A Giant Swing in Danao, Bohol

Who would be stupid enough to pay Php 700 to swing and dangle over a 200–meter high and 300–meter wide gorge? Uh...that would be me.

Stupid people like me would have to go to Danao in Bohol for this. At E.A.T. (Extreme, Economic, Educational Adventure Tour) Danao, they call it The Plunge. I call it one crazy jumbo Tarzan swing.

The stupid person gets strapped into a harness, made to walk the plank, secured on the giant swing, made to sit with one's back towards the gorge, lowered down and dangled some meters below the plank, and in three, two, one...released!

Walk the plank

Free falling, I screamed like a girl. And as I swung to the other side of the gorge, I shut my big girly mouth, spread my arms, laid back and took in the sound and touch of the air as I carved a 100–meter arc thru it. A sublime feeling. A sublime feeling indeed.

Screaming like a girl

Relaxing over treetops and the river

Regrettably, I don't have a video of that moment when I dropped my 700 pesos into the gorge and left my soul swinging over it. To help you visualize, maybe this video I searched on YouTube will do.

Don't worry if you have no one to take photos of you, E.A.T. Danao has an official photographer. Not free. A photo print out would cost Php 50. But if you have a thumb drive or a memory card, you can copy all their photos of you for Php 150.

E.A.T. Danao

Brgy. Magtangtang, Danao, Bohol

(038) 510 0050 / 0917 302 1700

eatdanao@ymail.com

Other activities at E.A.T. Danao are: ziplining, riding a cable car, rappelling, root climbing, caving, wall climbing, kayaking, river trekking, river tubing, and even flying an ultralight aircraft.

An ultralight aircraft (Photo source)

Flying an ultralight aircraft would have been an incredible experience, and an incredible blow on the pocket, too. For Php 2,200 (that's equal to a roundtrip domestic ticket! haha) you can be the co–pilot for 15 minutes. Reservation would have to be made at least a day in advance since the aircraft takes refuge somewhere else (I forgot where, but that's what the receptionist told me). Maybe when I'm filthy rich, that will be the next stupid thing I do.

The fastest way to get to Danao from Cebu is via Tubigon.

1. Buy a ticket for the fastcraft to Tubigon. The Starcraft ticket booth is outside Pier 3. Ticket prices for Starcraft are as follows: Php200 economy class/Php220 tourist class/Php280 business class. You can find the Starcraft schedule here.
2. Starcraft leaves from Pier 3 (terminal fee Php10). Travel time: 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, depending on the craft. The newer ones are faster.
3. At Tubigon Port, walk (it's just 500m away) or take a tricycle (Php10) to the bus terminal.
4. Look for a bus (Php 30) or van (Php 50) going to Sagbayan.
5. From Sagbayan town, get on a bus for Danao town proper. Buses for Danao follow a schedule: In the morning at 645 / 745 / 945 / 1045; and in the afternoon at 145 / 245 / 345 / 445 / 515 / 715 / 8. Travel time: 1 hour. Fare: Php 30
6. From Danao town, hire a motorcycle to take you to E.A.T. Danao at Php 40 per person.

If you miss the bus for Danao and don't want to wait for the next one, hire a motorcycle to take you straight to E.A.T. Danao from Sagbayan proper for Php 150 per person.

I went to E.A.T. Danao after visiting Sagbayan Peak. From Sagbayan Peak, I was planning on taking a motorcycle (habalhabal) to Sagbayan proper (Php 20) and following steps 5 and 6 above. Luckily, I was able to strike a deal with two motorcycle (habalhabal) drivers for Php 600 for three passengers (I was with two friends). From Sagbayan Peak, they took us to E.A.T. Danao, then from E.A.T. Danao to Tubigon port. The ride from Sagbayan Peak to E.A.T. Danao took an hour and the ride to Tubigon took another hour.

Contact numbers of motorcycle (habalhabal) drivers:
Thata 0921 962 3016
Rene 0907 867 0385


How much it costs to become Tarzan:
Two motorcycles (habalhabal) Sagbayan Peak to EAT Danao to Tubigon (Php 600/3 pax) Php 200
EAT Danao entrance fee Php 25
Motorcycle parking fee Php 5 (per motorcycle)
Plunge Php 700
Lunch (5 pax) at a carenderia somewhere between Danao and Tubigon Php 216
Tip for the two drivers Php 100
Tubigon to Cebu (Starcraft, tourist) Php 220 plus Php 5 (I don't know what the Php 5 was for)
Tubigon port terminal fee Php 10


Bohol Quickie:
Chocolate Hills and Tarsiers at Sagbayan Peak
A Giant Swing in Danao, Bohol (you're here!)