Bohol Island is nestled among 70 small islands. It is known for being a habitat for the smallest monkeys on the planet, and on its territory there are Chocolate Hills - an amazing and unique natural phenomenon. On Bohol itself and the nearby islands, there are beautiful resort areas with cozy beaches. It is a paradise for water sports lovers.
If we compare Bohol, for example, with the island of Cebu, then the infrastructure here is not very developed. This island is an ideal option for those who want to relax in a relaxing family or romantic setting, as well as for lovers of diving.
The main city and capital of the island is Tagbilaran. Opposite it is a small island resort of Panglao. Communication between Tagbilaran and Panglao is carried out using big bridge and highway.
Current time in Tagbilaran:
(UTC+8)
Tagbilaran is pretty Big City with a population of 105,051 people. In that locality there is everything you need for a comfortable stay: secondary schools, hospitals, a market, an impressive supermarket. For a relaxing holiday and walking is perfect for a spacious green square, located in the central part of the city.
How to get there
You can get to the island by plane. The airport, located in the city of Tagbilaran, constantly receives flights from Air Asia, Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines on its territory, which are sent here from Manila. Fly to the city in just an hour. It should be noted that the capital's airport is extremely small in size, so it is often closed due to bad weather conditions, and flights are canceled or rescheduled.
Also, a high-speed ferry constantly runs to the island, the starting point of which is Dmagete. The ferry makes trips about two to three times a day. Of course, sailing to the island is longer than flying by plane - it takes 2 hours for the whole journey.
To Bohol via Cebu
Most tourists choose the starting point for a trip to Bohol Cebu. From here, a fast ferry runs to the island. Getting to Cebu is pretty easy. The local airport constantly receives flights from Seoul, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong. From the capital of Russia and other major Russian cities you can get here with transfers.
A taxi will take tourists from the airport to the Cebu pier. The cost of the trip is 200-250 pesos, the travel time is half an hour. You need to know that you should choose a white taxi for a trip, as a trip with a yellow taxi car will cost more.
Today, water communication between the island of Bohol and Cebu occurs through ferries owned by three different companies: Ocean Jet, Super Cat, Weesam Express.
The ferries of the first company depart from berth No. 1, the ferries of the other two companies depart from berth No. 4.
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Climate and weather in Bohol
The weather conditions on the island are extremely changeable and capricious. Regardless of the season, it can rain here every day, or, on the contrary, a dry period lasting several months will suddenly begin. Frequent guests of the island are typhoons. The quietest time in Bohol is from March to May. During these months, you can least expect unpleasant surprises from the weather.
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Photos of Bohol
What to see
There are many attractions on the island. Among them are famous chocolate hills. This name was given to 1268 of the same type of conical hills covered with grass. By the autumn period, the grassy cover burns out and acquires a rich brown (chocolate) color. Hence and unusual name hills.
This is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Bohol. The image of chocolate hills is present on the flag and coat of arms of the region. Chocolate Hills is ranked third in the ranking of the most popular Philippine tourist sites. They are under the protection of UNESCO and have the status of a geological monument of the country.
The history of the origin of the hills is still a mystery. But during its existence, this attraction has acquired legends that were invented by local residents. According to one of the legends, the hills were formed due to a quarrel between two giants. A pair of giants did not share something among themselves and, getting angry, they began to throw pieces of land at each other.
There is another legend. They say that once a huge giant fell in love with an ordinary girl. Beauty was common man and when the time came, she died. The giant's grief knew no bounds, and he wept with huge tears that turned into hills.
There is an observation deck in the Chocolate Hills area. Entrance to it costs only 50 pesos. There are always a lot of people here. This is a favorite place not only for foreign tourists, but also for the Filipinos themselves, who come here with their families. Not far from observation deck there is a convenient ledge. Here they offer to take a picture with a broom. This service will cost the tourist 100 pesos.
There are always a lot of merchants at the foot of the observation deck. Tents with souvenirs, local fruits and drinking water are set up here. To climb up, you need to overcome a rather steep, long staircase.
Before you let go of the taxi that delivered you to the place, remember the license plate of the car. After completing the sightseeing and descending, you should tell the local guard the number of the car, and he will call the driver using a walkie-talkie.
