Property in Paradise

The world economy is slumping stocks in companies are risky; real estate is devalued and depreciating in value and not a good investment for appreciation in most countries. Where do investors turn when the stock market is plundering and real estate is depreciating? Many have turned to gold and silver because in hard economy times these precious medals not only hold their value but also appreciate. This is historic fact and obvious if you watch the medals market recently.

But, what about the investors who likes real estate for it appreciation, stability, and the second income value from rental, where can they turn? Well, I think I found the answer. Several months ago I traveled to the Philippines, specifically Cebu Island a banana shaped island in the middle of the Philippines. Just east is Bohol Island a short fairy boat ride from Cebu. Cebu Island is where 60% of the tourists come to enjoy a “Tropical Paradise,” and Bohol Island is where the Chocolate Hills are; one of the wonders of the world and home for the smallest monkey in the world. This monkey can be found only on four islands in the Philippines—Bohol, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao.

Cebu and Bohol are the answer to appreciation at the rate of 8 - 12% annually. Here’s some information about the Chocolate Hills. The Chocolate Hills are probably Bohol's most famous tourist attraction. They look like giant molehills, or as some say, women's breasts, and remind us of the hills in a small child's drawing. Most people who first see pictures of this landscape can hardly believe that these hills are not a man-made artifact. However, this idea is quickly abandoned, as the effort would surely surpass the construction of the pyramids in Egypt. The chocolate hills consist of are no less than 1268 hills (some claim this to be the exact number). They are very uniform in shape and mostly between 30 and 50 meters high. They are covered with grass, which, at the end of the dry season, turns chocolate brown. From this color, the hills derive their name. At other times, the hills are green, and the association may be a bit difficult to make.

Legend has it that the hills came into existence when two giants threw stones and sand at each other in a fight that lasted for days. When they were finally exhausted, they made friends and left the island, but left behind the mess they made. For the more romantically inclined is the tale of Arogo, a young and very strong giant who fell in love with an ordinary mortal girl called Aloya. After she died, the giant Arogo cried bitterly. His tears then turned into hills, as a lasting proof of his grief.

However, up to this day, even geologists have not reached consensus on how they where formed. The most commonly accept theory is that they are the weathered formations of a kind of marine limestone on top of an impermeable layer of clay. If you climb the 214 steps to the top of the observation hill near the complex, you can read this explanation on a bronze plaque.