Bohol, Philippines Tourist destination
IJsselstein, Tuesday, 1 November 2016 22:06:13
Bohol has a tremendous lot to offer, so much that many tourists have a hard time to select the most important things to see in their limited time. You can easily spend a week on the island, and just see the highlights. Unfortunately the other side of Bohol is not yet been explored by most tourists visiting Bohol like Anda.
You can explore Bohol in different ways, by self-drive car or motorcycles, travel guided tour, using public utilities vehicle or rent a car with driver. In a day, you can probably see most of the famous tourist destinations in Bohol, but it will depend on the how much time you'll spend in each touristic place.
If you are coming from Cebu, the route via Tubigon is probably the cheapest and shortest way to reach Bohol. If you arrive early in the morning in Tubigon, you can easily tour the most tourist destination in Bohol via Sagbayan and then proceed to Carmen, Bilar, Sevilla, Loboc, Tagbilaran and Panglao. To have a hassle free trip, you can contact tour operators or rent a car or van company beforehand and you can ask them to pick you up at Tubigon port.
Here are some suggested tourist "must see" destinations in Bohol that you can visit in a day:
- Bool District, Tagbilaran: The Sandugo blood Compact monument, which is located next to the coastal east road in Bool district of Tagbilaran city.
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Blood Compact Monument |
This monument is included in most tours, and offers a nice view over the Bohol sea, with Panglao island to the right and Pamilacan island a bit farther away to the left.
- Baclayon: Immaculate Conception Parish church, which was founded in 1596 and proclaimed Parish in 1717. The town was founded in 1595 by two Jesuit priests, Fr. Juan de Torres and Fr. Gabriel Sanchez who also built a stone church which is now considered as the oldest stone church in the country.
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Baclayon Church |
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Baclayon Church |
Unfortunately the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Baclayon is one of the historical monuments that was badly damaged by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake, see the photo below.
Loboc: Saint Peter the Apostle Parish church, which was founded in 1595 and proclaimed parish in 1602. Also this Parish church was badly damaged by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake; Loboc Children Choir, Loboc river tour with its famous floating restaurants
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Loboc |
where you can eat Filipino food as much as you can eat and enjoy the live band or watch the Filipino folk dances being performed by the local dancers. The tour will end at Busay falls and then returns to its origin. The Tarsier Conservation Area Loboc where you see the Philippine Tarsiers. You can also visit the Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella, a non-profit organization where you can see tarsiers in their natural habitat. Loboc EcoTourism Adventure Park where you can admire the Loboc river view and its surroundings from the cable car or zipline ride.
- Sevilla:
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Sevilla Hanging bridge |
Bamboo Hanging bridge. This bridge was originally constructed by locals using just bamboo and rope to able to reach to the opposite village. Nowadays, this bridge is one of the tourist attractions in Bohol. To strengthen the bridge, they now use steel as deck and cable instead of rope.
If you are curious how it feels to walk on a hanging bridge made of woven bamboo slats and steel then you can stop and experience the thrill and hesitation to pass through on this bridge.
- Bilar: Simply Butterflies Conservation Center (if you like to see colorful captive butterflies) and the Man made forest with Mahogany trees.
If you are a nature lover and you have more time to spent in Bohol, you can also visit the Rajah Sikatuna National Park located in Logarita, Bilar. Birding at Rajah Sikatuna National Park is the one of the activities here. After a long walk, you can refresh yourself and even swim at Logarita Spring.
- Carmen: Chocolate hills complex (Chocolate Hills Panorama),
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Chocolate Hills |
this is probably the best spot to enjoy the eerie landscape of the famous Chocolate Hills. The Chocolate Hills Adventure Park (C.H.A.P.) is an eco-tourism adventure park. To visit this park, you'll need more time to be able to enjoy your trip here. If you want another adventure around chocolate hills, you can also rent an ATV and buggy at Graham ATV, Buggy & Car Rental located along the highway road of Buenos Aires, Carmen.
If you are coming from Tubigon, you can first visit Sagbayan Peak and then continue to Carmen.
