Bohol offers many cool things to do, and the best thing is that they are quite close to each other. This makes it possible to visit ll the best things to do in Bohol all in one day! So read this itinerary, grab your motorbike and enjoy an awesome day in Bohol.
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Where is Bohol
Bohol is an island in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. It’s right next to Cebu, making it very easy to reach and fit into your Philippines itinerary.
When to visit Bohol
The best time of the year to visit Bohol is during the dry season, roughly from December to May. December to February has the nicest temperatures, as it’s less humid, but this is also the peak season in The Philippines. So you might want to opt for later in the season, as it’ll be less crowded and the prices of accommodation drop a little bit. And don’t worry too much about the heat, I’ve included a beach with shade to spend your afternoon and/or morning before/after this itinerary, and a swimming stop in this one-day itinerary for Bohol. 😉
How to get to Bohol
Bohol has an airport on Panglao and a ferry port in the city of Tagbilaran. If you’re traveling from Cebu, I’d take the Oceanjet Ferry, which is a quick and easy way to get to Bohol. The ferry leaves roughly every 1-1.5 hours and costs 800 pesos (about 13 EUR/14 USD, at the time of writing). If you’re coming from further away, look for cheap flights to Panglao, or fly to Cebu and take the ferry from there.
How to get around Bohol
The easiest way to get around Bohol is by motorbike. There are buses and tricycles too, but if you are limited on time and want to follow this one-day itinerary for Bohol, you’ll need to rent a motorbike. If you want to travel by bus, you’ll most likely need a second day.
It’s easy to find a motorbike on the island. We rented ours from just across the ferry pier. There will be plenty of people offering bikes at the port itself too.
Where to stay in Bohol
I recommend staying on Panglao Island. There are some nice beaches here which you can visit in the afternoon when you arrive in Bohol the day before this itinerary and/or the morning after this itinerary, before leaving Bohol. Dumaluan is a very nice and clean private beach offering lots of shade between the palm trees. Just be careful not to sit right below one with coconuts, you don’t want to risk getting one on your head!
As for accommodation, Hope Homes is a nice budget place to stay in the South of Panglao with friendly owners, a restaurant and a lot of space to park motorbikes.
Bohol One day Itinerary
This one-day itinerary includes four stops: The Tarsier Sanctuary, the town of Loboc, a nice swimming spot on the Loboc River, and the Chocolate Hills viewpoint. If you’re staying in the south of Panglao, it’s about 3.5 hours and 150 km of driving to visit these places and get back. So if you leave early enough in the morning, you’ll have enough time to enjoy these places.
Stop 1: The Tarsier Sanctuary
The Tarsier sanctuary is the first stop on this itinerary. This was the highlight of our stay in Bohol. From the tip of Panglao Island, it’s a 50-minute (about 34 km) drive here.
When you arrive you get to watch a short introductory video and then you’ll go outside and look for tarsiers with a guide. It’s only a short circuit you can walk, so the tour isn’t very long, yet long enough to see some of these amazing creatures and take some photos. The guide will also explain about these animals and their habits. Sightings are not guaranteed, as the tarsiers are free to come and go as they want. But guides go out early in the morning before the sanctuary opens for tourists to see where they are. If they are not disturbed, they tend to stay where they are and rest during the day so if the sanctuary is open, it’s very likely you’ll see them.
Stop 2: Loboc River Cruise
After the Tarsier center, drive to Loboc (20 minutes, 14.5 km). The Loboc River is a beautiful blue river where you can swim and join a river cruise. While it’s very commercial, I actually really enjoyed the cruise! The cruise takes about 1.5 hours and includes a buffet lunch and stops at a community that will perform a traditional dance on the way. Make sure to arrive here before 2 pm if you want to join the cruise, as this is when the last boat leaves. But I would opt for an early lunch to have enough time for the other two stops on this itinerary.
If you’re not hungry yet, you can make an extra swimming stop close to town, at the Jimilian or Loktob Spring in Gotozon spring.
Stop 3: Swimming in the Loboc River
After the cruise, continue your drive along the Loboc river and look for a nice place to go for a swim. There are free and paid places to enter the river. We opted for Busai Dream Falls which is private so you’ll need to pay. But it’s a very nice area to go for a swim and worth the small fee (80 pesos at the time of writing, less than 1,50 EUR/USD). Busai Dream Falls is only 7 km from Loboc town, so this is a short leg.
Stop 4: The Chocolate Hills
Once you’re all refreshed, continue your journey to the last stop on this itinerary: The Chocolate Hills. While the Chocolate Hills are the most famous attraction of Bohol, it was my least favorite one of the places we visited. But it would be silly to go to Bohol and not visit these brown hills.
To get to the viewpoint, you need to drive about 35 – 40 minutes (25 km) and park your bike at the ticket center right before the entrance. There is a big sign saying Chocolate Hills parking area, you won’t miss it. Your ticket includes a shuttle service to the viewpoint, it’s not possible to drive up yourself.
From here, it’s quite a drive back to Panglao: about 1.5 hours and 70 km. So do keep this in mind.
Other things to do in Bohol
Besides the places mentioned on this itinerary, there are several other beaches in Bohol which you can visit and waterfalls. The small islands off Bohol are also great for diving.
