Best of Bohol Island, Philippines | Travel Guide
Bohol, an island located South East of Cebu. Known for 2 things: Tarsier and Chocolate Hills. But did you know that there is so much more to Bohol than these.
For me, Bohol is about its marine life. It is ranked as one of the top dive spots in the world. I've seen its beauty with the coral wall of Balicasag Island - the circular shaped island. Bohol is about beaches too. Panglao is the go to destination for beaches in Bohol. Now, Anda is also making its mark because it also has several stretch of beaches that is at par with what Panglao has to offer. Bohol is also a place for adventure: Island hopping, Stand Up Paddle in Loboc and exploring Chocolate Hills on an ATV. I know, I still have a lot to experience in this island like chase waterfalls, explore hidden caves and jump on cenotes but I am sharing to you my top Bohol tourist spots.
We stayed at Panglao Tropical Villas, a beach resort with its own secluded beachfront and a pool. It is also near Alona Beach. We spent the remainder of day 1 at the beach and watched the sunset.
The next day, woke up early and went straight to the beach for a half day island hopping tour. It was a clear day and the water was calm. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any dolphins.
Our first stop, was the circular shaped island called Balicasag. In Balicasag, you can ask the locals to cook lunch but we have other plans that’s why we didn’t try paluto on the island. Now, the part I was excited about – snorkeling time. I remember way back when I first visited this island, vibrant colors of both corals and fishes - the sea was teeming with life. Back then, there were no action cameras so this time I tried my best to capture the underwater beauty of Balicasag Island.
When I dove into the water, I immediately saw the difference from my initial experience. Yes, there were still fishes but not as I expect it would be. One thing that was pretty obvious - the color of the corals. The vibrant color of the corals turned to almost white, especially in the shallow area. This means that the corals are dying. When I look around, I saw plenty of people stepping on corals. You do not need to be an expert to see what caused the problem. I hope it is not too late for the local government to act on a solution to protect the underwater life and still promote tourism of Balicasag Island.
Our next stop was the sandbar called Virgin Island. There were numerous stalls selling snacks and drinks near the docking area. Here we tried the fresh sea urchin. After that, we explored the place a little bit, enjoyed its crystal clear water and fine white sand before ending our Island Hopping tour.
It was almost lunch time when we arrived at our resort. After a quick bath, hopped on the van to Bohol Bee Farm for lunch. An organic restaurant with a scenic view of the Bohol Sea. Don’t forget to try their organic ice cream.
Then, we drove east of Bohol to Anda for its beaches. We’ve checked the local beach and it doesn’t disappoint. A long stretch of fine creamy sand. We couldn’t find a cottage or place where we could stay, so we decided to look for a more private one. We’ve stumbled upon a small foreigner-owned resort (Not sure if it is a resort). The owner graciously allowed use its facility without charge. Here we spent our time up until golden hour before heading back to our resort.
For our final day, we did the Bohol land tour. From Panglao we drove to Carmen to see the famous Chocolate Hills. We also did the ATV tour to experience Chocolate Hills up-close.
After the adrenalin pumping ATV, we went to Tarsier Sanctuary to see the world’s smallest primate.
A quick stop-ever to the man-made bamboo forest before lunch.
Our last stop, Loboc River for the River Cruise.
We ended our trip with a lunch buffet, a cultural show and relaxing river cruise before heading back to Manila via Cebu.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT BOHOL
The best time to visit Bohol is during dry season. This is from December to May. Also, take note that December to March is Bohol’s peak season. Bohol’s tourist destination is open all year round.
WHAT ARE THE THINGS TO PACK TO BOHOL
Comfortable clothes
Swimwear
Rubber shoes
Sandals / Slippers
Camera / Action Cam
Dry Bag
Protection from the sun
Snorkeling Gear
Tumbler
HOW TO GET TO BOHOL FROM MANILA
To get to Bohol from Manila, the fastest way is a direct flight to Bohol. Problem here is that flights are limited and costs more. My recommendation, is to fly via Cebu because there are plenty of flights and lower prices. Flight time is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes.
From Cebu International Airport, head to Cebu Pier 1. The fastest way is via taxi. Travel time is around 20 minutes depending on traffic.
Then take a ferry to Tagbilaran Port. There are 2 ferry companies that offers fastcraft - 2Go and Oceanjet. Travel time is 2 hours.
Tagbilaran port to Panglao is roughly around 30 minutes. This will depend the mode of transportation you’ll take.
BOHOL BUDGET AND ITINERARY
The estimated budget for a 3 days 2 nights visit in Bohol is around Php5,000.00 – Php6,000.00. You can lower the costs in Transportation and food. Breakdown of the expenses made on our Bohol trip is below. Air Fare and Food was not included.
Cebu Pier 1 Terminal Fee - Php30.00/pax
Ocean Jet Fare – Php900.00/pax,
Island Hopping Tour (half day) – Php1,500.00 – Php2,500.00 Rates vary depending on the size of the boat
Chocolate Hills Entrance Fee – Php50.00/pax
ATV Rental Fee – Php550.00/pax
Tarsier Sanctuary – Php60.00/group
Loboc River Cruise – Php450.00/pax
Note: Rates indicated above may change
IMPORTANT THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN VISITING BOHOL
Bohol is a large island. Going to places will take time.
There are several transportation options when exploring Bohol. This may depend on your budget or style of travel.
Credit card is widely accepted in Hotels and Restaurants. Still bring cash especially on tours.
There are plenty of ATMs in the area.
Signal is weak in remote places.
Bohol is famous tourist destination. Expect places to be crowded.
BOHOL TRAVEL TIPS
Bohol has limited flights. Try via Cebu to maximize your first and last day in Bohol. Take earliest flight to Cebu and last flight from Cebu to Manila.
You can buy your ferry ticket from Cebu to Tagbilaran in advance through online but I recommend buying once you arrive in the port. The reason for this is schedule flexibility. There are factors you won’t be able to control like a delayed flight or traffic that may cause you a missed ferry schedule. Don’t worry because schedule of the fastcraft is almost every hour for the whole day.
For convenience, you can arrange the port pickup from your hotel.
Tour packages in Bohol is standard. They have a list of destinations you can visit. You can modify it just like what we did in this trip.
Best to ask your hotel receptionist on the standard rate for tours and fares. Use it as guide.
Book in advance the Island Hopping Tour and Loboc River Cruise.
Start the Island hopping tour as early as possible for a chance to encounter dolphins.
Go to Chocolate Hills viewpoint before sunrise.
Try snorkeling in Alona Beach.
In Balicasag Island, do not step on corals.
Do not leave trash behind.
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