When Bohol is not always all about Panglao Island and the world-famous Chocolate Hills… 📍Mt. Puntaas
🇵🇭BOHOL ADVENTURE PRIMER🇵🇭
✈🛳🚌 How to get to Bohol:
⏺ Take a plane from Metro Manila to Bohol-Panglao Airport (e.g. Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and AirAsia).
⏺ If you are coming from Cebu, there are available ferries plying the Cebu City-Tagbilaran City, Bohol route such as OceanJet and 2Go. Just make your way to Pier Uno in Cebu City. There is also a public boat going to Tubigon Port in Bohol.
🏄🏝🚴 Sites to Explore/Activities:
⏺ Countryside Tour
Blood Compact Shrine, Tagbilaran City
Baclayon Church and Museum
Tarsier Conservation Area, Loboc
Loboc River Cruise or Loay River Cruise
Man-Made Forest
Chocolate Hills Complex, Carmen
Sipatan Twin Bamboo Hanging Bridge, Sevilla
⏺ Panglao Island Tour
Hinagdanan Cave, Dauis
Bohol Bee Farm, Dauis
Our Lady of the Assumption/Dauis Church
St. Augustine Church/Panglao Church
Shell Museum, Panglao
Beaches such as Alona Beach, Dumaluan Beach, San Pedro Beach of Barangay Bingag, Doljo Beach (entry is through Muro-Ami Resort) and Bikini Beach
⏺ Panglao Island Hopping
Dolphin Watching
Virgin Island
Balicasag Island
⏺ Mag-aso Falls of Antequera
📌Ride a jeepney from Cogon Market in Tagbilaran City bound for Antequera (travel time: 30 – 45 minutes).
📌Hire a motorcycle to get to the waterfall.
⏺ Mt. Puntaas
📌From Dao Integrated Terminal in Tagbilaran City, ride a bus or van bound for the town of Danao (travel time: 1.5 – 3 hours).
📌Hire a motorcycle to get to the jump-off to Mt. Puntaas.
📌The trek to get to the view decks of Mt. Puntaas takes about 15 – 30 minutes depending on your pace. Get up early and start your trek by 5:00 AM to catch the sunrise and sea of clouds.
⏺ Can-umantad Falls, Cadapdapan Rice Terraces and Canawa Cold Spring of Candijay
📌From Dao Integrated Terminal in Tagbilaran City, ride a bus or van bound for the town of Candijay.
📌Alight at Barangay Lungsodaan Market in Candijay (travel time: 2 – 3 hours).
📌Hire a motorcycle to get to these spots.
📌If you will be going to Anda after exploring Candijay, you can just charter the motorcycle to take you to Anda Poblacion to save on time (travel time from Lungsodaan: approximately 1 hour).
⏺ Quinale Beach, Cabagnow Cave Pool and Combento Cave Pool of Anda
📌From Dao Integrated Terminal in Tagbilaran City, ride a bus or van bound for the town of Anda (limited trips only).
📌Alternatively, ride a bus or van from Dao Terminal bound for Guindulman or Candijay and alight at the town proper of Guindulman (travel time: 2 – 3 hours).
📌Hire a tricycle to get to the town proper of Anda (travel time: 45 minutes to 1 hour).
📌Charter a tricycle to get to the tourist spots of Anda.
📌Please take note that Quinale Beach is a public beach which is just within walking distance from the town proper.
📌There are lots of resorts in Quinale Beach where you can spend the night.
⏺ Kinahugan Falls of Jagna
📌From Dao Integrated Terminal in Tagbilaran City, ride a bus or van bound for Guindulman or Candijay.
📌Alight at the town proper of Jagna (travel time: 1.5 – 2 hours).
📌Charter a motorcycle that will take you to the jump-off to Kinahugan Falls.
📌Walk for a few minutes to reach the falls.
