BoHOL
THE BEST THINGS TO DO AND SEE
WHY BOHOL?
Bohol has a mixture of everything that makes the Philippines so special. It is easy to get to and is safe, fun and friendly. If it is your first time in the Philippines then Bohol is one of the best islands to start with. It is a relatively big island and you can actually spend a long time exploring.
GETTING THERE?
We took the fast ferry from Cebu to Bohol and it cost us 800-1000 Pesos each. The journey is roughly 2 hours. Each time we crossed the weather was calm and the water fairly flat. There are also the options to fly if you are coming from manila or Cebu itself if you would rather fly. Arrive with plenty of time at the ferry port though as the lines can be long and you might miss your boat.
WHEN TO GO?
From our experience the best time to visit is January to March as this is when the weather is likely to be the best. It is hot and dry rather than the very hot a few months later and also outside of monsoon season which is from June to October.
WHERE TO STAY?
We stayed in a small beach front guest house. It was clean, comfortable and the family that ran it were very friendly and accommodating. They also provided us a traditional filipino breakfast each day which was great. We loved the fact that we could wake up and stroll straight onto Dumaluan Beach.
WHERE TO EAT?
There are plenty of places to eat and a lot of variety especially if you are staying on Panglao Island near Alona beach. There is a fantastic pizza restaurant in town that is owned by an Italian. It is always packed as its that good!
GETTING AROUND?
We used the local Tuk Tuk drivers to help us get around and also a mini bus taxi from the port to our guest house. When we ventured deeper into the island we hired a motorbike for the day which are cheap to rent and the roads are smooth and safe. Hire a motorbike from Alona, it costs roughly 350 pesos per day.
TOP TIPS
Don’t stay on Alona beach, yes it is beautiful from the images shown on Google but it is also the busiest place on the Island.
Dumaluan Beach is a much better choice to stay than Alona. It is much more beautiful and much quieter.
Carry small change with you as most places require cash to enter or don’t have card facilities. We learned from experience and then spent ages looking for a working ATM.
Hire a motorbike, enjoy riding through the island with the wind in your face and the jungle surrounding you.
Don’t forget plenty of sunscreen as you will be spending a lot of time on the beach.
WHAT TO DO AND SEE
TARSIERS
Strange little primates that seem to always be asleep. The Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary on Bohol is a fairly small area and the Tarsiers are territorial and so we only saw a couple of the little guys. It was still pretty cool to see them though and know that they are being protected in the wild.
CHOCOLATE HILLS
When you have finished visiting the Tarsier sanctuary then keep heading towards the centre of the island to see the famous chocolate hills. As you drive towards the main Chocolate hills area you will see lots of similar looking hills along the road. In the heat of the summer the hills turn brown on top and resemble a box of chocolate hence the name Chocolate Hills.
PANGLAO ISLAND
We stayed on Panglao Island during our time visiting Bohol and while it is its own independent Island it is connected to Bohol via two bridges and we have decided to include it as part of our Bohol guide. Panglao is the beating heart beat of Bohol and where the main resorts are based. We also thing the best beaches are located on Panglao.
ALONA BEACH
White sandy beach with turquoise water. The beach itself though is fairly small, can be busy and has many many boats. We would suggest staying outside of Alona Beach and then visiting Alona for the night life. The restaurants here are good and you can also check out the local shops.
DUMALUAN BEACH
This was our favourite beach and where we spent most of our time. The water was shallow enough to sit in and cool off from the heat of the day but warm enough that it took no time to adjust. This is the perfect place to either stay in either a clean cheap place or a more luxurious resort, but either way waking up and walking out onto the warm white sand is the best start to the day. While many may head for Alona beach, we think you will enjoy Dumaluan far more for its calmness and beauty.
HINAGDANAN CAVE
A popular underground swimming location that is lit through holes in the ceiling. The entrance to the cave is only around 1m in diameter and was accidentally found when the land was being cleared. Made of beautiful rock formations extending for 100 meters. It is a great place to cool down from the heat of the day.