Also of great interest to tourists is the Hanagdanan cave, which houses a unique underground lake, Busay waterfalls and the forested reserve complex of Riha-Sitakuna. Bohol is famous for its hand-planted redwood forest and the conservation center for tarsier lemurs, the rarest species of fauna, whose numbers today do not exceed 200 individuals. Be sure to visit the island church in Baklayon, which is considered the oldest Filipino church. The museum of the island will tell about the history of Bohol.
A popular tourist attraction is a cruise on the Loboc River. During it, passengers will be served a delicious lunch and will be provided with a personal chansonnier. Of great interest for research are coral reefs near Balikasak Island. Here you can find many remains. sea vessels, which were wrecked and sunk during the Second World War.
It is very interesting to observe the behavior of whales and dolphins, which are very numerous in the ocean. Here a variety of water sports sports. Among other things, the surroundings of the island contain about 1,400 picturesque caves and magnificent waterfalls.
Where to go in Bohol
Attractions
Entertainment
Parks and recreation areas
Transport
Things to do
Diving in Bohol
The underwater world of the islands of Panglao and Bohol attracts divers from all over the world with its sunken ships, caves, coral gardens. In these picturesque places at a depth you can see colonies of sea snakes living in tunnels, the wall of Tangan, where there are many small caves with huge groupers living in them. There are strong currents here, and the underwater structure is characterized by complex terrain, so it is best to dive with a dive guide.
A little north of Bohol is located on Cabilao, shaped like a triangle. Not far from it, you can admire arches, faults, various corals, meet rare species of fish.
At a distance of 6 km south- west of the island Pangao is the island of Balicasag. It is one of the top dive sites in the Philippines. Here you can admire the beauties of a flat reef, the width of which in different areas reaches from 9 to 50 m. Along the edges of this reef there are various types of corals, rare species of fish and other marine life. At the same time, the depth in these places can exceed 200 m, so you should be careful when admiring the beauty.
Server Shoal Island, whose name means "Snake" in translation, is known for its abundance of sea snakes. However, you can still see whitetip sharks, surgeonfish and barracudas here. In these places, special care should be taken, since the currents here are quite strong, and the depth is great.
The Napaling dive site is located northwest of Bohol Island. The currents are quite strong here, so if you dive from a boat, it tracks your location on the bubbles or buoys, picking you up when the dive is over. It is also possible to dive from the shore, but in this case it will be somewhat more difficult to return to the shore. Here you can admire corals, sponges, mollusks and other inhabitants of the sea.
The Tangnan Wall is a rather steep wall. It is located near the island of Panglao. There are caves, cracks where huge groupers live. Here you can also admire various types corals, meet rare species of fish.
Dive site Kalipayan is perfect for beginner divers - the currents here are minimal. It is located close to Alona Beach. In these places you can see corals, reef fish and other inhabitants of the underwater world.
For one dive you need to pay about $ 25. The equipment rental fee will be another $8-9, and to become the owner of an Open Water certificate, you need to spend about $300.
Where to stay in Bohol
Booking.com offers more than 690 Bohol hotels for booking. You can choose a hotel using a variety of filters: hotel star rating, hotel type (hotel, apartment, villa, hostel, etc.), cost, hotel location, ratings of people who visited the hotel, Wi-Fi availability and much more. .
Bohol Island, surrounded by 70 small islands, is associated with the smallest monkeys on Earth and the Chocolate Hills - a unique natural phenomenon. There are several resorts on the island and satellite islands with excellent beaches, each offering a variety of water sports. The infrastructure is less developed than, for example, on the island of Cebu, so Bohol is more suitable for divers, family or a quiet romantic getaway.
The capital of the island of Tagbilaran (Tagbilaran) is located opposite the resort island of Panglao and is connected with it by a bridge and a highway.
Coastal algae are full of sea urchins, so you need to be careful in the water, and it is better to walk along the shore in shoes.
How to get to Bohol
- How to get around in the Philippines between Palawan, Boracay and Bohol
Search for flights to Manila (nearest airport to Bohol)
Bohol beaches
Near Bozol is small island Panglao, on the territory of which Alona Beach is sheltered - an 800-meter beach with a mass of world-class hotels, restaurants and dive centers, popular among outdoor enthusiasts.
The islet of Cabilao, lying to the west of Bohol, is surrounded by excellent corals. Diving here is especially good because of the incredibly clear water.