Panglao island: Panglao beaches. If you have more time to spare, you can visit and enjoy the beautiful white beaches of Panglao island. You can also enjoy your dinner at Alona beach, where you can find various type of restaurants.
Places you can visit if you have more than a day:
- Panglao island: Panglao island has two municipalities, Panglao ang Dauis. Panglao island is famous of its white beaches like Alona beach, Bingag beach, Doljo beach, Dumaluan beach and more. Aside from the beautiful beaches that Panglao has to offer, you can also visit some interesting places like Hinagdanan cave in Bingag Dauis and the Assumption of our Lady Shrine Parish, in Dauis which was proclaimed as Parish on 1697 and proclaimed a shrine in 2004. This church has a water well at the foot of the altar which has a unique story on why there is a well inside the church. There is a Spanish watchtower behind the St. Augustine Parish Church in Panglao (town) which was proclaimed parish in 1782.
The Assumption of our Lady Shrine Parish Church in Dauis is one of the historical monuments that was badly damaged by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake.
- Alburquerque: Santa Monica Parish Church
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Alburquerque Church |
The parish church of Santa Monica in Alburquerque, has a number of features that make it unique in Bohol. Unlike most churches, the convento is located at some distance from the main building, and connected with the church with an arcade. The building dates from 1885, replacing an older structure made of wood and bamboo. The tower and facade where completed in the 1930's.
This church was slightly damaged during the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Bohol.
- Corella:
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Philippine Tarsier |
Tarsier Sanctuary (Where you can see the famous Philippine tarsiers in their natural habitat). The Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella is a non-profit organization established in 1996 to find ways to conserve tarsier and its habitat and to promote the tarsier of Bohol.
- Antequera:
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The old Mag-Aso Falls |
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The new Mag Aso Falls |
The beautiful Mag-Aso falls, are a 15 minute walk from the town center and make a good place for a short outing.
The new Mag Aso falls (left) in Antequera, Bohol. Nature has changed this waterfall from its former form. It wasn't changed during the 2013 earthquake but during typhoon Seniang that hit Bohol in 2014.
To be able to see the native products market, you will have get up early on a Sunday morning, market will ends by noon. Unfortunately, you cannot buy those products from the makers or seller, those products are already sold by the dealers. But if you have more time to spend in Bohol, you can pre order those products directly from the makers. Then they will make your ordered products and you can get them to the next Sunday market.
- Balilihan: The interesting Spanish watchtower on top of Mt. Carmel is not far from the road. Unfortunately, this watchtower collapsed during the 2013 earthquake in Bohol. Balilihan is also home to several nice waterfalls, such as
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Kawasan Waterfall |
Kawasan falls, which marks the end of navigatable part of Abatan river.
- Sagbayan: Sagbayan Peak
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Sagbayan Peak During Christmas Time |
where you can enjoy the Chocolate hills landscape. |
Sagbayan Peak |
The panoramic view here is not as magnificent as that of the Chocolate hills complex, however the facilities are good, especially for families with children. During clear weather, you can see the sea from the viewing deck.
- Danao: This place is the home of the
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E.A.T Danao, The Suislide |
Extreme Adventure Tour (E.A.T) Danao. Here you can use a zip-line to cross a 480 meters wide and 200 meters deep ravine, |
E.A.T Danao view |
and observe an impressive rough landscape. For the more adventurous, they have the Plunge, in which you drop of into this ravine.
- Loay: In Loay you can find the oldest surviving house of Bohol, the Clarin Ancestral home build in 1844, and in fact the only wooden house that survived the burning of Bohol's towns in 1901.
- Loon: The Loon Macaques Habitat in Cantomucad, Loon where you can see wild (but they are used to be around people) Macaques monkeys living in the mangrove forest in this neighborhood. In order to see these monkeys it is advisable to visit here in the morning and to call and inform the Loon Macaques Habitat in charge a day before you'll visit here to make sure you can see the Macaques.
- Maribojoc: The Punta Cruz Spanish watch tower located in Punta Cruz, Maribojoc. The Spanish had it built this Tower in 1796 as a look-out post against pirates and Muslim marauders, who at that time where a plague to the people of Bohol.
