Its more fun in the

Philippines

Module 8

B o h o l

C i t y o f F r i e n d s h i p

It is the tenth largest island in the Philippines region

Bohol is a tropical haven of natural beauty

Bohol is well-known locally as a paradise for divers and snorkelers

Dolphin watching and whale watching tours are popular with both residents and visiting tourists

About Bohol

About Bohol

‣ Bohol is an island province located in the Central Visayas region

‣ Tagbilaran is the capital city of the island province of Bohol 

‣ The city is also known as the City of Friendship

Bohol

‣ Tagbilaran, the capital city, is the main point of entry to Bohol, and serves as the province's political, social and economic center

‣ Tagbilaranons (as local residents are called) seem to be more relaxed than their counterparts in larger cities

Getting ByThe most commonly used mode of transport by the locals in Bohol is the tricycle, a small cab powered by a motorcycle that can accommodate up to 3 passengers

However, as a tourist, you are advised to take cabs

Air conidtioned cabs are not expensive

Aside from tricycles, there are also jeepneys and cabs plying their routes within the city and outside

Exploring Bohol

As we discussed in Module 1, Philippines is a delight for tourists. We will now focus our attention on the same elements. So let’s look at the main attractions that would appeal to the Indian tourists.

ShoppingPubs, Restaurants and Eating Out

Beaches & Natural Beauty

Casinos

Historical Heritage

Amazing Hotels

7

Shopping

Island City Mall 

Located at Dampas District, the Island City Mall is one of the grandest shopping centers in the entire province of Bohol

It contains three floors featuring cinemas, specialty stores, and a department store

It also holds some of the top local and international fast food chains, plus a large supermarket

Plaza MarcelaTourists to Bohol often shop at the province’s second most beautiful shopping mall, Plaza Marcela

The mall opened in 1997 and at that time, Boholanos considered it as the best shopping mall in town

Those who want a taste of sizzling dishes can dine at Plaza Marcela Food Court

Shoppers can also relax at the gaming center of the mall where several enticing arcade games are available

Alturas Supermarket 

This place features specialty shops, food chains, and other boutiques to meet the needs of its varied customers and guests.

At this huge supermarket, people can easily find their needs including food, beverages, and other stuff

BQ Mall Popularly known as Bohol Quality Mall, BQ Mall is one of the most visited shopping malls in the Visayan province

Most tourists in Bohol visit this shopping center because it has many restaurants and boutiques

Aside from the high-class dining places at this mall, people also frequent the movie theaters

Children can enjoy and have fun at Toyland.

Aproniana Souvenir Shop

This gift shop is located in Taguihon, Baclayon

It is about 10 minutes away from Baclayon Church

It is regarded as Bohol’s ultimate souvenir destination, as it sells almost anything you want so you can remember the memories of Bohol

The items range from stuffed Tarsiers to shirts to bags, key chains and even delicacies

Jubelle's SouvenirShop

This gift shop is located in Alona Beach, Panglao

This shop has affordable items to choose from local stuffed tarsier, magnets made of painted wood, unique necklaces for girls and boys, pearls, anklets and a lot more

Pubs, Restaurants & Eating Out

Gerry's GrillGerry's Grill is located in the BQ Mall and its location is facing the island of Panglao providing a nice view of the sea port

Service is fast and the staff is very attentive

It serves delicious and affordable meals

The presentation of the food alone makes you want to grab a bite

Planet d (Doy's Resto)

Planet d (Doy's Resto) is at J Borja Street in Tagbilaran City and serves good food, coupled with reasonably priced drinks and nice music

It has different bands playing every day of the week, that attracts all types of visitors here

Oops Bar

The tagline of the Oops Bar is No trip to Bohol would be complete without a visit to Oops Bar and this is true in many respects

As compared to Manila and Boracay, the nightspots in Bohol are fewer

The Oops Bar is situated on the beach and draws a good crowd of guests and beach enthusiasts

Great food and an extensive drinks menu make it the drinking hole of choice for many visitors

Gerarda’sGerarda's is a family restaurant serving delicious Filipino cuisine

From table settings to cleanliness and hygiene this restaurant has been winning the Best Restaurant Award for the past few years

Prices are affordable and servings are huge

The food is good and they add new delicious dishes in their menu periodically

The Buzz Cafe

This place has the best salads and organic food in Bohol

The good thing about the food here is that it is organic and fresh and their ice creams are delicious

Black Forest Hut

Black Forest Hut is a place for healthy and natural foodies

This snack bar strongly promotes cooking without artificial ingredients

It is best known for its uniquely flavored homemade ice cream

It has two branches, the downtown branch in Tagbilaran City downtown and in Baclayon