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Entertainment and attractions of Bohol
"Chocolate Hills" (1268 mounds of the same conical shape, on which only grass grows, fading to chocolate brown by the end of summer), Hinagdanan cave with an underground lake, a hand-planted forest of redwoods, a church in Baklayon (the oldest in the Philippines), island museum, Busay waterfalls, Raha-Sitakuna forest reserve and the center of tarsier lemurs, of which there are about two hundred left in the world.
Lombok river cruise with lunch and personal chansonnier. Near the island of Balikasak - excellent coral reefs and the remains of ships sunk during the Second World War. Watching dolphins and whales in the ocean, all kinds of water sports. In addition, there are about 1,400 caves and picturesque waterfalls on the island.
The best photos of Bohol
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Diving in Bohol
Coral gardens, caves, walls, sunken ships and a depth of over a hundred meters. The most visited places are Panglao Island, connected to Bohol by a bridge, Cape Arko, where a large colony of snakes lives in an underwater tunnel, the wall of Tangan with many caves in which giant groupers hide, the islands of Kabilao and Pamilacan. Due to strong currents and a very complex underwater structure, it is best to dive here only with a dive guide.
Kabilao is a small triangular island located north of Bohol. Along its shores you can see walls, vaults, faults, coral gardens of soft and hard corals and rare hammerhead sharks (December to June). Along southwest coast The islands have a fairly strong current, so drift diving is possible.
Balicasag Island is located just 6 km southwest of Panglao (approximately 45 minutes by boat). This is one of the best dive sites in the central Philippines, with a fine coral sand beach and a 9-50m wide flat reef that fringes the entire island. The edges of the submerged reef are covered with hard corals, deeper there are barrel sponges, parrot fish, table corals, rare crinoids, octopuses, gorgonians, triggerfish, barracudas and schools of mackerel. However, even experienced divers should not fall into a rage from the abundance of beauty: the depths there reach 250 m, so you should be very careful.
Server Shoal ("Snake Island") is famous for its large colony of striped sea snakes. Whitetip sharks, barracudas and surgeonfish are also found. This site also has a fairly large depth and, in addition, strong currents that change depending on the depth.
Pamilakan (translated not only as a cemetery, but not as a resting place for mantas) used to be at a high esteem among divers. Today, according to eyewitnesses, there is practically nothing to see there (probably, all the local stingrays finally rested).
Weather in Bohol
The weather here is quite capricious: at any time of the year, daily short-term rains can begin, or it can be dry for several months in a row. Typhoons are also not uncommon. However, in March-May you can expect the least trouble.
If you want to visit all the most significant sights of the island of Bohol (or Bohol, as the locals call it) in one day, then here is the route for you. It provides enough time to enjoy each stop, but it is intense enough so that you will not be bored.
Sights of Bohol Island in detail:
I suggest two route options- from the city of Tagbilaran (it is also suitable for those who stayed on the island of Panglao, for example) and from the city of Tubigon. The entire route can be traveled by public transport, or by a rented motorcycle. moped or car.
The route is designed in such a way that no need to return to starting point, for example, in the city of Tagbilaran. Looking at a map with a marked route, this seems obvious. However, the directions of public transport in Bohol are not so clearly marked, and locals do not always know how best to get to points A, B, C. In addition, Filipinos have a different attitude to time, an hour or two back and forth or waiting is a common thing. I tried in our hostel to find out if there is a direct bus from Corella to Loboc, because there is a road. Without blinking an eye, the girl at the reception said that there was nothing, she would have to return to Tagbilaran. It's good that I try to check everything, returning to the city would cost us 2-3 hours of time! The route proposed in this post has been tested on our own experience, so you can safely take it into service.
If you want to do everything, then have to leave early in the morning, have breakfast in the morning and then eat during a tour of the Loboc River.
Map of the route to the sights of Bohol Island from Tagbilaran:
Attractions along the route:
Tarsier Sanctuary
a must visit. Stunning cute primate animals with huge eyes and chinchilla fur. In this place, unlike the park near the city of Loboc, tarsiers live in a natural environment on an area of 10 hectares. This is not a zoo, which makes the place for someone an amazing specimen. natural place, where they really care about animals, but disappoints someone, because the animals are not close and in general there are few of them. If you're more into zoos, then it's better to visit the Tarsier Conservation Area in Loboc.
