The Chocolate Hills are an interesting geological formation that can be seen in the island Province of Bohol, which is part of the Central Visayas Region, within the central part of the Republic of the Philippines. Having unique and scenic characteristics, the Chocolate Hills are more than 1,000 in number, and with their symmetrical mounds, and conical and dome-shaped structure, they do remind those who are captivated by them to Hershey’s Kisses.
Despite their very interesting name, they are in no way connected to chocolate, where they are covered in green grass which turns chocolaty brown during the dry season, therefore earning the name Chocolate Hills. Being spread on an area of some 50 sq km (20 sq mi), these hills can be found in the towns of Carmen, Batuan, and Sagbaya, and as they are different in size, as well as height, when looking towards them from afar it appears that they are almost symmetrical in shape.
Below the grass part, the hills are made from limestone which is then covered with grass, and as each hill is unique and different from the next to it, their height is usually between 30 and 50 meters (98 to 164 feet). Known as one of the best attractions on the island, Chocolate Hills are even featured on the provincial flag and seal, but to make It even more popular, the Philippine Tourism Authority has included it on the list of tourist destinations in the Philippines.
How the hills came to exist is still unclear, and even the geologists have not been able to reach a consensus, which is why sometimes some people would say that Chocolate Hills are a man-made creation.
There is a commonly accepted theory that states that the hills were created when earth lumps were formed as a result of sub-oceanic volcanic activity, making the marine limestone coral reefs be raised from the sea and due to a massive geologic shift and tidal movements the Chocolate Hills came to what they are.
Even though this is not yet confirmed to be true, the local population has invented three legends that surround this wonderful place. The first legends include giants that were fighting for days, hurling stones, sand, and earth at each other, and when they were exhausted and unable to battle anymore, became friends and left the giant rocks in their place.
The second legend is more romantic and speaks of the giant named Arogo who fell in love with Aloya, a simple mortal. Because she was a mere mortal, she unexpectedly died and caused Arogo so much pain and suffering, that the giant cried without stopping, and when his tears dried up, the Chocolate Hills were formed. The third and last legend is quite an interesting one, as it is about a giant carabao, a domestic swamp-type water buffalo native to the Philippines.
There was a town where the hills were standing, and this small town was plagued by the giant carabao that ate all of their crops making the people living in the town suffer. Tired of this, the townsfolk took all of their spoiled food and placed it in such a way that the carabao would not miss it.
They were right, the buffalo ate the bad food, and since his stomach could not handle this food, he defecated a lot, leaving behind a mound of feces that dried and formed the now well-known Chocolate Hills. What is true exactly, nobody can confirm, nonetheless, it makes the place quite intriguing and at the same time alluring.
As tourists can visit this gorgeous natural setting continuously throughout the year, including the rainy and dry seasons, the Chocolate Hills shall certainly gain even more attention when they are included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, a submission that has been in consideration since May 2016.
All in all, a geological feature that is the pride and joy of the locals in Bohol will continue to allure and bring more visitors to the rather small province that has so much more to offer.
