Travel Guide: Top places to visit in Bohol (Countryside)

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All about Bohol

Bohol or the Island Province of Bohol, is located in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. Known for its beautiful beach resorts, coral reefs, free diving, waterfalls, caves, unusual geological formations and it’s even home to endangered species like the tarsiers. Bohol has a lot to offer for tourists who seek a unique travel experience.

Places to visit in Bohol Countryside

The Bohol countryside tour offers tourists the chance to see the province’s iconic destinations in one day. Here’s 5 must-visit places when you’re in the province:

Can’t pass up the opportunity of taking a selfie with these chocolates!

Dubbed as the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’, Chocolate Hills are geological limestone formations that are located in Carmen, Bohol. Considered as Bohol’s most iconic natural landmark, there are at least 1,200 hills in a 50-sq km land area. The hills turn brown during dry season that exudes a majestic view. The hills are best viewed at a deck on top of a hill. Aside from Carmen, Bohol, the hills can also be viewed in the municipalities of Batuan and Sagbayan but the one that I went to was the deck in Carmen.

Best time to visit: Dry season – December to May

What to expect: Top view of the thousands of chocolate hills. You can also rent ATVs if you want a closer look at hills.

Entrance fee: P50 ($1)

Operating hours: 8:00am-9:00pm

I wrote a more detailed blog about what to expect when viewing the Chocolate HIlls.

Loboc River Cruise is the highlight of my Bohol countryside tour.

One of the must-experience in your Bohol daytour is the Loboc River Cruise. A relaxing and enjoyable cruise along the jade-colored Loboc River, it will take you to the natural wonders of the place as well as cultural experience through food and entertainment. 

Best time to visit: Anytime of the year

What to expect: Enjoyable lunch buffet, nature viewing, local cultural entertainment

2023 RATES

  • Regular Rate: PHP 850 Per Adult
  • Senior Citizens and People With Disabilities: PHP 600 per person with ID
  • Children 3 FT to 4 FT tall: PHP 365 Per Child
  • Children 3 FT or below: FREE
  • Note: Pay As You Go For Additional Drinks

TIME OF OPERATIONS

  • Monday to Friday: 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
  • Saturday and Sunday: 10: AM to 2:30 PM

For me, the Loboc River Cruise is the highlight of my Bohol countryside tour. I have written a separate blog about the 5 reasons why this is an experience you should not miss.

These small primates are just so fragile. Let’s help save them!

The Bohol Tarsier Sanctuary was established in 1996 by the Philippine Tarsier Foundation with the aim of the conservation and preservation of the habitat Philippine Tarsier.. The sanctuary covers an area of about 167 hectares, which includes a forested area that provides a natural habitat for the tarsier.

When you visit the Bohol Tarsier Sanctuary, you will be guided through an area where the tarsiers live and tourists will have the chance to observe them up close. The guides help tourists spot the tarsiers so you’ll can take photos or videos of them.

Best time to visit: Dry season – December to May

What to expect: Close up encounter with tarsiers, tarsier merchandise can be bought here as well

Entrance fee: P60 ($1.25)

Operating hours: 9am-4:00pm

I have written a more detailed blog on the do’s and dont’s when visiting the Tarsier Sanctuary.

Bilar Man-Made Forest is part of a reforestation program initiated by the Bilar local government that started 50 years ago. It is mainly made up of white and red mahogany trees and is located in border of Loboc and Bilar towns in Bohol. It is a popular stop-over coming from or going to Chocolate HIlls, for taking selfies.

Best time to visit: Dry season – December to May

What to expect: Tall trees that are formed in a beautifully-lined geometry. Take as many selfies as you want!

Entrance fee: None

Note: This is an active open road so be careful and always be on the look out for passing vehicles.

You may want to check a more detailed blog that I wrote about the Bilar Man-made Forest.

We don’t get to see a hanging bridge everyday, do we?

The Sipatan Twin Hanging Bridge or known for its other name, Tigbao Hanging Bridge, is a pair of 40-meter long bamboo bridges that hang 25 meters from Loboc River. They were built to connect two baranggays (villages) as locals would go down the river and ride a boat to reach the road on the other side.

Best time to visit: Dry season – December to May

What to expect: Twin hanging bridges made of bamboo, souvenir shop

Entrance fee: P35 ($1.60)

You can check out about my experience in crossing the Sipatan Twin Hanging Bridge.

Baclayon Church

Baclayon Church or The Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary Parish Church was founded in 1596 is now declared as a National Cultural Treasure by the Naitonal Museum of the Philippines and a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.

This church has undergone major damage during the 2013 earthquake but restoration has been done throughout the years and was reopened in 2018.

Simply Butterfly CONSERVATION CENTER

Located in Bilar town, Simply Butterfly Conservation Center has 300 species in their care. It was founded to protect and strengthen the natural environment of the butterflies, through plant research, breeding and releasing.

Language and Safety

Bohol is generally safe for any types of tourists – from solo women travelers to families and retirees.

As with majority of places in the Philippines, locals can speak and understand English. With a growing number of Korean tourists coming in, some locals have learned to speak conversational Korean.

How to get here

BY AIR

Flying by air is the fastest way to travel to Bohol. There are daily flights from the capital, Manila, to Bohol-Panglao International Airport (TAG). If you’re from Mindanao, there are also flights from Davao going to Panglao. You can check out deals on flights on TripAdvisor or on WayAway (where you can receive a 10% off your booking using my voucher).

BY FERRY

The Visayas region is mostly composed of islands so it’s common to travel by ferries. If you’re coming from the neighboring provinces or cities in the Visayas Region, you can book a ferry from other Visayas destinations like Cebu, Dumaguete, Siquijor or Leyte. There are also ferries to and from Camiguin Island in Mindanao. You can also check out 12Go as they have various deals on ferries.

Where to stay

As a budget traveler, I often book dorm hostels and I get the cheapest deals in either Booking.com or Hostelworld. Accommodations in these platforms are always reliable so I go back and forth to find the best and cheapest places to stay.

The best deals for mid-range accommodations are often found in Agoda or Expedia.

Other things to do in Bohol

Aside from the Bohol countryside tour, this province offers a lot more like island hopping, free diving and snorkeling in Panglao or more relaxing adventures in Anda (I will write about my trip there soon!). Find things you’d like to do here:

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through the link, AT NO COST TO YOU. Thank you for your support!

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