Loboc River Cruise Boat Tour
To be honest, we were suspicious of this one, considering it to be too touristy and simply a divorce of vacationers. But the walk turned out to be surprisingly pleasant. In addition, there were only 5 foreigners on board the buffet-restaurant boat, the remaining 20-30 people were Filipinos. The river is beautiful, the food is delicious, the performance with songs and dances is cheerful, the waterfalls at the end of the path are picturesque. So down with doubts and forward to the green distances of the river!
Loboc Eco-Tourism Adventure Park
Here, of course, I will talk about one of the most popular in the Philippines. Unfortunately, I have to disappoint fans of extreme entertainment, zip-line is not at all extreme and not scary. But flying over forests and a river with waterfalls, you rejoice like a child. 50 shades of green from a bird's eye view.
Church in the city of Loboc (Loboc Church)
It is the oldest in the Philippines, which is why it is so popular. Unfortunately, now this place is called “Church ruins in Loboc”, and on advertising pictures there are photos “before and after”. The 2013 earthquake completely destroyed the church. But the place has not lost its attractiveness, rather, on the contrary, it has become even more atmospheric and mysterious.
Chocolate Hills
Who goes to Bohol and doesn't go up to see the famous ones? Truffles with dried cocoa-colored grass stretch for several kilometers from the observation deck. Small houses and rice fields, lost between the hills, look like toys. It is impossible to believe that this is not the work of man, but a whim of nature.
Also along the way will be:
Forest planted by human hands.
(Man-made Forest, Mahogany Forest)
Hundreds and thousands of red trees. Each one is planted by a person. The place is beautiful, but I don’t know if it’s worth stopping to see the forest. It was enough for us to see him from the bus window.
suspension bamboo bridge
It's really just a suspended bamboo bridge.:) If you have never walked like this, be sure to take a walk. It won't take long and the fun is guaranteed.
Route segment: Loboc - Chocolate Hills
rice fields
This is not a special place, these are real fields along the roads. There rice grows, peasants work, oxen walk, in general, real life goes on. As a person who is not indifferent to any fields and to everything real, not imitated for tourists, the roads in Bohol gave me real pleasure.
Route segment: everywhere
How to do everything in one day?
Plan of the race around the island of Bohol.
1. 8.00 - 9.00. Tagbilaran -> Tarsier (Tagbilaran - Tarsier Sanctuary).
In Tagbilaran we take a jeepney or tricycle to shopping center island city mall. Across from it is the bus station. We take a bus that goes to the city of Sikatuna. The final stop of the bus is the city of Loboc. We ask the driver to stop near Tarsier Sanctuary. It takes a couple of minutes to walk from the stop to the entrance to the reserve. The fare will cost 17-50 pesos, depending on. Drive 20 minutes.
2. 9.00 - 10.00. Watching the tarsiers.
In fact, half an hour is enough to look at the animals and read about them on the stands. Believe me, we also thought that an hour was at least, but in 30 minutes we managed without hurrying. Entrance 50 pesos.
3. 10.00 - 11.00. Tarsiers -> Loboc.
We sit down in the same place where we went out to watch the tarsiers on the bus following the same route, and we go to Loboc. You will need to stop near the church (Loboc Church). If you have time before 11.00, you can see and take pictures of the church. It is located right on the road. If time is running out, then it is better to do it after the river tour. Go again for 15-20 minutes. The price is 17-50 pesos depending on.
4. 11.00 - 12.30. Excursion on the Loboc River (Loboc River Cruise).
Boats depart from a place called the Loboc Turism Center. The building is opposite the church. You need to cross the road and the bridge over the river. Restaurant boats are already visible from the bridge, so you can't go wrong.
Boats leave until 15.30. At 11:00 a.m., boarding begins on a boat departing at 11:30 a.m. These half an hour are allotted for eating. If you want to be in time everywhere, then it is better to have lunch on the boat and then have dinner in the city after all the sights. But you can board the boat until 11.30. We went on the Village boat, we liked the food. The trip cost 450 pesos. The walk lasts 1 hour + half an hour for food.
5. 12.30 - 13.00. We examine the ruins of the Loboc Church.
6. 13.00 - 13.15. Church -> Zip-line (Loboc Church - Loboc Eco-Tourism Adventure Park).