⏺ Ingkumhan Falls and Pahangog Twin Falls of Dimiao
📌From Dao Integrated Terminal in Tagbilaran City, ride a bus or van bound for Guindulman or Candijay.
📌Alight at the town proper of Dimiao (travel time: 1 – 1.5 hours).
📌Hire a motorcycle that will take you to the waterfalls.
📌Getting to Ingkumhan Falls requires walking for a few minutes.
📌As for Pahangog Falls, you will be trekking and going down stairsteps for roughly 15 – 30 minutes. You can just ask the motorcycle driver to guide you as well to get to the waterfall.
***The van/bus bound for Candijay/Anda/Guindulman will pass by the municipalities of Jagna (Kinahugan Falls) and Dimiao (Ingkumhan Falls and Pahangog Twin Falls).
After our trip in Cebu, our rented van took us to Mactan-Cebu Airport and we flew from Cebu to Tagbilaran Airport. Our flight was a bit delayed though. We could have opted to just take the passenger ferry from Cebu to Bohol but the plane ticket of Philippine Airlines was fortunately on sale when we bought it. Back then, PAL still operated its flight from Cebu to Bohol. 📍Hinagdanan Cave, DauisSeeing the Chocolate Hills from above while inside the aircraft was the highlight of our flight.Tagbilaran Airport was still operational during our visit. As soon as we landed, our guide was already waiting for us outside the airport. We then drove from the city to the island of Panglao where we would be staying. We reached our hotel at dusk. After resting for a while, we tried out the dishes being served at our accommodation’s restaurant for our dinner. I would have wanted to take a dip at the hotel’s swimming pool too but we were all tired. It was time to call it a night. 📍Dumaluan Beach, PanglaoI asked our guide to pick us up early in the morning. We were already in our rented car by 6:00 AM. I’ve read blogs about the Countryside and Panglao Island Tours and I thought maybe we could do a whole day tour for both since we were pressed for time. We had a stop-over at the town of Baclayon to have breakfast at a small eatery. Considering we were too early, most of the restaurants even in Tagbilaran City were still closed. By the time we were traversing this road, I knew right away that this is the famous man-made forest of this province.We pulled over and I immediately got out of our car. Located between the towns of Bilar and Loboc, this forest is a must-see attraction as part of the countryside tour. Just be careful and watch out for approaching vehicles on both sides of the road. Luckily, there were no other tourists yet since we were early when we got here.The slender trees planted in this organized manner as they obscure the sunrays create a very cinematic feel, paired with the cool breeze under the shade of these mahogany trees.I was feeling ecstatic by the time we arrived at the parking area of Chocolate Hills Complex in Carmen. Finally, I would be seeing this number one tourist spot in Bohol which made this province famous not only in the Philippines but also in the world.As an elementary kid studying Social Studies, I used to memorize basic information about these hills such as its location which is the province of Bohol. Yet it all ended right there, just knowing where it is and seeing it in photos. But now, boy was I extremely happy after seeing this natural wonder in the flesh.More than a thousand of these limestone hills are scattered throughout the municipalities of Bohol. It has been coined Chocolate Hills because the grass covering these geological formations turns brown during dry season.It’s advisable to start Countryside Tour early because this view deck of Chocolate Hills in Carmen gets really crowded starting 9:00 in the morning. Just be patient so you can get a nice shot without photobombers. Put on your sunblock and bring an umbrella. There’s no roof that will cover you whilst waiting for your turn to have your pictures taken.We visited some more tourist spots such as the Tarsier Conservation Area, Twin Hanging Bridge in Sevilla, Python Sanctuary and Blood Compact Shrine. We had our lunch at the famous Loboc River Cruise (I didn’t take any photos as the color of the river was muddy due to the rain the night before) then bought some souvenirs before heading to Panglao Island. 