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Punta Cruz |
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Punta Cruz |
Maribojoc was severely hit by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake on 15 October 2013. Many houses were damaged, and the historical Santa Cruz Parish Church completely destroyed while the Punta Cruz Spanish watch tower was slightly damaged. Luckily, they are now restoring the watch tower. Along the coastline of Maribojoc, the sea-bed was lifted more than a meter, and as a result, the coast-line receded some 50 to 100 meters. As you can see in the picture on the left. Punta Cruz watch-tower is no longer directly at the sea.
- Dimiao: The Saint Nicholas Tolentine Parish Church was founded in 1750 and the
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Dimiao Church |
Ermita Ruins next to the church. The Ermita Ruins |
Ermita Ruins |
has a wall of tombs in a honeycomb-like arrangement, constructed between 1800 and 1815, but apparently never used. In the inland area of Dimiao, numerous interesting natural attractions can be found, including attractive twin falls (and twin caves) located in barangay Guingoyuran, which requires a trek of a few hours to get there and back
- Anda: Anda is located on a small peninsula at the eastern tip of Bohol, 99 kilometers from Tagbilaran City.
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Lamanoc Island |
Due to distances from Tagbilaran, |
Anda |
Anda is still not really a touristic destination although Anda has numerous nice places to be explore like beautiful diving spots, a peaceful and beautiful long stretch of white beaches, caves where some of them were used as a burial place of the ancient Andahanons. Anda is now developing as an eco-tourism destination. Part of that effort is the La manok island tour where you can visit caves where ancient Andahanons brought native chicken (manok) to offer to the spirits (engkanto) during their rituals. There are some caves in Anda where you can swim like the Cabognaw cave.
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Cabognaw Cave |
- Candijay: Candijay is is located in the eastern part of Bohol, approximately 97 kilometers away from Tagbilaran city. Candijay is now one of the tourist destination in Bohol because of its beautiful landscape.
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Cadapdapan Rice Terraces |
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Can-umantad Falls |
The tourist destination of Candijay, Bohol: Canawa cold spring, Can-umantad watefalls and the beautiful rice terraces. Can-umantad falls is probably the tallest (approximately 60 feet high) waterfall in Bohol.
- Dolphin watching and Island hoping: There are some islands you can visit after you have completed your Dolphin watching tour,
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Virgin island |
like Balicasag island, Virgin island and Pamilacan island. |
Pamilacan island beach view |
Balicasag and Virgin island are the most visited islands for island hoppers since these islands are close to Panglao island. Balicasag island is one of the well-known dive spots in Bohol. You can enjoy snorkeling and scuba diving around this islands with its marvelous coral reefs, and spectacular drop-off (underwater wall) up to a depth of 60 meters. The island is surrounded by a white-coral beach, which consists of a lot of big-coral fragments washed ashore. Virgin island is an uninhabited islet where you can enjoy a long string of white beach. During low tide, you can enjoy kilometers of white beach but during high tide, much of the beach disappears under the sea.
In Pamilacan island you can visit the Spanish watchtower, fish sanctuary or just enjoy the underwater beauty by snorkeling, walking around the island or just relax at the white beach.
- Snorkeling and Diving: There are several places where you can enjoy the underwater world like Balicasag island, Pamilacan island, Panglao island, Cabilao island, Anda and President Carlos P. Garcia
- The rest of Bohol:. Aside from touristic places, you can visit the rest of Bohol, where you can admire beautiful places such as waterfalls, beautiful landscape, caves, unspoiled beaches and mangroves forest like in Banacon island, Getafe and Candijay. There are some beautiful islets with white sand beaches and sandbars where you can enjoy swimming, snorkeling and diving, waiting for you to be discovered.
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Landscape |
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Pahangog Twin falls |
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Rice Terraces |
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Bohol's landscape |
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Cave |
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Aquining Beach |
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Bakhaw |
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Lamanoc Island |
Rodelyn Gallo Hellingman