This distance is 3 km. You can walk. You can take the bus to Carmen and get off in front of Loboc Eco-Tourism Adventure Park. But the best way is to ride a moped. We paid for such a trip 40 pesos for two. We were taken straight to the ticket office.
7. 13.15 - 14.00. We fly on a Zip-line over the Loboc river.
For 350 pesos you will ride over the river back and forth. For another 200 pesos you will get photos.
8. 14.00 - 15.00. Zip-line -> Chocolate Hills (Loboc Eco-Tourism Adventure Park - Chocolate Hills).
We go out to the main road and take a bus that goes to the city of Carmen. Direction in the opposite direction from the church, to the north. And we leave near the entrance to the Chocolate Hills Reserve. As everywhere, there is a billboard near the road. From this stop you will need to walk 10 minutes upstairs to the ticket office. Drive an hour or two. The fare will cost 25-80 pesos, depending on.
9. 15.00 - 16.00. Look at the Chocolate Hills.
Entrance costs 50 pesos. If you want to shoot the sunset in this place, then it is better to come here a little later (sunset starts after 17.00), devoting more time to other places or, for example, after a zip-line, stop by a suspension bamboo bridge or a forest with red trees that will be along the way .
10.00-18.00. Chocolate Hills -> Tagbilaran
We return to Tagbilaran. The road to Tagbilaran from the Chocolate Hills will take 2-3 hours. The fare will cost 50-80 pesos, depending on.
The main attractions of the island of Bohol (Bohol):
Map of the route to the sights of Bohol Island from Tubigon:
The route is essentially the same, but in reverse order. It should be noted that the center with tarsiers (tarsiers) is open until 16.00, and the last boat on the Loboc River leaves at 15.30. This makes the route from Tubigon more intense and risky.
Where to stay for the night?
For such a route, it is most convenient to stay in Tagbilaran. This will allow you to quickly get to all points on the map. However, many prefer to dwell on. For lovers of more secluded and quiet places, I can recommend a great hotel on a cliff with its own beach and swimming pool.
How to get to Bohol attractions from Tubigon?
From Toubigon, the Chocolate Hills can be reached via the town of Carmen. From the bus station in Tubigon (it is located one kilometer from the port) we take the bus that goes to the city of Carmen(Carmen). The cost of the trip is 30-80 pesos, the journey will take 1-2 hours.
From Carmen to Chocolate Hills take a bus that goes to the city of Tagbilaran (Tagbilaran), on a moped or tricycle. If you ride a moped / tricycle, then arrange to be taken immediately to the observation deck, and not to the turn on the road. The tricycle cost us 100 pesos. The road took 15-20 minutes.
How to get to Bohol attractions from Alona Beach?
What is the transport like in Bohol?
Colorful jeepney.
- Jeepney. This is a cross between a jeep, a bus and a truck. The brightest, the most colorful, the cheapest, the slowest and the most inconvenient. In general, the very best. Bench seats along the body, no doors, packed full.
- Buses. They are just buses. They can be more or less comfortable, with air conditioning or doors wide open. The cost is slightly higher than that of a jeepney.
- GT Express minibuses. It's like our minibuses, only more comfortable and with air conditioning. Fast, but quite expensive.
- Motorcycles And mopeds of all stripes. They will quickly and inexpensively take you to any point within reasonable limits. The price is negotiable.
- Tricycles. Three-wheeled motorcycles with a sidecar and a visor. In Bohol, this type of transport is the official taxi. All of the same model, with numbers, often drivers do not own tricycles, but are hired. Travel will be more expensive than buses, jeepneys and mopeds, but may be cheaper than minibuses if you are traveling in two or three people.
Should I rent a motorcycle or moped?
It's a matter of taste. We were simply afraid that there was a lot to go, there were serpentines around, we didn’t know the road, we didn’t have a map, just like the Internet. In addition, Andrei, who, in the case of a moped, was driving, did not get enough sleep and did not want to drive at all. Renting a moped in Bohol costs 500-600 pesos per day+ gasoline about 80-100 pesos. It's quite expensive even considering there are two of us. So we chose public transport. For fun, I calculated all the transportation costs for the day. It was less than 650, even with the 350 pesos tricycle we took to Mag-Aso Falls and back to save time.
The whole truth about our trip around the island of Bohol (Bohol).
If I had such a plan before my trip, I would have used it. But I did not find such a route on the net, but found others, so our real journey was a little different.