📍Hinagdanan Cave, DauisThe inside of Hinagdanan Cave was full of tourists when we arrived. I was not really surprised, considering Bohol is a mainstream tourist destination. I had to wait for my turn before I could take photos without people in my frames.We would have wanted to take a dip but we didn’t bring any extra clothes and we were also pressed for time. More tourists started pouring inside the cavern. It was our cue that it’s time to go.We made our way to Bohol Bee Farm where we tried out The Buzzz Ice Cream which was perfect for the hot weather that day then proceeded to this awesome beach of Dumaluan.If you’re searching for a beach in Panglao Island online, Google will direct you right away to mainstream resorts dotting Alona Beach. I asked my friend who has been to Panglao if she’s got any suggestions with lesser number of tourists. She said I should see Dumaluan Beach instead of Alona.The moment we parked our car outside one of the resorts along Dumaluan, I was immediately captivated by the color of its water from afar. I quickly walked towards the shore where a handful of tourists were taking photos. The only downside during our visit was the low level of the water. It was not much of a big deal because we were not planning to swim anyway.What I really love about beautiful beaches like this is that they offer the perfect background for photos. It’s all thanks to Mum Nature for giving us a sunny weather thus creating these glistening ripples.After a few more shots, we finally bid goodbye to Dumaluan Beach. The last stop on our list was Alona. My bad I didn’t take any photos of it. Aside from it being crowded that afternoon, its shoreline was full of boats. There were also seaweeds along the coastline. It really wasn’t a spectacular view. We just asked our guide to bring us to our hotel which is just a few meters away from Alona Beach. We washed up first before dining at a nearby restaurant serving grilled dishes. How could I forget that dinner of ours when we were the only Filipinos eating at the moment? The rest were Koreans. It feels as if I were in a foreign land.
⏰⏳ SAMPLE ITINERARY:
DAY 1
7:00 AM ETA Bohol-Panglao Airport
8:30 AM Check-in
9:30 AM Start of Island hopping
12:00 PM Lunch
5:00 PM End of tour / head back to hotel/lodge
DAY 2
5:00 AM Wake-up call
6:00 AM Start of Countryside Tour (breakfast along the way)
12:00 PM Lunch (Loboc or Loay River Cruise)
1:00 PM Start of Panglao Island Tour
6:00 PM End of tour / head back to hotel/lodge
DAY 3
5:00 AM Check-out / ETD for Dao Integrated Terminal
6:00 AM ETD for Lungsodaan, Candijay
9:00 AM ETD for Can-umantad Falls, Cadapdapan Rice Terraces and Canawa Cold Spring
12:00 PM ETD for Anda
1:00 PM ETA Anda / check-in (Quinale Beach) / lunch
2:00 PM ETD for Combento Cave Pool and Cabagnow Cave Pool
5:00 PM Head back to resort/lodge
6:00 PM Dinner
DAY 4
5:00 AM Check-out / ETD for Jagna
7:00 AM ETA Jagna / hire motorcycle to Kinahugan Falls
8:00 AM ETA Kinahugan Falls
9:00 AM ETD for Dimiao
10:00 AM ETA Dimiao / hire motorcycle
11:00 PM Ingkumhan Falls and Pahangog Twin Falls
2:00 PM ETD for Dao Integrated Terminal, Tagbilaran City
3:30 PM ETD for Danao
5:00 PM ETA Danao / check-in
DAY 5
4:00 AM Wake-up call / ETD for Mt. Puntaas jump-off
5:00 AM Commence trek
5:30 AM ETA view decks
6:30 Check-out
7:00 AM ETD for Tagbilaran City
9:00 AM Breakfast
10:00 AM Early check-in
11:00 PM ETD for Mag-aso Falls
3:00 PM Explore other beaches in Panglao Island such as San Pedro Beach and Doljo Beach
5:30 PM Head back to hotel/lodge
DAY 6
6:00 AM Check-out
6:30 AM ETD for Tagbilaran Airport
8:00 AM ETD for Manila
💰💶 ESTIMATED BUDGET (for a solo traveler): Php 10,000 – Php 15,000 (exclusive of airfare)
***Expenses may vary depending on the type of accommodation you will avail and personal consumption of food and other necessities. If traveling alone, you will solely shoulder the guide fees, tricycle/motorcycle transfer and tour rates and boat rental fees for island hopping.
