Another Philippine travel destination unlocked from my bucket list is BOHOL. Bohol is a most favorite travel destination. It’s a province located in the Central Visayas region, it is popular due to the natural landscapes, rich history, and warm hospitality from the locals. The island offers great adventures from tropical beaches, hiking, countryside, and centuries old churches and old heritage, making it one of the popular travel destinations in the Philippines.
Quick Points
Location: Tagbiliran, Carmen, Loboc, Sevilla, Baclayon
Best time to visit: All year
Budget:20,000 – 30,000
Nearest airport: Panglao International Airport
Mobile signal:Excellent
Ideal trip length: 3-4 days
How to Get There
Flight via Cebu Pacific, or Philippine Airline
From Manila, Cebu, Davao, take a flight via Cebu Pacific, PAL or any airlines you choose that is available.
Ferry Options
From Cebu and Davao, there are ferry schedules available such as OceanJet or 12Go Asia Ferry. Travel time would take 3-4 hours. I have tried OceanJet from Cebu to Bohol and I can recommend 12Go Asia as well. I had tried their service from Davao to Bohol.
Van Transfer
The majority of the Bohol tour is in the countryside only. You can book a car ahead or upon arrival in the airport, there are lots of car and tour packages available.
For Bookings and Contact Numbers
Bohol Car Tour Services
+639081724401
Bohol Day Tour (Tagbilaran and Panglao Island)
Kuya Hansel
+639065077848Lorjem
+639194137623 (Smart)
+639274358392 (Globe)
Lorjem Car Driver
+639194137623 (Smart)
+639274358392 (Globe)
Where to Stay
We booked a stay in Villa Alzhun in Tagbilaran City. It’s a budget friendly inn with a decent room and offers free breakfast. Villa Alzhun Tourist Inn and Restaurant is a renovated mansion. Their facilities are well maintained that’s why backpackers have nothing to worry about, leaving us satisfied and feeling secure. It’s only 10-15 minutes from Panglao International Airport.
The room we booked was good for 3 persons and we only paid Php 1,700 inclusive of a free use of the swimming pool and free breakfast served.
Accommodation Rates (Lean Season)
1.] Standard Single – Php 950.00
2.] Standard Double – Php 1,350
3.] Standard Family (4 pax) – Php 1,700.00
4.] Superior Room – Php 1,500.00
5.] Junior Executive Suite – Php 1,900.00
6.] Executive Suite – Php 2,300.00
7.] Extra Bed per person – Php 350.00
Accommodation Rates(Peak Season: May – December)
1.] Standard Single – Php 1,100.00
2.] Standard Double – Php 1,550.00
3.] Standard Family (4 pax) – Php 1,950.00
4.] Superior Room – Php 1,750.00
5.] Junior Executive Suite – Php 2,200.00
6.] Executive Suite – Php 2,650.00
7.] Extra Bed per person – Php 380.00
For reservations and more info, please contact the numbers below.
Villa Alzhun Tourist Inn & Restaurant
162 V.P Inting Street, Mansasa District Tagbilaran City, Bohol Philippines
Tagbilaran City
PLDT Nos. – (038) 412-3883 or (038) 412 3893
PLDT Telefax – (038) 412-4143
PLDT Landline – (02) 6979839
Noemi – 09088623846 (Smart) / 09228061900 (Sun)
Manila Office
Apace Travel – (02) 723-2948 / 721-8602
Maj – 09192840007 / 09228966117
PLDT No – (02) 9285729
PLDT Telefax – (02) 9286764Email: info@villa-alzhun.com
Website: http://www.villa-alzhun.com
3D2N Bohol Sample Itinerary
Day 1
8AM Arrival (Early arrival is much better)
9AM Bohol Start Country Side Tour (covers Sevilla Bridge, Zoo, Man Made Forest, chocolate hills, Baclayon, Blood Compact, Butterfly Sanctuary, Tarsier, Ship Haus)
12PM Lunch at Floating Resto in Loboc
1PM Continue Country Side Tour (covers Sevilla Bridge, Zoo, Man Made Forest, chocolate hills, Baclayon, Blood Compact, Butterfly Sanctuary, Tarsier)
3PM ATV Ride in Carmen Bohol
5:30 PM Sunset viewing
6PM Firefly watching while dinner
8PM Check in hotel (You can check in early and leave your luggage in the hotel and continue the tour or you can check in later and keep your luggage in the van if you travel light, of course.)
10PM Can do night out if you are staying in Tagbilaran or Panglao
Day 2
8AM Go to Panglao
9AM Hinagdanan Cave
10AM Cabugnaw Cave
11AM Alona Beach, Panglao
12PM Lunch
1-5PM Enjoy swimming in Panglao or you can book a hotel in Panglao so you can stay in there and enjoy the night
Another option after Panglao is to visit Anda and book a hotel and enjoy the night in Anda, Bohol.