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If the post was helpful to you, please share it on Facebook, Twitter, Vkontakte or any other social network. At the bottom of each page there are "social" buttons. So what needs to be done just one click! Thank you!IN Indian Ocean lies the island archipelago of the Philippines. Amazing and very special country. One of most interesting islands here, in terms of tourism, is Bohol. This is one of the most amazing island resorts V South-East Asia. Tourists leave a lot of positive feedback about Bohol in the Philippines. It and several dozen smaller islets surrounding it are combined into one province with the same name.
To better imagine this place and the people who inhabit it, you need to understand that the Filipinos are not one people, but more than a hundred ethnic groups. The inhabitants of the island of Bohol in the Philippines consider themselves descendants of warlike people with tattoos. Archaeologists claim that this people, back in the tenth century, had trade relations with China. They had their own script, which, unfortunately, has not survived to this day.
In 1565, the Spaniards entered into an agreement with the leader of Sikatun, and the island fell under their rule. Over the next three hundred years, the local population raised two serious uprisings against the Spanish colonizers. One of these riots is considered the largest in the Philippines.
Transport
We will tell you how to get to Bohol in the Philippines. The island and its capital, Tagbilaran, are relatively close to the main transport hubs. It has an airport with regular flights from Manila. You can also take a ferry from Cebu. It should be noted that the ship looks quite decent and has all the minimal elements of modern comfort, such as comfortable chairs and air conditioning. From the airport or sea station to the city can be reached by taxi. Hotels, in case of booking, organize a transfer.
You can move around the island of Bohol in the Philippines and the city by bus, taxi or jeepney - an analogue of the Thai tuk-tuk or our minibus. Hotels and travel agencies offer car rentals and are willing to provide chauffeur-driven transportation for sightseeing.
Beaches
Main tourist island is not Bohol itself, but neighboring Panglao. From the city you can get there through the bridge. wild beaches here they are not suitable for swimming due to rocky coasts and strong ocean waves. It is also not very convenient and pleasant to swim on the equipped beaches of Panglao. The best beaches Bohol in the Philippines are listed below:
- Alona - a strip of white sand, with a pleasant entrance. But very crowded. Continuous cafes, sellers of tours and pearls. There is a very dense movement of small vessels in the sea, which carry tourists to diving, snorkeling and other entertainments that are very popular in the Philippines associated with going to sea.
- Dolho. Despite the constant attempts of the attendants to clean the beach, it is almost always covered with mud.
- Bikini beach - covered with small sharp stones. You can swim and move along the beach only in shoes. It is also worth noting the inconvenience associated with low tide, marine flora and fauna. Not far from the coast, the sea is full of algae, sea urchins and other life, which is not safe to contact.
Hotels
The vast majority of Bohol hotels in the Philippines are located in Panglao. The largest and busiest is Alona Beach, next to which is the beach of the same name. in the Philippines coastline may be private property, and many hotels fence off the coast. The service is basically nothing special. The cuisine in restaurants is not replete with some dishes typical of these islands, but at the same time you will be offered a rich assortment of seafood dishes. All hotels offer a range of excursions, transfer services and car or motorbike rentals. Guests can book in-room massages or indulge in relaxing treatments.
Sights of the times of Spanish rule
Bohol in the Philippines is full of interesting sights. Many of them are associated with the era of Spanish rule in the Philippines. For example, the place of signing of the so-called blood treaty between the leader Datu and the conquistadors. The procedure for concluding an agreement was accompanied by a ritual drinking of wine, in which the head of the Spanish expedition and the leader mixed blood from cuts on their hands. Now there is a monument in honor of this event.
It is also worth visiting the Bohol Museum, which presents a rich collection of ancient finds, models architectural monuments Philippines and stuffed animals living on the islands.
Noteworthy is the church located in Baklayon. This is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines. It was originally built in the 16th century and looks more like a fortress, since in those days it served not only as a temple, but also as a barrier from enemies.
Bohol in the Philippines: natural attractions
The most interesting thing on the Bohol islands was prepared for us by nature. The province abounds natural objects worthy of the attention of tourists. The islands have a limestone-karst nature, and under the influence of water and winds, over the millions of years of their existence, the coasts have acquired very bizarre forms. They are full of caves.
