Bohol: Visayas Gem

Bohol, one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines, is the location of the well-known Chocolate Hills. For history aficionados, beach lovers, and adrenaline seekers, the island province provides stunning locations. 

Bohol has 73 smaller islands surrounding one main island, so you’ll have plenty of places to explore while you’re here. You will undoubtedly appreciate every minute of your stay and like the variety Bohol has to offer.

If visiting Bohol is on your bucket list, this travel guide will be helpful. The most recent information is provided in this guide to help you plan your trip to paradise island. Know the most recent prerequisites for traveling, as well as details on how to get there, where to stay, what to do, an example schedule, and a budget.

Please read: TRAVEL HACKS YOU NEED TO KNOW IN 2023

How to get to Bohol

Flying is the quickest and most convenient option. From Manila, there are numerous flights operated by Cebu Pacific Air, Philippine Airlines (PAL), and AirAsia Zest to Tagbilaran City, the capital of Bohol. It takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes to get there.

You could decide to go by boat instead. A lot of ships leaving Manila have Tagbilaran City Pier as their final destination. There are other ships from other Visayan cities, such as Dumaguete and Cebu. You can board a boat to Bohol in Cagayan de Oro and Dipolog if you’re traveling from Mindanao. There are boats from Camiguin as well, but these travel to Jagna in Bohol’s southeast.

Where to Stay at Bohol

The best spot to stay for first-time tourists to Bohol is on Panglao Island, which has many highly rated hotels.

• Luxury: Donatela Resort and Sanctuary
• Midrange: Henann Resort Alona Beach
• Budget: Walkerz Inn

Perfect Season to Visit Bohol

Bohol, like the majority of the Philippines, experiences little seasonal temperature variation. The amount of rainfall and understanding the high travel seasons are more important considerations when making travel plans to Bohol.

If your goal is to get as much sun as you can, you might wish to avoid the rainiest months, which are June through November. Since late December and Holy Week are busy times for residents, I’d say that January through about mid-March is the best time to visit. There are fewer tourists and perfect weather.

DEC-MAR: The best time to visit Bohol is from December to late March when the weather is dry and not quite as hot. Around this period, daytime highs are between 28 and 32°C (82 and 90°F) and nighttime lows are around 25°C (77°F). As previously said, the time around Christmas and Holy Week are peak seasons for locals, so get ready to fight for the greatest beachfront property during those times.

APR-JUL: If you have a people allergy, you should avoid going anywhere from the weekend after Easter through the month of July. It’s hot, with daytime highs of 38°C (100°F), but it also starts to rain more, which might help to mitigate the oppressive heat. Summer is the ideal season to view the Chocolate Hills in their rich, chocolate-like brown hue.

AUG-NOV: Since August to November is regarded as the rainy season, you might wish to avoid going during this time period because of the intensifying and more frequent rain.

Places to Visit in Bohol

Once more, I’ve only been to the southern part of the main island, where the Chocolate Hills are, and a few of the smaller islands. The attractions listed below may be ones you won’t want to miss. The images are connected to specific pages that describe in depth my visit to the location.

Chocolate Hills Virgin Island (Pungtud Island)

Bilar-Loboc Man-made Forest Philippine Tarsier Foundation, Corella

Panglao Island Loboc River Cruise

Butterflies Conservation Center Bohol Bee Farm

Sandugo Site, Tagbilaran Pandanon Island

Church of Baclayon Balicasag Island

In addition, you should visit the following places:

• Pamilacan Island. A tiny island that has grown to be popular among divers and snorkelers. It is well-known for its whale- and dolphin-watching.
• Adventure Park in Danao. a location for intrepid travelers! It is situated in the municipality of Danao and offers a wide range of challenging yet educative sports, such as rappelling, river hiking, kayaking, and suislides.
• Cave in Hinagdanan. a limestone tunnel at Panglao Island with natural lighting.
• Bohol’s Anda. The municipality of Anda, which is tucked away at the very eastern tip of the province, is home to a multitude of white beaches and other natural wonders.
• Antiquera’s Mag-aso Falls
• Maribojoc Bay’s Punta Cruz Watch Tower
• Sagbayan Mountain

Getting around in Bohol

Travelers who want to make the most of their visit may find it challenging to get around the island. An inexpensive tricycle is a suitable option for short distances. It is affordable and simple to locate in Tagbilaran’s streets. These trikes can transport you wherever in the city as well as to nearby cities like Panglao, Dauis, and Baclayon.

Public transit, including buses and jeepneys, can be problematic for intertown trips despite being safe due to erratic timetables. These modes of transportation could be ineffective if you want to visit a lot of sites quickly. I suggest hiring a private car for this or going on a tour.

You can rent a motorcycle for P300 to P1000, depending on the model, if you know how to drive one. Additionally, you can rent a car for P1500 to P2500. The ability to split the cost of car rental with friends is its strongest feature.

The cost of renting a boat for island hopping depends on the time of year, the size of the boat, and the islands you intend to visit. The most typical combination costs between P1500 and P2500 and is Virgin Island plus Balicasag Island. It can transport up to 10 people.

It’s also a good idea to simply sign up for a planned group excursion. The fee will be split among the group, and you will join other groups. The majority of resorts and hotels provide tours, although the costs always change depending on how many people are traveling. For instance, the Bagobo Beach Resort in Panglao Island only charged us P4200 during my most recent trip to Bohol, and that amount included the following:

4 days and 3 nights of lodging (basic air-conditioned room)

Countryside excursion (Loboc, Baclayon, Chocolate Hills)

Ocean tour (Virgin Island, Balicasag Island)

Lunches and dinners

Transfers by both land and boat

Must we travel to Bohol?

Before visiting Bohol on our journey to the Philippines, we were really hesitant. The Philippines is home to a huge number of islands, making selection difficult.

The island of Bohol is a subject of some debate. On the one hand, it is way too touristy.  On the other side, it is the location of the well-known Chocolate Hills, a collection of several hills that have grown out of the ground. They are a major draw on the island of Bohol, in part because the cause of this occurrence is still unknown.

Despite the heavy tourist traffic, Choosing to travel to Bohol in order to see the Chocolate Hills. Was that the best decision? If it was!

Conclusion

Visiting Bohol has a lot to offer. If you have anything to add, please comment below, and let’s continue the conversation. 

To protect yourself financially from unforeseen events when traveling, don’t forget to buy travel insurance.