Bohol Travel Guide: Everything You Should Know About Bohol
Bohol is one of my favorite islands in the Philippines for the simple reason that it is the “all in one” go to Island when you just cant decide exactly where to go in the Philippines but you need a good vacation with the lowest amount of hassle.
That’s the reason that the most common expression about Bohol is:
“Bohol has it all..” and as cliché as it sounds, it’s actually true! and in this post i will show you exactly why.
Bohol is a beautiful mid size island (takes around 2-3 drive hours from edge to edge)
The island has amazing beaches, lots of attractions and things to do, rivers, waterfalls, diving and snorkeling spots, great nightlife, amazing restaurants and hotels and even rice terraces!
In this post i will share with you the reasons why you should visit Bohol and everything you should know about this beautiful island.
Table of Contents
Where is Bohol
Bohol is a mid-big Island in the center of the Philippines, Bohol is considered as a province of the Philippines, in the Central Visayas region. Bohol is included the main big island and a few smaller ones around, the most famous of them is Panglao which is located on the South Western side of the big island and connected by a bridge.
Why You Should Visit Bohol
1. Mid-Big Size Island
Bohol is a mid-big size Island which means that it is big enough to spend a good amount of time on it! With lots of things to do and see.
2. International Airport
Bohol is one of the most accessible Islands in the Philippines, it has a modern international airport in the middle of the touristy area (Panglao) which means you can be at the beach in less than 10 min from the airport! (not the case in many other islands)
3. Very Diverse
Bohol is very diverse and as I mentioned above, it has it all! Beaches, rivers, hills, good nightlife, local villages and even rice terraces, so if there is a microcosm of the Philippines it would be Bohol in my opinion.
4. Great Food Options
Bohol is one of the popular destinations in the Philippines, due to that it has a very big selection of restaurants with amazing food options like good local places, seafood options, Italian, burgers and more.
5. Amazing Hotels
The hotel selection in Bohol is amazing and very diverse, from high-end luxury resorts (100-300$ per night) to great small hotels (15-50$ per night) , you can find a nice place for any budget.
How to get to Bohol
Bohol is very conveniently located in the middle of the Philippines in the Central Visayas region. which makes it a very accessible island from a few parts of the country, you can get to the island in a two main methods: by air or by sea, let me breakdown the options for you in the section below:
By Sea
One of the main ways to get to Bohol is by Ferry so if you prefer a scenic journey, you can take a ferry or fast craft from nearby islands like Cebu or Dumaguete to Bohol. There are regular ferry services available, and the journey offers beautiful views of the sea and surrounding islands.
The main port of Bohol is located in Tagbilaran city
By Air
Bohol has its own international airport which a very big advantage if you are short in time. The quickest and most convenient way is to fly into Bohol’s main airport, Panglao International Airport (TAG), which serves domestic and international flights. You can catch flights from major Philippine cities like Manila, Cebu, and Davao, as well as from some international destinations.
By Land and Sea Combination
Another option is to travel by land and sea combination. You can take a bus or drive to ports in Cebu or Dumaguete and then board a ferry or fast craft to Bohol.
Where to stay in Bohol
Bohol is in fact the big island, the name of the smaller island (the one the airport) is Panglao.
Panglao
Panglao (the small island) is where all of the “action” happening which included the best hotels, the best restaurants, nightlife and more. So if you are more interested in restaurants, bars and nightlife, Panglao is where you should stay, there are a few main beaches in the Panglao (list below).
Alona Beach: The Most Popular Beach In Bohol
Alona beach is absolutely the most popular beach in Panglao and Bohol in general, Alona is basically the center of Panglao (the small island) and it is just 10-15 minutes drive from the airport.
Most of the best restaurants and the best hotels and resorts are around this beach. Alona beach is also where most of the vibrant nightlife is happening in the island, so if you are planning to hand out and meet other people Alona is where you should be at.
Libaong White Beach For A More Relaxed Stay
The Libaong White Beach is located on the southern east part of Panglao, just around 15 minutes drive from Alona beach. Beach speaking, the white beach is a bigger beach in size compared to Alona and much more beautiful in general.
In addition, the white beach has way less hotels and resorts on it which makes it a way more relaxing place to stay, so if you are more into a relaxing stay without lots of restaurants and bars on the beach, the white beach could be a great option for you. It is also close enough to Alona to come when you just want to hang out or visit.
Recommended Accommodation in Pangalo
Check the list of recommended hotels, hostels and guesthouses in Panglao from Trip.com
Candijay: For A Local Experience & The Rice Terraces
Candijay is a small village located in the southern east part of the big island. there is not much to do in the town itself, it has a very local vibe of the Philippines (great if you want to see how the locals really live), a few simple motels/ guesthouses and a few restaurants.
I’ve stayed in the Candijay mostly for going to the beautiful rice fields of Bohol, the Cadapdapan Rice Terraces which are around 20 minutes drive from the town. If you are into seeing those beautiful rice fields it is a good place to spend 1-2 nights, it is also closer to the chocolates hills as well so you can see them as well if you have a motorbike.
Recommended Accommodation in Candijay
Check the list of recommended hotels, hostels and guesthouses in Candijay from Trip.com
Restaurants & Cafes in Bohol
My Favorite Restaurants in Alona Beach
- Toto e Peppino: great Italian restaurant with an amazing firewood pizza oven. Hands down the best pizza i had in all over the Philippines, they have a good pasta as well but the pizza is what you should try!
