Bohol Holidays — Chocolate Hills, Tarsiers & Panglao Island
Bohol
Holidays
The Chocolate Hills, the world's smallest primate, Panglao's white-sand beaches and Balicasag's world-class diving — Bohol is the Philippines' most distinctive island
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Flight Time
14–15h from London (via Manila and Cebu; then 2h ferry to Tagbilaran)
Best Time
November to May (dry season); March–May for chocolate-brown hills
Country
Philippines
Suppliers
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Bohol Holiday Guide
Bohol is one of the most distinctive and rewarding islands in the Philippines — a compact island of extraordinary natural wonders, from the iconic Chocolate Hills (1,268 perfectly cone-shaped hills that turn chocolate-brown in the dry season) to the Philippine tarsier (one of the world's smallest primates), from the beautiful beaches of Panglao Island to the world-class diving of Balicasag Island.
Bohol is easily combined with Cebu — the fast ferry from Cebu City to Tagbilaran (Bohol's capital) takes 2 hours and costs around £5. Most visitors base themselves on Panglao Island (connected to Bohol by two bridges), which has the best beaches (Alona Beach, Dumaluan Beach) and is close to the Balicasag Island dive sites.
The Chocolate Hills, in the interior of Bohol, are the island's most famous attraction — a UNESCO World Heritage candidate of 1,268 perfectly symmetrical cone-shaped hills covering an area of 50 square kilometres. The hills are covered in green grass that turns chocolate-brown in the dry season (March to May), giving them their name. The Philippine tarsier, one of the world's smallest primates (the size of a fist, with enormous eyes that cannot move in their sockets), is found only in Bohol and a few other Philippine islands.
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Average Temperatures
Jan
27°C
Feb
27°C
Mar
28°C
Apr
30°C
May
30°C
Jun
29°C
Jul
28°C
Aug
28°C
Sep
28°C
Oct
28°C
Nov
28°C
Dec
27°C
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Call 01282 960 460Top 8 Things To Do in Bohol
The iconic Chocolate Hills, the world's smallest primate, Panglao's beaches, Balicasag's diving and the Loboc River cruise that make Bohol the Philippines' most distinctive island.
Chocolate Hills — Bohol's Most Iconic Sight
The Chocolate Hills are the most famous natural attraction in Bohol and one of the most extraordinary landscapes in the Philippines — 1,268 perfectly symmetrical cone-shaped hills covering an area of 50 square kilometres in the interior of Bohol. The hills are covered in green grass that turns chocolate-brown in the dry season (March to May), giving them their name. The best viewpoint is the Chocolate Hills Complex in Carmen (2 hours from Tagbilaran), where a viewing deck offers panoramic views over the hills. The hills are a UNESCO World Heritage candidate.
Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary — The World's Smallest Primate
The Philippine tarsier (Carlito syrichta) is one of the world's smallest primates — the size of a fist, with enormous eyes (each eye is larger than its brain), the ability to rotate its head 180 degrees and a call that is ultrasonic (inaudible to humans). The tarsier is found only in Bohol and a few other Philippine islands. The Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella (30 minutes from Tagbilaran) is the best place to see tarsiers in the wild — the animals live freely in the trees and are observed from a distance. Avoid tarsier 'sanctuaries' that keep the animals in cages.
Alona Beach — Panglao Island's Finest Beach
Alona Beach, on the southern coast of Panglao Island (connected to Bohol by two bridges), is the most popular beach in Bohol — a 1.5km stretch of white sand and clear water lined with guesthouses, restaurants and dive shops. The beach is excellent for swimming and snorkelling (the coral reef starts just 20 metres from shore). Alona Beach is the hub for diving in Bohol — most dive shops offer trips to Balicasag Island, the Cervera Shoal and the Pamilacan Island. The beach is best in the morning before the day-trippers arrive.
Balicasag Island — World-Class Diving & Snorkelling
Balicasag Island, 8km southwest of Panglao, is one of the finest dive sites in the Philippines — a small island surrounded by a vertical wall of coral that drops to 40+ metres, teeming with marine life (sea turtles, reef sharks, barracuda, jack fish, Napoleon wrasse, manta rays). The Black Forest dive site (a wall of black coral) and the Cathedral (a cavern dive) are the most spectacular. The snorkelling around Balicasag is also excellent — sea turtles are abundant and easily seen from the surface.
Loboc River Cruise — Floating Restaurant
The Loboc River cruise is one of the most popular activities in Bohol — a 1.5-hour cruise along the Loboc River on a floating restaurant, with a buffet lunch of Filipino food and live folk music and dancing. The river is extraordinarily beautiful — a narrow, jungle-lined waterway of extraordinary greenery. The cruise passes through the Loboc town and the Busay Falls. The floating restaurant departs from the Loboc River Resort (30 minutes from Tagbilaran) and costs around £10–15 per person including lunch.
Bilar Man-Made Forest — Mahogany Canopy
The Bilar Man-Made Forest, on the road between Tagbilaran and the Chocolate Hills, is one of the most photographed spots in Bohol — a 2km stretch of road lined with towering mahogany trees planted in the 1960s, creating a dense canopy that blocks out the sun and creates an extraordinary tunnel of green. The forest is best experienced by motorbike or bicycle — the cool shade and the dappled light are extraordinary. The forest is a popular stop on the Bohol countryside tour.
Hinagdanan Cave — Underground Lake
Hinagdanan Cave, in Dauis on Panglao Island, is one of the most accessible and beautiful caves in Bohol — a natural cave with an underground lake of crystal-clear water, illuminated by natural light filtering through holes in the cave ceiling. The cave is small but extraordinary — the stalactites and stalagmites are impressive and the underground lake is excellent for swimming. The cave is 15 minutes from Alona Beach and is usually combined with a visit to the Dumaluan Beach.
Baclayon Church & Bohol Heritage
Baclayon Church (Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Parish Church), built in 1595, is one of the oldest stone churches in the Philippines — a massive coral-stone structure that survived the 2013 earthquake (which damaged many of Bohol's historic churches) and has been restored. The adjacent museum houses a collection of religious artefacts, vestments and manuscripts from the Spanish colonial period. The Blood Compact Shrine in Bool commemorates the first international treaty of friendship in the Philippines (between Miguel López de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna in 1565).
Explore Bohol on the Map
Key areas, beaches and attractions across the island.
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