Among the most interesting of these is Dagohoy, which served as the headquarters for the Filipino revolutionaries during the revolt against the Spanish crown in the eighteenth century. You can get to their secret shelter only by swimming under the water of the lake through the tunnel. Or the cave of Antiguera, where the locals fled during the Second World War. Not far from it is a city with the same name and several other interesting caves.
Hinakbanan is located on Panglao Island. As well as the most mysterious - Binkak. Local residents are still afraid to go down here because of the very inconspicuous entrance.
chocolate hills
Another amazing place, which you can see - Chocolate Hills. It is they who, as a rule, appear to our eyes in the numerous photos of Bohol in the Philippines. More than a thousand two hundred hills, on which only grass grows, which has a characteristic brown tint. The mystery of the appearance of the phenomenon has not yet been solved. One of the hypotheses that scientists put forward is the assumption that this strange relief was formed at the bottom of the ocean, even before the islands rose above sea level.
Locals believe that these are stones left here after the battle of the terrible gods. Now located here national park and built an observation deck from which you can view this natural wonder. The hotel is located near the hills, offering picturesque views. You can get to the park by bus.
Tarsiers
Further, as a rule, tourists are recommended to visit the center of the Philippine tarsiers. These little creatures live in a fenced garden. Entrance is free, but you can make a donation for animal feed. The impression of watching tarsiers is difficult to convey in words. This must be seen for yourself. Animals are very small in size, literally fit in the palm of your hand. At the same time, they are so shy that sometimes they fall from stress from a tree and break to death. Therefore, it is necessary to behave in the park extremely quietly and carefully.
Tour on the Loboc River
This is a popular inexpensive route in Bohol. You can get to the pier from which excursion boats depart by moped or book a transfer at the hotel's tour desk. You will be taken along the Loboc River on a catamaran past the city of the same name.
Treats along the way local cuisine. The buffet includes several types of meat, seafood, side dishes and desserts. Everything is delicious and plentiful. During the excursion on the ferry, folk artists perform songs and dances. There will be a stop where, in addition to drinks, colorful dances performed by local children are prepared.
The main advantage of this river walk are beautiful river landscapes. The emerald river, surrounded by forests, is crowned with Busai waterfalls at the final point of the route. The local population entertains tourists by jumping into the water from tall palm trees.
whales and dolphins
If you find yourself on the island of Bohol in the Philippines from March to June, do not miss a trip to Pamiklan Island. The walk starts very early, as whale watching is best in the morning. During this period, you are almost guaranteed to meet whales and dolphins. Huge marine life will seem to you in all its glory. Watching them is a truly unique experience, incomparable to anything else.
Previously, the local population lived at the expense of whaling. Now the whales are protected by law and the natives take tourists to look at them. After meeting these amazing creatures, you will visit the island. They offer a simple village lunch, gorgeous beach with white sand and clear water. Don't forget to bring your swimwear.
Diving
The islands of Bohol in the Philippines beautiful place for lovers of the underwater world. Nature here is rich in marine attractions. The islands are surrounded by coral reefs and teeming with life. As elsewhere in such places, demand creates supply. Diving tours for beginners and experienced amateurs can be purchased literally at every step, at a hotel or specialized clubs.
Prices depend on the season. On average, an excursion with a dive will cost you twenty-five dollars. It is worth visiting Cabilao Island, where you can find hammerhead fish in coral gardens. If you are interested in barracudas, try diving at the Tangnan wall. Great views can also be seen by diving in the Napalling area or near Balikasag Island, less than an hour from Bohol. For lovers of the exotic, a visit to underwater caves is offered, where meetings with unique marine species are possible.
General impression
Visiting Bohol and the Philippines is generally worth the time and money spent. There are so many things to see and experience here. This is confirmed by the numerous reviews of tourists about the island of Bohol in the Philippines. Filipinos are characterized by travelers as very good-natured, hospitable people. There is also a fairly developed infrastructure for this country.
Of course, there are also disadvantages inherent in the Philippines, in the form of an amazing scale of corruption and arbitrariness of the authorities, but it is worth referring such things to the national color, which, by the way, is also presented here in all charming glory. Bohol is full of Spanish-era attractions that were not mentioned in the article. In addition, fascinating tours are held for tourists inland, where they are introduced to the unique ecosystem of the Philippine Islands.