- Lamoy Restaurant: my favorite seafood place in Alona beach. its a few minutes walk from the beach itself (from the actual sand) so you get much more pleasant and authentic experience compared to the first row restaurants you see on the beach. their fried calamari and their butter garlic shrimps are amazing! they have many other stuff as well and they will cook it exactly as you want it!
- The Original Paeng’s (Alona): amazing grilled chicken place, very simple but super delicious, great if you want something healthy and affordable in Alona beach. Sometimes the queue could be long so keep that in mind.
My Favorite Cafes in Alona Beach
- The Glebe Coffee: this is a small café with a very nice ambiance and it is my favorite coffee place in Alona beach with a really good coffee and great service.
- OVERGROWN Café & Bar: this is a nice café with food and other drinks like smoothies and juices and great coffee too.
Nightlife in Bohol
The main nightlife hub in Bohol is again, Alona beach in Panglao. You can find many other places around the big island too (mainly in Tagbilaran city) but the vast majority of places and the quality is still in Alona with many small and medium size bars and a few dance bars/ small clubs as well.
My Favorite Bars In Alona Beach
- Aluna Beach Lounge: this is a small dance bar but still big enough to have a dance floor. this place has some really good drinks for a really good price right on the beach. in most evenings this place will be probably the only one to be open till very late night (2:00-3:00 am). So if you are trying to have a fun night in Alona this is one of my top choices, they usually have a DJ and some really fun music as well.
- Destino: great bar with some good drinks on the main road (not on the actual sand), in most evenings they have a live music band as well.
- Pyramid Beach Resort: i like this places for a few drinks on the beach as well in case that i don’t feel to go to Aluna Beach Loung in a specific moment.
More Things To Do In Bohol
Bohol is a big island with many things and attractions you can choose from, i will mention some of my favorite things to below.
Chocolate Hills
The chocolate hills are one of the most famous attractions in Bohol (the big island), they are located around 1 hour driver from Alona beach. to be honest they are very beautiful and nice to see but unless you are taking the ATV or planning to walk around them there is not much to see but mainly to come to the viewpoint, taking a few pictures and move to the next stop (usually they are visited as a part of the normal tour in Bohol).
Bilar Man-Made Forest
Loboc River Cruise
The Loboc river cruise is a pretty nice cruise on the river with a nice buffet on the boat. It is a great relaxing way to have lunch in Bohol. It is a bit pricey (800 PHP per person) but its worth it if you are taking in account that you are having an hour-hour and half cruise with “all you can eat” great seafood and more.
Cadapdapan Rice Terraces
The Cadapdapan Rice Terraces are located in the big island of Bohol and they are very beautiful and nice to see especially if you did not have the chance to see the big rice terraces of the Philippines in the northern part of Luzon island.
Can-umantad Falls
The Can-umantad Falls waterfalls are very close to the rice terraces (minutes by motorbike/ walking) and can be seen together on the same day.
The waterfalls are a great place to take a break, relax, swim and even stay for longer and have a picnic (great area for lunch!), just bring your food with you cause there are no restaurants or shops to buy from.
How Long To Stay In Bohol
Bohol is a medium-big size island but it is very easily accessible and the roads and the infrastructure of the island is in a pretty good condition. It means that you will not spend too much time on the roads or on the way to Bohol like to some other islands in the country.
For Vacation
In my opinion for most of the people, 5-7 days are a great time to see most of the highlights of Bohol (both the big island and Panglao) and still have some time to relax and enjoy the beach as well.
For Work
Bohol is a great destination for a remote work, if you are coming to stay and work in Bohol for a while, I would say that you can stay in Bohol for 1-4 weeks easily (or more) without feeling “too claustrophobic”. Panglao is pretty big and you can change a few places and also discover some parts of the big island as well (like i did).
I would say Bohol is one of the best places to stay and work online for a while in the Philippines, in not many islands in the country you can reach so easily from almost anywhere in the country.
Other Tips For Visiting Bohol
Internet Connection & WiFi
The internet connection in Bohol is pretty good and stable for an island. there is a strong and reliable Internet connection in most of the places in Panglao (and other places in the big island as well). the best connection you will find in hotels and restaurants/ cafes in Alona beach, so if you are working online (like me..) Alona will be the best place to stay since most of the infrastructure is there.
Mobile Signal
The mobile signal in Bohol is pretty stable and good, i personally used Globe SIM card (the most common mobile provider in the Philippines) and I had signal in all over Panglao and also in most of the big Island as well.
Supermarkets in Bohol
The biggest supermarkets in Bohol are in Tagbilaran city (close to the port), so if you need anything serious it is recommended to come directly from the port on the way to Panglao. In Panglao big supermarkets are harder to find, there are more small shops and convenience shops.
Supermarkets in Tagbilaran City (close to the port)
- BQ Supermarket: Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines.
Alturas Supermarket: Upper Ground Floor Alturas Mall CPG North Ave, Cor B. Inting Street, Tagbilaran City, 6300 Bohol, Philippines.
Supermarkets in Panglao
Alturas Panglao Supermarket: Purok 3, Airport road, Panglao, Bohol, Philippines.
7-Eleven Panglao: this 7/11 is located in the heart of Alona beach, there are a few other branches around Panglao as well.
ATMs and Banks in Panglao
There are a few major banks with ATMs in Panglao area so you would be able to use them if needed, some of the main ones below:
Check My Other Posts About The Philippines
Thank you for reading this post, if you liked this one I’m sure you will like my other posts from the Philippines
Bohol Travel Guide
Best Things To Do In Manila and Everything You Should Know