The next morning, our guide picked us up early from our hotel to take us to Tagbilaran Airport. My mum, aunt and uncle would be flying back to Manila ahead of me and my sister. 📍Can-umantad Falls, CandijayAfter dropping them off at the airport, our guide took me and my sister to the terminal of vans en route to Candijay. It was time to bid farewall to the poshpacking experience we had during our first two days in Bohol. We’re now back to the DIY-style backpacking adventure that I’ve been used to since time immemorial. 📍Cadapdapan Rice Terraces, CandijayThe driver of the passenger van dropped us off at the small market where we could hire our motorcycle drivers who would take us to this waterfall. Since we got heavy bags and we wouldn’t fit in one motorcycle, we hired one for each of us. It was an extra bumpy ride so as soon as we passed by the registration area, we left our bags with the tourism staff as it’s too much of a hassle to go on with too much weight. Luckily, the trek to reach Can-umantad Falls is relatively short.Our next stop was the rice terraces of Cadapdapan which is still part of the same municipality. Seeing rice terraces like this in the province of Bohol is not really news as you’ll see quite small ones along the highway en route to this town of Candijay.We were welcomed by the caretaker of Eleuterio’s Rice Terraces and Mountain Resort which is facing the slopes of these rice fields of Barangay Cadapdapan. It really is a cool place to unwind as you savor the panoramic beauty of the rice terraces. Our pictures would have been much more awesome if we got a drone.For someone who has frequented the mountains of Cordillera, visiting rice terraces like this that are relatively smaller than that of Northern Luzon is not as overwhelming but I have to admit, it is still beautiful in its own right.If not for the time constraint, we would have stayed longer at the mountain resort, maybe have lunch and take a nap. It’s as if the relaxing aura and the sweet blow of the wind from the rice fields were tempting us to take a much longer rest.We tirelessly explored the slopes of these rice terraces before setting out for the next phase of our adventure. Originally, we were supposed to see Canawa Spring but we agreed to skip it. Because it would be too much of a hassle to take cutting trips with our heavy bags to get to our next destination, I decided to hire our motorcycle drivers to take us directly to the town of Anda. It may be more expensive than if we commute by van and tricycle but at least it would save us a lot of time.
I’ve read on the internet that the municipality of Anda is known not only for its beach but also for its cave pools. Even if we were torched by the sun as we made our way to the town proper, my mind was still preoccupied with what’s in store for us once we reached Anda. 📍Combento Cave Pool, AndaAfter our butt-numbing motorcycle ride from Candijay, we finally arrived in Anda where we had our lunch at a small pizzeria. I checked Google Maps and noticed that we’re just a stone’s throw away from Quinale Beach where our accommodation is.We strolled towards the resort which is situated right along the shoreline of this beach. We checked in our stuff and prepped for our trip to the cave pools.We walked back to Poblacion then chartered a tricycle that would bring us to the caves. This was our first stop, Combento Cave. A group of visitors was just about to leave when we arrived. We paid the entrance fee and walked a few meters to reach the cavern.Since there really wasn’t much to photograph at Combento Cave, we agreed to just spend more time here at our next destination, the cave pool of Cabagnow.The town of Anda is still not yet touched by mainstream tourism in 2017 so we didn’t come across fellow tourists during our visit. We were lucky to have Cabagnow Cave all to ourselves.This is so far my most favorite shot of this cave pool. It looks like I have opened a portal and I am about to enter another dimension. Very magical!I would have wanted to swim longer but I was alone in the water. It’s really creepy since the bigger portions of the cavern that don’t get sunrays are so dark and pitch black that made it seem as if there were monsters lurking in every corner of the cave. Okay, I was just exaggerating and too imaginative but it was really scary. It looks small in the photo but once you go down the steel ladder