to have any special physical strength, anybody can paddle, but the body always reacts to something new. After 15 minutes of paddling my arms were aching so badly, I thought I’d just give it up. There were still 3 hours to go, 1,5 of which is to paddle against the current. But you now, when you do a lot of hard physical work or exercise, you let all the thoughts go and you only concentrate on what is happening at the moment, on every move you make. This is exactly what happened – a long, exciting, vivid, deep and picturesque meditation during 3 hours. And of course, there’s always a reward for any hard work that you do – my reward was swimming in the waterfalls. And I call it a reward because this was the first waterfall I had seen in my life.
While paddling, I saw the sun setting in the mountains, leafs becoming bright and transparent, coconuts falling in the water, fisherman, local kids jumping in the river from the bridge, but what’s more important I was very lucky to see a river with very clear water.
On the way back we were going by the current so at some point, I just lay down on my paddle and let the river carry me. I was looking up the yellow sky, the wind playing with leaves and palm trees, I listened to its whispers, the birds singing and felt the power of the Loboc River. That is why that day had changed my whole journey to the Philippines and made it even better.
I hope you enjoy the photos from that day and feel our mood.
Check out the new swimwear collection by Maaji! I loved the People and Places piece available at Kayokoko Swimwear
Photographer: Vitaliy Pototskiy, check out his Instagram
And I am very grateful to Sup Tours Philippines for organizing the tour and I really recommend you to get in touch with them when you visit the Philippines.
79 Comments
I love all the photos. The water looks so clear and the views are fabulous. I want to go to Bohol!
Your photos always fill me with a sense of wanderlust they are gorgeous and I can’t wait to see what you get up to next. Who takes your photos?
Ana, thank you! Its my genius Husband, here’s his IG
https://www.instagram.com/steyr/
I am swooning over these photos! Each one is more gorgeous than the next! What an amazing experience – and your photographer (checked the IG for that!) is so talented. These photos are amazing!
Karen | GlamKaren.com
You definitely are an #EarthWarrior and a #RealMermaid!!! We love this!!!
What an amazing experience! Bohol is like a paradise. I want to go there.
Such a stunning place and beautiful photos! I would love to go there and relax for a while 😀
Amazing photos! Just looking at them makes you feel de stressed. It is like a photo journal! Love it.
Looks so calm, peace, and serene. The photos are gorgeous, and bring your readers along with you in this beauty of Bohol island. Philipines indeed has wonderful nature!
Wow! Those are some gorgeous photos. You look so at peace. I never knew I wanted to sup board until now. 🙂
What a beautiful place!! Looks like my dream! These pictures are something else!
The pictures are breathtaking! Such a beautiful place!
Thank you for taking me on an adventure right from my own home! The photos are beautiful and your writing has a way of making the reader feel like they’re right there with you!
I feel the same way. It was like I was right there beside her.
Your pictures are stunning! I’ve always wanted to try paddle boarding, but I have no upper body strength and am terrified I’d be so miserable from aching arms that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the experience.
This is exactly what I started experiencing, but then I just accepted that I have to deal with pain and it disappeared! I enjoyed the rest of the tour so much
Oh man it looks so beautiful there. I wish I could have been there with you. You got some amazing shots too. Shout out to the photographer!
These photos are seriously so gorgeous. I can’t even imagine having to paddle that long. My arms would give up!
I am so insanely jealous! These photos are stunning and you can tell you’re so happy just being there!
Wow this looks incredible. This is something I would love to do as it looks super fun and relaxing with your friends. Great photography and amazing blog!
Megan X
What a great experience!!! I bet you’ll be SUP’ing all over the world now…. The photos are beautiful too. The photographer is very talented.
What a beautiful and calming place. I’ve wanted to try SUP forever. Sadly the opportunity hasn’t come up locally. Maybe during out next vacation.
These photos and your description are stunning! This looks like such a remarkable and memorable experience, I would love to try this someday! You found paradise. 🙂
That sounds like a really fun time. I can’t swom, so I would be watching from the shore 🙂
wow, this looks absolutely amazing. Great photos too. Sounds like you had a really fun time.
Wow, that is absolutely breathtaking! I’ve always wanted to go to the Philippines and when I finally get there, I’m definitely putting this on my itinerary.
The hubby mentioned last fall that he wanted to pick up paddle boarding. Now if I could learn somewhere like this I would be in! What a beautiful place to visit!
OMG, I love these pics! The scenery is so gorgeous….It feels as if I’m there experiencing it all! I learned how to paddle in 2014 in the Bahamas. It was such an experience. I fell several times before I truly got a hang of it. Very hilarious. I will definitely think about the Philippines. I love blue water and white sand!
I love all your pictures!! Seriously they are breathtakingly beautiful! Just like Daria told, I feel like if I’m there experiencing it too!
These photos are breathtaking! I have always wants to visit there. My grandfather was born there.
What an amazing experience! Those pictures are beautiful and the scenery is just spectacular…definitely going on the bucket list!
