PH
Bohol
The Island of Adventure
The Island of Adventure
The Chocolate Hills (the best 1,268 perfectly conical limestone hills in any Southeast Asian accessible landscape; Chocolate Hills Complex viewpoint, Carmen; from 50 PHP; the finest 6am dawn mist panorama from the viewpoint tower; the finest dry-season brown “chocolate” appearance in April–May) are the best geological natural wonder in the Philippines.
Chocolate Hills (from 50 PHP; the best 1,268 perfectly conical limestone hills in any Southeast Asian accessible landscape; the finest 6am dawn mist panorama from the viewpoint tower; Carmen, Bohol; the finest dry-season brown “chocolate” appearance in April–May).
The Philippine Tarsier Foundation Sanctuary (the best tarsier sanctuary in any Philippine island; Corella; from 60 PHP; the best wild-release Philippine tarsier conservation programme; the finest hand-sized tarsier with the largest eyes-to-body ratio of any mammal; no flash photography; silent 5-min encounter) is the best wildlife encounter in the Philippines.
Philippine Tarsier Foundation Sanctuary (from 60 PHP; Corella; the best wild-release Philippine tarsier (smallest primate in the world) sanctuary; the finest hand-sized tarsier with the largest eyes-to-body ratio of any mammal; no flash photography; silent 5-min encounter).
The Loboc River floating restaurant buffet cruise (the best river cruise in any Philippine province; from 500 PHP per person for a 1h cruise; the finest emerald-green Loboc River mangrove and nipa palm scenery; live traditional Bohol music and cultural dance on board) is the best river cruise experience in the Philippines.
Loboc River cruise (from 500 PHP per person; the finest 1h floating restaurant buffet cruise in any Philippine province; the finest emerald-green Loboc River mangrove scenery; live traditional Bohol music and cultural dance on board).
Panglao Island and Alona Beach (the finest white sand beach in any Bohol-adjacent island; free; the finest Alona Beach PADI diving from 600 PHP per boat dive (Genesis Divers or Alona Dive Center); the finest green sea turtle snorkel at 3–5m from 300 PHP per snorkel guide) are the best beach and dive destination in the Philippines.
Panglao Island and Alona Beach (free; the finest white sand beach in any Bohol-adjacent island; PADI diving from 600 PHP per boat dive (Genesis Divers or Alona Dive Center); green sea turtle snorkel at 3–5m from 300 PHP per snorkel guide).
Bohol dining reflects the most specifically Boholano cuisine in the Visayas: the Bohol Bee Farm Restaurant (Dauis, Panglao; the most comprehensively organic single Bohol restaurant: the honey-based menu uses the bee farm’s organic produce (the malunggay (moringa) bread (the most specifically nutritionally described single Philippine bread; PHP 60–80), the honey smoothies (PHP 80–150), and the dinuguan with organic pork (the most specifically Bohol-food-culture single dish; PHP 150–250 pp)); the fast-craft harbour restaurants in Tagbilaran (the kinunot (the stingray in coconut milk; the most specifically Bohol single signature dish; PHP 150–250 pp) and the fresh fish sinigang (the sour tamarind fish broth; the most specifically Filipino single national fish soup; PHP 120–200 pp)); the Alona Beach restaurant strip (the most comprehensively international and the most specifically dive-culture-evening-social single Bohol restaurant scene: the shawarma stalls (the most affordable Alona Beach late-night meal; PHP 80–120), the Flower Bar (the most specifically live-music single Alona Beach evening address), and the Hayahay Tree Bar (the beachfront bar with hammocks; San Miguel Beer PHP 60–80 per bottle)).
The Philippine Tarsier Foundation (Canapnapan, Corella; &peso;60; 8am–5pm) is the only legitimate sanctuary. Tarsiers die from stress — never visit roadside cages or handle them at tourist stops.
The 1,268 Chocolate Hills (Sagbayan Peak or Carmen viewpoint; &peso;50) are finest in early morning light before tour groups arrive from Tagbilaran by 9am. Dawn is the correct timing.