to have a peek, you’ll see how huge this cave pool is.It was still early in the afternoon when we returned to Poblacion. We passed by the eateries at the town center where we had our snack before deciding to chill out here by the shore of Quinale.Quinale Beach is definitely one of the most feel-good beaches I have visited. The resorts by its coastline are relatively cheap and this beach is open for everyone since there is no entrance fee.We went back to our accommodation and rested for a while waiting for the sunset. We then returned to the eatery to have our dinner.The next morning, we woke up at 4:00 AM and bid goodbye to Quinale Beach. The sea was calm as a lake as we strolled in the dark towards the town center. The place seemed deserted but luckily, a tricycle passed by and we asked the driver to take us to the main road.We waited for our next ride to the municipality of Jagna once we’re back at the highway. Fortunately, we didn’t have to wait that long when an empty bus pulled over to fetch passengers by the road. We hadn’t eaten breakfast yet but we decided to pay this waterfall a visit first upon arriving at the town proper of Jagna. 📍Kinahugan Falls, JagnaBecause it was one early weekday morning, we weren’t surprised to see no one at Kinahugan Falls. Besides, the majority of travelers only visit the popular attractions included in Countryside and Panglao Tours.Once we were back at the highway from Kinahugan Falls, we rode a van bound for Tagbilaran. We just asked the driver to drop us off at the town proper of Dimiao. After eating breakfast at one of the eateries, we went straight to this natural gem known as Pahangog Twin Falls. The stairsteps made the trek tiring but the reward was the clear emerald water of this waterfall.Just like Kinahugan Falls, Pahangog Twin Falls was devoid of any visitors when we arrived. We couldn’t afford to swim as part of our waterfall hopping activity because of the time constraint so we just enjoyed the moment by taking photos.If there’s one thing that I noticed with the waterfalls of Bohol, it’s that they are similar to Cebu’s in terms of color of the water. The natural pools of jade color will surely tempt the visitors for a quick dip.This was the second waterfall on our list in Dimiao. When we arrived here at Ingkumhan Falls, I noticed right away a group of grade school boys undressing to have a dip in the water. It was a weekday and it wasn’t a holiday. I wonder if they’re out-of-school youth or were just cutting classes. They started jumping off the upper portion of the waterfall, giggling and having the best time of their life.Once we were satisfied with our shots of Ingkumhan Falls, we walked back to where we parked our motorcycles and asked our drivers to take us to the national highway where we rode a jeepney bound for Dao Integrated Terminal in Tagbilaran City. Our cutting trips with our heavy bags was coming to an end that day as we got one more van ride before we could rest.
📜✏ Tips/Reminders:
📌 The airport of Bohol, situated in Panglao Island, is roughly 20 kilometers away from Tagbilaran City which is the capital of the province.
📌There are lots of resorts and hotels in Panglao Island but keep in mind that they are quite expensive especially during peak season. Food in restaurants are also pricey. You will rarely find eateries that sell cheap dishes.
📌Panglao is a huge island and there are lots of lesser-known beaches that are not yet published on blogs so you can ask your motorcycle driver to take you to these beaches. Famous ones like Alona Beach get crowded during peak season (if you are into parties and nightlife, this is where bars are).
📌Doing Countryside Tour and Panglao Tour in one day is feasible but make sure that you start as early as 7:00 AM.
📌If you will be visiting Bohol during summer, book your accommodation in advance especially in Tagbilaran City and Panglao Island since most of them are fully booked.
📌You can hire a van for your tours in Bohol if you are traveling with a group to save on time while hiring a motorcycle would be the best option if you are traveling alone. Commuting via jeepney, bus or van to reach some of the far-flung towns of Bohol is not the best option if you have a jam-packed itinerary for the day since trips going to these municipalities from Tagbilaran City are quite limited so make sure that you start your activities very early.
