Bohol Tourist Spots by Area: The Inland Loop, Panglao, Island-Hopping Waters and the Quiet East and North

Bohol Tourist Spots in Four Areas, Located with the Official Geopark List

Bohol’s tourist spots fall into four areas: the inland interior, Panglao Island in the southwest, the island-hopping waters to the south and west, and the quieter east and north. The handiest planning tool is the geopark site list published by the Bohol Provincial Tourism Office.

The Bohol Island UNESCO Global Geopark site list numbers its sites in three groups: 17 geological sites beginning with G, 15 cultural sites beginning with C and 4 biological sites beginning with B, 36 in all. The famous names are all there, including G1, the Chocolate Hills viewpoint in Carmen; G2, Hinagdanan Cave in Dauis; B2, the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella; B3, Balicasag Island off Panglao; and C5, the Loboc River. Choosing by code is a better way to find good places than copying a generic top-10 list, and it tells you which stops are officially listed.

• The inland loop (1 day). Chocolate Hills, tarsiers, the Loboc River, the man-made forest and old churches. See section 2.
• Panglao Island (half a day to 1 day). Beaches, a cave and two old churches you can reach easily from your hotel. See section 3.
• Island-hopping waters (1 morning). Balicasag, Virgin Island, Pamilacan and Cabilao. See section 4.
• The east and north (1 day per direction). Anda, Candijay, Danao, Getafe and the uplifted Loon coast. See section 5.

The four areas run on different clocks. The inland loop leaves after 7 a.m. and returns at dusk, boats head out around sunrise and are back by midday, and the east and north involve long drives that fill a day each. That is why this guide gives each place only a one- or two-line verdict and leaves timing to our detailed guides: for how many days and when to leave each morning, read how many days you need in Bohol; for the ferry from Cebu, read getting from Cebu to Bohol; and for flights and transfers to Alona, read our Bohol-Panglao airport guide.

Want to pick from the four areas and get a route with no backtracking? → Yixing Bohol routes

The Inland Loop: Chocolate Hills, Tarsiers and the Loboc River in One Day

The inland loop has three headline stops, the Chocolate Hills, the tarsier sanctuary and the Loboc River, and they fit into one day. The man-made forest, the hanging bridge and the old churches are optional stops to cut when time is short. Here is the verdict on each; the order and timings are broken down in how many days you need in Bohol.

• Chocolate Hills (G1 Carmen, G14 Sagbayan). More than a thousand grass-covered limestone cones that turn brown in the dry season; the Carmen viewpoint is the default. For how they formed, their protected status and which viewpoint to choose, see our Chocolate Hills guide.
• Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary (B2 Corella). Expect tiny primates clinging almost motionless to branches. Proclamation No. 1030 of June 23, 1997 declared the Philippine tarsier a specially protected species and prohibits hunting, killing, wounding, taking or possessing one. The provincial tourism office asks visitors to keep noise down, avoid flash and never touch the animals. Do not pay for roadside photos with a captive tarsier.
• Loboc River (C5). River cruises with lunch and riverside performances make the slowest, most relaxed stop and suit midday. Loboc also has one of the country’s oldest churches and a well-known children’s choir.
• Bilar man-made forest and Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape (B1). The official page says the mahogany forest stretches for more than two kilometres along the Loboc–Bilar boundary; a photo stop is enough. The protected landscape next door is the largest remaining forest in Bohol and rewards birdwatchers.
• Sevilla Twin Hanging Bridge. About 36 km from Tagbilaran, roughly 40 metres long, with steel cables and a woven bamboo deck. A rest stop on the way to the hills, optional.
• Baclayon Church (C7) and the Sandugo Site in Loay (C4). Baclayon Church was founded by Jesuits in 1596, damaged in the magnitude 7.2 earthquake of October 15, 2013 and later restored. The Sandugo site commemorates the 1565 blood compact; history fans can spend 15 minutes.