Balicasag Island (40 min by bangka from Alona Beach, Panglao; &peso;800+ for dive gear and boat) has wall dives with white-tip sharks, sea turtles, and a resident spinner dolphin pod.
The Loboc River cruise (&peso;400; floating restaurant; cultural dance show; 11am and 1pm departures; 1 hour) is best at the 11:30am slot when the river light is at its softest.
Chocolate Hills Complex viewpoint (from 50 PHP; Carmen; the finest 1,268 conical limestone hills in Southeast Asia; arrive at 6am for the finest dawn mist panorama). Philippine Tarsier Foundation Sanctuary (from 60 PHP; Corella; the finest wild-release Philippine tarsier sanctuary; no flash photography; silent 5-min encounter). Loboc River floating restaurant buffet cruise (from 500 PHP per person; 1h; the finest emerald-green river cruise; live traditional Bohol music on board).
The Bohol island tour (the finest single-day Philippine island adventure; from 1,200 PHP per person for the full-day guided circuit): Chocolate Hills Complex (6am dawn arrival for the finest mist panorama) → Philippine Tarsier Foundation Sanctuary (Corella; no flash photography; 30-min quiet encounter) → Blood Compact Shrine (free; the 1565 Sandugo site) → Baclayon Church (from 50 PHP museum) → Loboc River buffet cruise (from 500 PHP; 1h; live traditional music) → return to Tagbilaran or Alona Beach by 4pm.
Balicasag Island dive (from 600 PHP per boat dive; 30 min from Alona Beach; the finest 40m wall dive with black-tip reef sharks and green turtles in any Bohol south coast accessible dive). Panglao Island and Alona Beach afternoon (free; the finest white sand beach in any Bohol-adjacent island; green sea turtle snorkel from 300 PHP per snorkel guide).
The Balicasag Island dive (the finest diving experience in the Philippines): book through any Alona Beach dive centre (Genesis Divers (genesisdivers.com) or Alona Dive Center; from 600 PHP per boat dive); depart Alona Beach at 7am for the finest 8am Balicasag dive with the clearest morning visibility (the finest 40m wall: black-tip reef sharks at 15–25m + green turtles at 10m + the finest sardine bait ball snorkel from any Balicasag accessible reef).
The entire Bohol heritage circuit (Chocolate Hills PHP 50, Tarsier Foundation PHP 60, Loboc River cruise PHP 450, fast-craft return PHP 500) can be completed for PHP 1,060&ndash.
The Balicasag Island 2-tank dive (PHP 1,200–2,000 pp; the blacktip reef shark encounter + the sea turtle encounter + the spinner dolphin surface encounter en route) is the comprehensive single Philippine wildlife dive at the most.
Amorita Resort (Panglao Island; the most architecturally celebrated single Bohol resort: the cliff-edge infinity pool overlooking the Bohol Strait; the Philippine thalasso-spa single resort; PHP 5,000–20,000/night; the)
Download the Bohol area for offline navigation, walking directions and public transport routes.
Free
Download the Filipino offline pack and use camera mode for menus and signs.
Free
Book tours, day trips and skip-the-line tickets in and around Bohol.
Free
Quick answers to the questions travellers most often ask before visiting Bohol.
The dry season (December-May) is best for the beaches and island trips, while the June-November wet season is greener but sees more rain.
Three to four days for the Chocolate Hills, the tarsiers and the Loboc River cruise, plus the beaches and diving of adjoining Panglao Island.
Fly to Panglao or take a ferry from Cebu, then rent a car or motorbike or join tours; tricycles cover short trips.
A central Philippine island famed for the surreal Chocolate Hills, the tiny big-eyed tarsiers, the Loboc River cruise, and the white-sand beaches and diving of adjoining Panglao Island around Alona Beach.
Explore more of the Philippines’ extraordinary islands and cities.
Planning a wider trip? Our Philippines travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.