Destination highlights
The Island of Bohol is located in the region of the Visayas, central area of the long archipelago of the Philippine Islands. It is the tenth largest island, of the more than 7,000 that the country has. The capital of the province is Tagbilaran. Panglao is the starting point to reach the island and is connected to Bohol by two bridges. There are several ways to get to Bohol: There are direct flights from Manila to the airport located a few kilometers from the city of Tagbilaran. Some of the companies that take tourists to this spectacular island are: Air Asia, Cebu Pacific, PAL Express and Tiger. Also by ferry you can get to Bohol. From Cebu there are different types of ferries, some more modern, faster and more expensive than others.
From Dumaguete or Siquijor there is also ferry to Bohol. It is very easy to relate Bohol with the Chocolate Hills, which means mountains of chocolate hills. Legend has it that a giant, called Arogo, grieved by the death of his beloved Aloya, cried so much that his tears were transformed into stone, creating what today are the Chocolate Hills, although in reality these formations arose from the seabed and the accumulation, for thousands of years, of corals and coral algae. There are almost 1300 hills, spread over an area of more than 50 square kilometers, covered with green grass and that during the dry season turn brown. They get this name when they acquire that color when the rain is scarce, which makes them look like big chocolate bonbons.
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Travel tips
For the Philippines, they represent the third National Geological Monument, behind the rice terraces of Banaue, in the province of Ifugao and the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, in the province of Palawan, both declared World Heritage by the UNESCO. The Chocolate Hills are located in the center of the island, next to the town of Carmen. The easiest way to get there is by renting a motorbike although from Tagbilaran you can also go Jeep or bus, leave every hour and the trip lasts two hours bound for Carmen. When canceling the entrance you still have to reach the place where the viewpoint is located, which, after its 214 steps, offers an extraordinary panoramic view of the area.
Another place of tourist interest and much promoted in Bohol is the Tarsier Sanctuary. This Foundation is very close to the village of Corella in a protected forest area, which offers the opportunity to visit this small animal in its natural habitat enjoying its freedom. The Philippine Tarsier is the smallest primate on the planet, measuring approximately 15 cm, which makes it very difficult to locate. They are mammals that move at night while in the daytime they sleep in tiny spaces near the ground and are insectivores. They can turn their heads up to 180 degrees and have large ears. Recently they were awarded the Guinness record as the mammals with the largest eyes when compared to the body’s size.
It is an animal that has been protected by the State, besides that the natives of the area consider that it is a carrier of bad luck so do not try to be near them or harm them. It can be reached by motorbike, which can be rented not far from Tagbilaran about 4 km from Corella on the road that goes to Sikatuna and Loboc. You can also get to this reserve by jeep and the stop is near the Tagbilaran market, in front of the Alturas shopping center. Without a doubt, the beaches are the main tourist attraction of this paradise island. There are several spas worth mentioning, among them in Panglao, an island very close to Tagbilaran, in which its main attraction is the beach of Alona.
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A beach of white sand and emerald waters, really spectacular but with a lot of tourists and which is compared by many with the famous White Beach of Boracay. Even Alona Beach can be reached by jeep which is taken near the market in Tagbilaran. Very close to this beach is the Balicasag Marine Sanctuary, an ideal place to snorkel or scuba dive, which is reached from Alona Beach in a boat with equipment included to go snorkeling and visit Pungtud Island. Loboc is one of the oldest populations of Bohol and is located in the interior of the island, more or less to 24 km to the east of Tagbilaran. Here we will visit the church of Saint Peter Apostol, which was badly damaged by the earthquake of 2013.
Right here in Lobos it is recommended to know the floating restaurants that sail down the Loboc River to Busay, where you can taste Filipino food at the Once you enjoy live music or folk dances of the country. Tina-I Sa Manok is the stretch of road of about 2 km, at the height of Bilar, which crosses the Rajah Sikatuna National Park, the largest forest area that remains in Bohol. The translation of Tina-i Sa Manok is “chicken intestine” since this road has many curves and goes between dense trees that resemble a large tunnel. The town of Bilar is ideal for butterfly lovers; there is a conservation center with more than 200 types of them. Other tourist places in Bohol are Balilihan, where you can see an interesting Spanish watchtower at the top of Mount Carmel; Sagbayan Peak, to enjoy the landscape of the chocolate hills; Baclayon, place to see the Parish Church Immaculate Conception, founded in 1596 and Seville with its hanging bamboo bridge.
Hotel recommendations
There is a wide variety of places to stay in Bohol; however, the most recommended are the Henann Alona Beach Resort, Steffi’s Place, Pyramid Resort, Cabilao Sanctuary Beach & Dive Resort, Amihan House, Bohol Beach Club, South Palms Resort Panglao and Amorita Resort.
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