There are 7,017 islands in the Philippines, but Bohol is the one that stands out the most with its idyllic charm. If you are looking for a slice of paradise that seems to have it all; beaches, landscapes, diving spots and greeneries all around, then look no further than Bohol.

Getting to Bohol

There are 2 ways to get to the island – by air or by sea. The main point of entry is through Tagbilaran city; less than an hour’s drive from the neighbouring island of Panglao, where most visitors stay.

There are several airlines like Cebu Pacific, Philippines Airlines and Air Asia that fly into Tagbilaran weekly that are relatively affordable. Alternatively, take a 2-hour ferry ride from Cebu city or Dumaguete to Tagbilaran.

Things to do

Chocolate Hills

The main attraction of Bohol are these famous huge mounds of green that turn a chocolatey brown colour during the dry seasons, thus giving them the moniker ‘Chocolate Hills’. The hills are actually naturally occurring geological formations of limestone that once was part of the marine floor. The only access to see the Chocolate Hills is through viewpoints from 2 towns; Carmen and Sagbayan. Alternatively, you can book a plane ride that flies over the Chocolate Hills to get a birds eye view of the landscape.

Jeepney

For a truly local experience, we suggest taking a jeepney ride to the island. Jeepneys are one of the main forms of public transport for most locals; similar to a local bus service except that most of the jeepenys are dated, and constantly packed to the brim with locals along with their livestock and belongings. Do note that jeepeny rides from neighbouring towns into Bohol involve at least an hour long drive. So if you aren’t comfortable with being squeezed with locals the entire ride, you can admire the colourful jeepneys from the outside, and opt for a tricycle ride to Bohol.

Loboc River

The Loboc River runs through the township of Loboc and is the lifeblood of the community there. Today, the river is used mainly for touristic purposes; floating restaurants and river cruises that are catered for tourists. Most floating restaurants offer packages that include dinner on a sunset cruise with Boholano bands to entertain you as well. The cruise will end at Busay Falls where visitors are allowed to exit the vessels, and take a dip at the base of the waterfall.

Exploring Panglao’s Diving Spots

Not all activities to try in Bohol are on the island itself. You can take day trips out to neighbouring islands like Panglao to explore and go diving. Panglao is well known for having a sanctuary that is home to a rich ecosystem of corals, fish and turtles too. So if you are interested in layering on more interesting activities for your holiday, consider the neighbouring islands.

Baclayon Church

This church is regarded as the second oldest church in the Philippines. Built on a foundation of corals bound together and mixed with egg whites, the church has remained intact despite suffering a massive hit from a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in 2013. One interesting aspect of the church is the Baclayon parish museum that has kept religious mementos since its founding years ago.

Tarsier Sanctuary

Tarsiers are Bohol’s unofficial mascot. They are tiny giant eyed primates that adopt a nocturnal life. There are several Tarsier sanctuaries located in various townships, however most of which are touristic and resort the poor animals to live in less than humane conditions.

The only official sanctuary you should visit is the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary located in Corella as this is the only sanctuary endorsed by the government that allows the Tarsiers to live in the wild and not in cages.

There are so many more things to do in Bohol that we’d love to share, but we’ll leave it for another time. For now, let us sip on our Monogram teas and dream about that Bohol life.