The Coconut with Rum Bacardi ice cream is a popular item at Black Forest Hut

Bo’s Coffee Club

Bo’s Coffee Club is definitely one of the best places in Bohol to drink coffee

There are a lot of branches of the club and infact its coffee has been rated as better than Starbucks

It is also famous for its savories and quick bites like Blueberry Cheesecake, Fudges, Croissants and a whole lot of varieties of sandwiches

Beaches & Natural Beauty

Alona Beach

Alona Beach is a gorgeous 1½ kilometer breadth of tropical paradise on Panglao Island

It is Bohol's top beach destination known for its white sand beach, blue waters and world class diving

Alona Beach

Many of Bohol's restaurants and activities are centered on Alona Beach

The beach is surrounded by palm trees that seem to move towards the crystal clear waters

When you swim about 100 meters off the beach, you will reach the edge of the 'house' reef, at a depth of just 3 - 5 meters

Dumaluan Beach

Dumaluan Beach, also on the south of the island, is about 2½ km east of Alona Beach

Here you will find some of the more exclusive beach resorts of Bohol, such as the Bohol Beach Club

Loboc is known for its floating restaurants along its scenic and winding river

Each floating restaurant holds about 20-25 people

This fascinating boat ride starts from Loay Bridge, which is the outlet of the river, moves along the serene waters and palm-fringed banks inland, and ends near the Busay Waterfalls

Loboc River Cruise

The boat takes about 45 minutes to reach the end, where it will stop for a while so guests can enjoy the view

Afterwards, the boat turns around and makes its way back downstream

The river is clean and green during summer, and turns brown during the rainy season

Loboc River Cruise

TarsiersTarsiers are nocturnal primates measuring from 4 to 5 inches, and have a tail which is longer than their body

Considered the smallest primate they can only be found in the Philippine Archipelago

Locally known as Maumag, Boholanos are usually protective of these small, lovely creatures

If you are really interested in seeing them, you should visit their natural abode in the town of Corella, about 10 kilometers from Tagbilaran City

Dolphin Watching

Nestled right in the heart of Bohol Sea, is a small island called Pamilacan, which is famous for its dolphins and big whales

The island is locally known as Sangais

It's also known for beautiful colored fish, both small and large and the prized Gloria Maris sea shells also abound in its surrounding waters

Dolphin Watching

Pamilacan is only about an hour ride by pump boat from Baclayon.

One of the major attractions of Bohol is dolphin and whale watching in the Bohol Sea

Hinagdanan CaveThe whole island province of Bohol is known as Cave Country, as it has more than 1,000 caves at present

The most popular among them is the Hinagdanan Cave, which means laddered in local dialect

Situated in the town of Dauis, 6 km from Tagbilaran City

Hinagdanan Cave is famous for its naturally lit cavern and deep underground lagoon

The cave is top lit by sunlight, which filters through holes in the ceiling.

Coral ReefsBohol is surrounded by a large number of coral reefs, which are very rich in life, and a delight to observe,

They are a prime tourist attraction

Although for many of the reefs, you will need a boat to get there, and scuba equipment to see them, some of them are also easily accessible for snorkelers, and at a small swimming distance from the beach.

Balicasag Island

Balicasag is a flat island 4km southwest off of Pangalo Reef, which is about 30-45 minutes from Panglao Island

Narrow reefs about 9 to 50 meters wide, are one of the many reasons why Balicasag Island has gained popularity among many foreign and local divers

Diver's Haven is a dive site that features an impressive array of fish and marine life

Another fascinating dive site is Turtle Point, a haven for turtles

Turtle Point lies on the eastern side of the island and features caves about 60 to 75 meters down

Located on the southwest side of the Turtle Point is the Cathedral Wall, and the north side is the Royal Garden

Balicasag Island

The Garden is covered with corals that form a vibrant reef full of assorted tropical fish

The Black Coral Forest provides a rare opportunity to swim through black coral

Balicasag Island

Lamanoc Island

The town of Anda is as far from civilization as you can get - it's so distant, cellphone coverage only sporadically touches a single point on a local hilltop

This small village is the jumping-off point for a tour of Lamanoc Island, an uninhabited limestone outcrop that is rumored to be haunted by spirits

Getting to Lamanoc Island involves sailing aboard a small outrigger canoe

Getting through the tourist trail around the island involves plenty of climbing steep stairs and walking on slippery limestone

As you proceed, the local guide will tell you about the prehistoric relics found in the island's caves and the legends associated with the town

Lamanoc Island

Doljo Beach

Just 5 minutes from Alona Beach is an excellent diving spot of Bohol, which has a wealth of small fish, nudibranches and anemone