Day 3
8AM Travel to Danao Adventure Park, estimated travel time is 2 hrs from Tagbilaran
10AM Arrival in Danao Adventure Park
12PM Lunch
2PM Depart Danao
4:30PM Pasalubong Center
6PM Back to hotel, rest and refresh and pack up things ahead
10PM Airport, home sweet home soon
Expenses / Budget Breakdown
| Expense | Cost |
| Roundtrip Ferry Transfer Cebu-Bohol-Cebu | 1200 |
| Villa Alzhun 2 Nights (1700 Good for 3, 600 each pax) | 600 |
| Tour Package | 1500 |
| Entrance Fees and Meals | 2000 |
| Car Rental to Danao (2800 for 3 person) | 1000 |
| Danao Adventure Pack Activities (Depends on you) + Photos | 1500 |
| Others, misc | 1500 |
| Pasalubong | 1000 |
| Total | 10,300 |
Places to Visit in Bohol
The Chocolate Hills
Our first destination in Tagbilaran was The Chocolate Hills. The Chocolate Hills is one of Bohol’s most famous tourist attractions. Every day, new tourists are visiting Bohol to see Chocolate Hills. Peak season falls in the summer and Christmas season. It is a breathtaking view looking at the natural hills scattered across the land. How wonderful it is!
Most people who first saw The Chocolate Hills photo can hardly believe that these hills are naturally made. See how amazing and wonderful nature is? It was a long stair to take before we could reach the top. Tiring, yes, but it’s very worth it when you reach the top view deck, as you can see the whole landscape where Chocolate Hills are scattered. Breathtaking indeed! The time we went there wasn’t a sunny day although it was March. Still, the view was nice but it would be so much nicer if you would visit The Chocolate Hills on a sunny morning. With that, you can see far hills and with a perfect combination of shadows and sunlight.
Butterfly Sanctuary in Bilar, Tagbilaran Bohol
Another tourist destination we visited is the Butterflies Conservation Center which is located in Bilar, Bohol. As per the local, it is the first butterfly livelihood breeding and conservation program in Bohol. Different kinds of butterflies, lovely colors and beautiful flowers, can be find here. The Entrance fee is Php20.00 with a tour guide that explains more about the butterflies.
Sevilla Hanging Bridge
The hanging bridge is located in the upper part of Loboc. It is composed of bamboo and steel. It is about 25 meters above the river and 40 meters in length. There are two bridges there. Scary to look at first but you’ll enjoy it if you are already there. I swear. I admit that there is some part of the bridge that really scares me because I stepped on a soft bamboo and it seems like it will break, so to be careful, you must watch your steps and hold on to the harness on each side of the bridge. Hanging bridges load limit is only 10 persons at a time. Outside the bridge, you can also find souvenir shops. And oh, I think almost all tourist attraction in Bohol had souvenir shops.
Loboc Mini Zoo
We also visited Loboc Mini Zoo. There’s a lot to see inside like extremely large python, ostrich, monkeys, iguana, leopard and other animals. You can also find there the largest python in Bohol however when we went there, that python was not around due to expired permit according to our tour guide and driver.
I had a close encounter with the python snake named Norio. When one of their staff opened Norio’s gate, the snake went out and I was able to touch the snake on its head. Cold blooded animal indeed.
There were also leopards and they were so cute. We didn’t stay long there as we have lots of places that we needed to visit that day but I enjoyed visiting Loboc’s mini zoo.
ATV Ride Experience in Carmen, Bohol
ATV stands for All Terrain Vehicle. The ATV is referred to as an all-terrain because of it’s four-wheel that can be used for riding in rocks, mud, dirt, and snow. And this foreign ATV sports ride is now available in Bohol, Philippines. Exciting isn’t it?
Mahogany Man Made Forest
Don’t miss the amazing Mahogany made made forest. It’s awesome to take some pictures on the road while having these massive trees as your background.
Travel Tips
- Book flights and ferries ahead to get cheap rates
- Book for hotels and inns too ahead to get discounts
- Stay in resort’s hotel to enjoy and have a full blast in Panglao
- If you prefer a quiet night, I recommend Anda
- Arrival should be early so you can maximize your day schedules
- Departure time is ideal late at night
Conclusion
This is the year I got my first job and I got some co-workers who love to travel and here I am, starting to get addicted to booking flights ahead and waiting for seat sales. Bohol is the 2nd travel destination I experienced and I totally enjoyed it. It’s worth the money to spend. I would recommend Bohol as the best place to visit in the Philippines. They are rich in tourist attractions, and very kind people.