What an amazingly beautiful place! What a joy it must be to see that view in person.
I love your photos as usual… and you are still beautiful.
What a beautiful place! That must have been an amazing adventure.
These pictures are amazing! Might have to add the Philippines to our travel bucket list.
What a beauiful place, it seems like you had a great time, thanks for sharing these amazing pics, in the future i will keep this place in mind for my travel arrangements
Absolutely gorgeous!! I’d love to vacation here.
Ahhhh your adventures are always breathtakingly beautiful! You look like you’re having the time of your life in the Philippines!
This looks divine! I’ve been surfing but not paddle boarding before. What a workout it would be for your abs and arms.
Your pictures are so dreamy! I feel so inspired to go on an adventure now. I’ve only been YOLO boarding — but it was super fun!
wow more amazing photos! This life of yours is one big adventure & this looks like something I would enjoy!
I love the photos of you standing up on the board. They are absolutely gorgeous!
Is it weird that I think you look like a nature goddess in that second photo? I love it! It seems like so much fun to go paddling!
What a beautiful place to paddle board! I just swam in my first ever waterfall, too! I was so surprised by the heavy current the water fall caused.
That sounds amazing, and your photos are beautiful! I can’t imagine being that tired after a few minutes and knowing I had so much longer to go! but you’re right, your body just does it and you kind of don’t focus on the things you normally do and are very in the moment.
Looks like an amazing tour! I’ve tried sup paddleboarding just once, in Hawaii, and I had a blast. So much fun!
This literally looks like a dream! I bet it was amazing 🙂 I’d love to do something like this x
Jess | http://www.beautifulbreakable.com
Holy moly these pictures are fantastic!!
This looks absolutely stunning!
Your photos are amazing! I am originally from the Philippines but unfortunately never had the opportunity to visit Bohol. Definitely adding SUP to my list of adventures when I visit next time.
I’m jealous. These photos look so amazing! Your trip looks so beautiful.
Gorgeous photos and what a lovely experience!! I went SUPing for the first time in Hawaii last year and it was definitely more of a workout than I thought it would be. I can’t wait to see the Philippines soon, I think I’ll be based there for awhile starting at the end of this year. It looks absolutely stunning! 🙂
It’s absolutely beautiful! Makes me want to pack a bag right now and jump on a plane!!
Omg such breathtaking photos!!! This must of been such an amazing adventure to go on. Mad jealous!
Such gorgeous photos! It looks like a really calming yet adventurous experience!
Your photos are AMAZING! Love your bikini too!
I love all your photos. This looks like an absolutely amazing trip
Oh my gosh! <3 Beautiful photos. I hope next year I be able to visit the Philippines and definitely will try this out 🙂
Wow, the water is so clear and beautiful! I’d love to go paddling, and how amazing to swim and play in a waterfall! 🙂 Great post!
Wow these are beautiful pictures! I definitely want to go to the Philippines someday and visit family. Looks like you had a great time.
Wow. Those are great pictures. Looks like a great place to visit.
These photos are incredible!! That looks like such fun, I would love to give it a try sometime. Thanks for sharing!
It’s wonderful that you could find someone to take these amazing pics! Such great memories for years to come! Before the kids we took many adventurous vacations with my husband but we have almost no photos because both of us were in the water and the camera was back in a hotel (it was not safe to leave it on a shore).
I love these photos! It makes you want to take a trip tomorrow. Paddle boarding looks like fun too.
Oh wow! That looks like a simply magical time!
Oh wow, this looks amazing! Good on you for continuing when your arms started to ache 🙂 The photography is just stunning
Wow, what a great experience! Your photos are beautiful!
These photos are to die for! It looks so amazing and serene. I do not know if I could have done that for three hours but the views make it worth it for sure. Wonderful!
oooh, i remember this from IG. looks beautiful. those pictures are just amazing.
I’m so jealous you got to experience this! I’ve never thought much of traveling to the Philippines but this sounds like a wanderlust worthy destination!
These photos are breathtaking! I have heard that paddleboarding is an amazing workout. I don’t know that I would be able to do it. I am not familiar with the Philippines but it looks gorgeous!
How beautiful! Thais looks like so much fun!
Oh wow these photos look amazing. That water is so dreamy. Im jealous for sure
These photos are absolutely beautiful! I would love to go paddling. Everything looks so calm and serene.
This looks like a lot of fun! I love your outfits and how happy you look in all of your photos.
Your pictures are absolutely stunning! I love the bathing suit you are wearing in these photos, because it matches your head scarf perfectly!
Thank you! I was lucky to find the matching ones at Maaji
What an amazing adventure, THANK YOU for sharing. It’s very inspiring, I love seeing people do all the things they want to try. Your photos are flawless, you ROCKED that board!
[…] recently returned from the Philippines where I spent a weekend in a very unique place on Bohol Island. The resort was called Tarsier Botanika and it’s located on a cliff facing the Philippine […]