A quick stop before the infamous Chocolate Hills in Carmen is the town of Bilar known for its own Bilar Manmade Forest. It is said that the manmade forest is planted by Boy Scouts as part of their activities several decades ago. Today, one can have a feel of an actual rainforest while passing through the trail of dense tropical foliage.
The thick trees amazingly look to be of the same height and the canopy of mahogany trees almost completely blocking the sun is creating a murky and cool sensation in this two-kilometer stretch of thick towering trees.
Tourists can take photos posing at the middle of the road but don’t get too excited. It’s still a main road and speeding vehicles pass by. There is no parking space so vehicle owners should be mindful in parking so as not to block part of the road and cause accident.
Since the site has achieved a more natural feature, the wildlife has also returned. Nowadays, there are reported sightings of species of birds and if you’re lucky enough, you may catch sight of a bird or two from some rare breed.
Joanne Micolle 