Three protected areas in this interior appear in the schedule of Republic Act No. 11038 of 2018: item 50, the Alburquerque–Loay–Loboc Protected Landscape and Seascape; item 51, the Chocolate Hills Natural Monument; and item 53, the Raja Sikatuna Protected Landscape. Stay in open areas and leave plants, soil and rocks where they are. The loop is mostly driving, so hire a car; see how to arrange a car in Bohol.

Panglao Island: Beaches, a Cave and Two Old Churches Within Easy Reach

Panglao is the base for most stays and boat trips. Its sights are a string of white beaches, Hinagdanan Cave in Dauis and the old churches of Dauis and Panglao. They are close together, so any free half day covers them.

According to the provincial tourism office’s Panglao page, the island holds just two towns: Panglao in the south and Dauis, closer to the provincial capital.

• Beaches. The official list includes Dumaluan, Alona, Doljo and Libaong. Alona has the most restaurants and boats; the others are quieter. For which stretch to stay on, see the accommodation section of how many days you need in Bohol.
• Hinagdanan Cave (G2). In Barangay Bingag, Dauis, with an underground pool, stalactites and stalagmites; it is geosite number 2 on the geopark list. The floor is slippery, so wear shoes with grip. Most visits take under half an hour.
• Dauis Church, Our Lady of the Assumption (C8). The tourism office notes that it was declared a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Commission, and a stone tower beside it bears the year 1774. Dauis is only about 3 km from Tagbilaran, the capital, so it is an easy arrival-day stop.
• St. Augustine Church and the Panglao Watchtower (C14). A baroque church by the sea, declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum, beside a Spanish-era watchtower.

The surrounding waters are protected too. Item 52 of RA 11038 is the Panglao Island Protected Seascape, registered at 2,445.08 hectares. When snorkelling, do not stand on coral or take shells and coral fragments home; that matters more than any photo tip. The airport is on the island as well, and arrivals, transfers and souvenirs are covered in our Bohol-Panglao airport guide. If you are still choosing between two islands, read Boracay or Bohol.

Panglao’s sights suit the afternoon you arrive or the morning before you leave, since they involve no long drives and no boat schedules. For families, a beach plus the cave is plenty for one day; for pacing with children, see travelling in the Philippines with kids.

Island-Hopping Waters: What Balicasag, Virgin Island, Pamilacan and Cabilao Offer

Bohol’s island-hopping waters point in four directions: Balicasag for reefs and turtles, Virgin Island for its sandbar, the Pamilacan area for dolphins at dawn, and Cabilao mainly for diving. All of them mean an early start and a weather check.

• Balicasag Island (B3). The provincial tourism office says it is famous for diving and good for snorkelling, and advises leaving Panglao before 7 a.m. and returning before 2 p.m. to avoid the rising afternoon tide.
• Virgin Island. A sandbar off Panglao that the Panglao town page lists alongside Balicasag as a boat-tour stop. How much sand shows depends on the tide that day.
• Pamilacan Island. The official description puts it about 45 minutes by boat from Baclayon. Dolphin trips leave at 5:30 a.m., spend about 2 hours looking for dolphins around the island and head back to Baclayon by 1 p.m.
• Cabilao Island. Part of Loon on the west coast, with several dive sites; Lake Lanao at its centre is described as Bohol’s only natural lake.

Rules for watching dolphins and whales. The dolphin and whale watching guidelines published by the Bohol Provincial Tourism Office say: do not swim with, touch or feed whales and dolphins; keep vessels at least 100 metres from any whale and at least 200 metres from a whale with a calf; limit viewing to a recommended 20 minutes; and never drive through a group of dolphins to make them ride the bow. The guidelines cite Fisheries Administrative Order No. 185-1, which bans taking or trading dolphins, whales and porpoises, and Republic Act No. 9147.

Whale sharks. The Philippine Information Agency reported that the governor of Bohol signed Executive Order No. 10 of 2025 on February 3, indefinitely stopping whale shark interactions in Lila, Alburquerque and Dauis after krill was found being used to lure the animals. Whether and on what terms viewing is allowed now depends on the provincial government’s current announcements, so be wary of any tour that promises a sighting.