Doljo Beach gives you an eyeful of huge gorgonians and sponges, and the Balicasag marine sanctuary presents a variety of sea life, all year round

Chocolate HillsThe Chocolate Hills are probably Bohol's most famous tourist attraction

They look like giant mole hills, and remind us of the hills in a small child's drawing

Most people who first see pictures of this landscape can hardly believe that these hills are not a man-made artifact

It would take more labour than the construction of the pyramids in Egypt to make something like this

The Chocolate Hills consist of no less than 1,268 hills (some claim this to be the exact number)

They are very uniform in shape and mostly between 30 and 50 meters high

They are covered with grass, which, at the end of the dry season, turns chocolate brown. From this color, the hills derive their name

At other times, the hills are green, and the association may be a bit difficult to make

Chocolate Hills

Amazing Hotels

Sherwood Bay Resort

The Sherwood Bay Resort & Dive School offers good accommodation and spectacular sea views off Panglao

Rooms present comfortable furnishings in essential settings with most having a private veranda.

The cliff front restaurant serves international cuisine while the resort itself is an ideal setting for weddings, seminars, social events and water enthusiasts

Bellevue Resort

The Bellevue Resort is popular with travelers visiting Bohol Island and looking specifically for an Panglao Island hotel

The grounds and 159 rooms are of 4-star quality, located near the Panglao Island sites

The Bellevue Hotel is 16 km from the Tagbilaran Airport

Alona Vida Beach Resort Alona Vida Beach Resort is located in the center of the Alona Beach, popular for its powdery white sand and crystal clear waters

Situated in a tropical garden with 8 Deluxe Rooms in two two-storey buildings

The resort prides itself on its sumptuous European and Filipino dishes along with a variety of cocktails at their in-house bar and restaurant, Coco Vida

The Peacock GardenThe Peacock Garden is a sprawling mountain property with spectacular views, a luxurious atmosphere, and fine dining

This 5-star luxury boutique hotel is Bohol's hidden gem, reflecting a unique Old-World, East-meets-West style in its character and interiors

The resort features a restaurant and wine cellar, Roman Spa, music & dance club and cigar lounge

Eco-cultural tours, beach, and outdoor activities are offered nearby

Alona Palm Beach Resort

Home to one of the island's most impressive wine lists, this popular joint delivers live entertainment in luxurious surroundings

The infinity pool that fringes the bar gives guests the option of splashing up to get their drinks, which is something of a novelty

Bohol Bee Farm

The Bohol Bee Farm is an agricultural haven situated on top of a cliff on Panglao dedicated to bee cultivation, organic farming, and healthy eating

It is a very homely and relaxing place on Panglao island

The owner, who is also a chef, prepares delicious meals from organically-grown vegetables on her farm

BoholBee Farm

From squash muffins, vegetable lasagna, to her specially-brewed coffee from roasted corn and wild berries are all available here

Bohol Bee Farm also houses a resort, where visitors can take time off from the city and find relaxation while providing livelihood to the local residents

Bohol Beach Club Hotel

Bohol Beach Club Hotel is nestled on the island paradise of Panglao and is the perfect haven for romantic getaways or a seaside sanctuary for beach lovers and scuba diving enthusiasts

A few minutes away is Balicasag Island, a popular dive site for local and foreign divers which offers world-class diving and is internationally renowned.

Dumaluan Beach ResortSituated in the southern part of Panglao Island, this property is in close proximity to a number of attractions

Guests can dine at the restaurant that serves international as well as Filipino cuisine

Offering meeting rooms and facilities, guests can organize their private or public events at the hotel

Offering comfortable accommodation with good service, this can be a good place to stay in Bohol

Historical Heritage

Church of Our LadyThe Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Baclayon is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines

It was founded in 1596

It is one of the best preserved churches in the region, although in the 19th century, a modern facade and a number of stone buildings that now surround the church were added

Next to the church is the old convent

The convent is now transformed into the Baclayon Museum

Let’s Recap

‣ Bohol is the tenth largest island in the Philippines region and is an island province located in the Central Visayas region

‣ Tagbilaran is the capital city of the island province of Bohol  and is also known as the City of Friendship

‣ Alona Beach is Bohol's top beach destination and many of Bohol's nice restaurants and fun activities are centered here

‣ The Loboc River Cruise is a fascinating river cruise

‣ Bohol is known as Cave Country, as it has more than 1,000 caves, the most popular among them is the Hinagdanan Cave

‣ The Bohol Bee Farm is an agricultural resort dedicated to bee cultivation, organic farming, and healthy eating