Bohol attractions are very close to each other. Tourists mainly come to Bohol for 1-2 days from other islands. There are not as many attractions on the island of Bohol as we would like, but for 1-2 days there are enough impressions. We included Bohol in the list of must-see islands in the Philippines, mainly because of the famous chocolate hills, tarsiers (tarsier) and zip-line. We flew here from the island of Luzon, from Manila, where 3 days, and the island of Bohol became the second destination for us in the Philippines. On our two-week trip to the islands of the Philippines, we set aside only 3 days to explore the island and see the main sights of Bohol. If you, like us, want to come to the island of Bohol, then below I suggest you explore what interesting things you can see on the island of Bohol.
One of the most famous attractions in Bohol. On a fairly large area next to each other are hills of a triangular shape. In the dry season, they turn brown and from a distance resemble chocolates. The hills are located on a flat piece of land and people still cannot understand how and why they were formed. It is very atmospheric here, the photos, even if you did not come during the dry season, still turn out to be very beautiful. It is often cloudy and rainy here.
Price: 50 pesos
The smallest monkey in the world can be seen only on a few islands, one of which is Bohol. There are 2 places in Bohol where you can see tarsiers, we visited the Philippine Tarsier Foundation Sanctuary. Tarsiers are very small, can fit in your palm, and are very afraid of noise. When you enter inside, a local worker walks with you and makes sure that you do not make noise and do not frighten the tarsiers. We saw about five tarsiers, all the places where they are fenced off, and each one is being watched by a worker of the reserve. Sometimes we peered into the trees for a long time to see the tarsiers, they are so small.
Price: 60 pesos
Not far from the tarsiers' reserve is the Loboc River, which offers excursions on a small ferry. The tour lasts about 1.5 hours. We purchased a ticket with lunch, so we had a buffet on the ferry during our entire voyage, and we ate very tasty. Also, live music was played on the ferry and a local Filipina sang famous songs in English. The ferry trip has become very memorable due to the beautiful nature of the Philippines. We were surrounded by a variety of green colors - trees, water itself, the sun shone brightly and a pleasant breeze blew, the walk was definitely a success! We had a great time and relaxed.
Price: 950 pesos
After an excursion along the Loboc River, we went to conquer the zip-line, which passes just above the place where we rode the ferry. The zip line is located at an altitude of 100 meters from the ground and passes over the trees and the Loboc River. You are given special equipment, they help you fasten everything and launch on a zip-line. Emotions just go wild when you see trees below you, and then a river, you must definitely experience this! You can fly both in one direction and in both directions, we flew in both directions, and we also managed to take photos and videos in the air on our phone.
Price: 350 pesos
Of course, if you come to Bohol for 1-3 days, then be sure to go to Alona Beach, which is located on the small island of Panglao, connected by a bridge to Bohol. On the beach you will see blue water and fine light sand, here you can stay to relax for the whole day, lazily lying on the beach or go snorkeling or diving.
Very close to the shore you can see the underwater world with a mask and snorkel. It is not deep here, there are a lot of algae at the bottom, various colored fish swim, but there are not so many of them, and, of course, there are many colored starfish.
There are also several dive centers near the beach, you can rent equipment and swim on the beach on your own or take an excursion to the nearby small islands.
Near the beach there are also many different cafes, shops, souvenir shops.
Bohol has a small but very beautiful waterfall— Mag-Aso. You can swim in it, and you can also jump from the rocks! You can go to the waterfall after you see the main sights of Bohol. The waterfall is great refreshing after a day of driving around the various beautiful places in Bohol.
You need to go here in clear weather, preferably without rain, since during heavy rains the water begins to fall chaotically and very quickly from a height, so swimming here becomes very dangerous.
Price: 20 pesos
Hinagdanan underground cave, as well as Alona beach, is located on the neighboring island of Panglao. The cave is located quite shallow underground, the descent into it usually takes 5-10 minutes. The cave is known for having a round underground lake that you can swim in if you arrive when it is still light outside. The lake is quite deep and very clear. You can see the entire bottom of the lake - large stones located throughout the entire area of the lake. Many swim here only in life jackets. Unfortunately, we arrived late in the evening, so we were not allowed to swim in it - the reason was dark. There are several gaps in the cave where the sun's rays go. On the sides of the cave, you can see many bizarre stalactites. A visit to the cave will take only 25-30 minutes.
Price: 50 pesos