For joined versus private boats, see our island hopping guide; for hidden fees and safety red lines, island hopping pitfalls; for diving, diving in the Philippines.

Want your boat day on the calmest forecast, with a spare day in case it is cancelled? → Yixing Bohol routes

The Quiet East and North: Anda, Candijay, Danao, Getafe and the Uplifted Loon Coast

To escape the crowds, head east and north. Anda has white sand and cave pools, Candijay has the province’s tallest waterfall and rice terraces, Danao has morning seas of clouds, and the northern waters hold the Danajon double barrier reef and the Getafe mangroves. These places are usually two to three hours’ drive from Panglao, so each direction needs its own day.

• Anda (G7, G8, G17). The provincial tourism office describes Quinale Beach as quieter than the Alona area. The Cabagnow and Combento cave pools in the limestone are geosites, and Lamanok Island at the eastern tip preserves ancient burial sites and archaeological finds.
• Candijay (G5, G6). The official page says Can-umantad Falls is 60 metres high and the tallest waterfall in Bohol. Nearby are the Cadapdapan rice terraces and the Canawa Cold Spring, whose bottom no diver has yet reached.
• Danao. The official page mentions an outdoor adventure park and the sea of clouds that often forms at dawn in Barangay Magtangtang, weather permitting.
• Getafe and the Danajon Bank (B4, G9). The mangrove forest on Banacon Island is a biological site, and the Danajon Bank Double Barrier Reef spans the waters of 11 towns including Tubigon, Talibon and Getafe. The islands off Talibon form item 54 of the RA 11038 schedule, a protected landscape and seascape, and the Bongan sandbar appears when it is not submerged.
• Loon and Maribojoc (G3, G4). The official page explains that the October 15, 2013 earthquake raised the Loon shoreline by about 1.5 metres and pushed it about 50 metres seaward, creating a 417-hectare coastal geomorphic park known locally as the Coral Garden. Loon Church was destroyed in the quake and its restoration was completed on September 7, 2021. Maribojoc has an uplifted marine terrace and the Punta Cruz watchtower.
• Antequera and Loay. Antequera is known for basket weaving passed down through generations, plus Mag-aso Falls; Himontagon Hills in Loay, about 20 km from Tagbilaran, is often wrapped in morning mist.

These places are scattered, road conditions vary and rain makes them harder to reach, so hire a car with a driver who knows the routes. They fit only into trips of five nights or more; see how many days you need in Bohol for how to schedule them, and how to get to Siquijor if you want to add another island to the south.

How to Choose and Plan: Inland Plus Island Hopping First, Then Add by Travel Style

On a first visit, one day inland and one morning at sea form the backbone. With older relatives, spend more time on Panglao; divers should add Balicasag and Cabilao; and anyone into geology or quiet scenery can add a day in the east or north.

• First-timers (3 days, 2 nights). One day inland, one morning island hopping, the rest on Panglao.
• Older relatives. The Chocolate Hills viewpoint has steps and boat trips start early, so do one of the two properly. Panglao’s churches and cave involve short walks; for pacing, see travelling with older parents.
• Divers. Give Balicasag and Cabilao a day each, and leave enough time between your last dive and your flight.
• Geology fans. Work through the G-coded sites on the geopark list: the coast raised in 2013 at Loon, the 60-metre falls in Candijay and the cave pools of Anda are all on it.

Three scheduling rules matter most: do not put the inland loop and island hopping on the same day, do not leave island hopping to your last day, and do not book an international flight on the day you cross by sea. From June to November, rain and typhoons can stop boats, so read typhoon season cancellations and refunds for your options.

For the Cebu side and how to split your days, see our guide to Cebu tourist spots and our Cebu and Bohol itinerary guide. For calamay, ube treats and woven baskets to take home, see our guide to Philippine souvenirs.

Most of Bohol’s sights are in rural towns where opening hours, temporary closures and visitor rules change, so reconfirm the day before. The small jobs after landing, such as a SIM card, currency exchange or a visa extension, can be handed to our settling-in services.

Want a Chinese-speaking driver to take you through the areas you picked? → Yixing Bohol routes · car with driver