📌Alternatively, you can rent a car or motorcycle and drive on your own to get to the tourist spots but hiring a vehicle with driver/tour guide is also one of the best ways to help the locals of Bohol.
📌Expect long and bumpy motorcycle rides to get to some of the falls.
📌Expect rain, muddy roads/trails and rough sea condition during monsoon season (June-February).
📌Always observe the LNT principles.
☎ Contacts:
📌Countryside and Panglao Tour (car/van tour) and Island Hopping: Kuya Jhoel Darunday (09361627814)
📌Motorcycle Driver/Tour Guide: Kuya Nato (09059255909) – you can hire him for Countryside and Panglao Tours. You can also hire him to get to the towns of Antequera as well as beaches of Panglao Island aside from Alona and Dumaluan.
📌Motorcycle Driver/Tour Guide for Mt. Puntaas, Danao: Kuya Penoy (09487799629)
📌Mr. Ponciano Suter Homestay in Danao (09995170510)
📌Tricycle Driver in Anda: Kuya Jonas (09128900443)
I first saw a photo of this sea of clouds online when I was researching for our itinerary. The instant I saw it, I immediately included this in our travel timetable.We hastily boarded a van bound for Danao when we arrived at the terminal. It was already lunch time and we were starving but we decided to just have our lunch upon reaching Danao. I was so excited to see this golden sea of clouds the next morning.The view decks of Mt. Puntaas sit at the border of the towns of Danao and Dagohoy. My fingers were crossed for a perfect weather the next day. If there’s one thing I learned whenever you are chasing sea of clouds, it’s that your ultimate villain would be the weather.We passed by the town of Sagbayan, another municipality that offers a viewpoint overlooking Chocolate Hills (although we weren’t able to squeeze that in our itinerary). We also passed by Inabanga which was on the news a few months before our visit due to the armed clashes between the military and terrorist group Abu Sayyaf.Right after we alighted off the van in Danao, we headed to the eatery owned by the family where we would be staying for the night.Our guide picked us up at our homestay on his motorcycle at 4:30 AM. We got a decent amount of sleep since we went to bed quite early for this adventure of ours.As we were traversing the steep slopes of the road leading to the jump-off, I noticed the clear sky populated by stars. The cold breeze was also our company amidst the darkness.When we reached the jump-off, there was a number of vans parked near the registration area. I really was not expecting a lot of people, to be honest. After all, this seemingly off-the-radar part of Bohol was still untouched by mainstream tourism. But it seemed like I thought wrong.We scaled the ascent towards the first peak with other tourists. By the time we reached the first portion of the view decks, I was surprised to see loads of visitors already waiting for the sunrise. It was still dark but these tourists seemed to have arrived way earlier than us.I asked my guide if he could take me to a spot where I won’t have photobombers in my frames when I photograph the view. The experience felt very surreal especially when the sun started to show up. I remembered that feeling when I first laid my eyes on Mt. Pulag’s golden sea of clouds. The clouds atop Mt. Puntaas may be a miniature version of Pulag’s, but the epic experience was memorable nonetheless.It was already past 7:00 AM when we boarded the van going back to Tagbilaran City from Danao. I’m so glad that I included Mt. Puntaas in our itinerary. The long journey may be exhausting but it was worth it.We checked in at a hotel near the airport when we reached Tagbilaran. After breakfast, another guide referred by a tour agency came to pick me up on his motorcycle. My sister decided to just rest at our accommodation so it’s just going to be me with my guide. Our first destination was Mag-aso Falls of Antequera. But all hell broke loose when we were welcomed by intense rainshowers on our way to the waterfall. We even had to pull over twice at a waiting shed because it was too risky to drive in low visibility. When we reached Mag-aso Falls, I just had my heart broken when the staff at the entrance informed us that visitors were no longer allowed to go near the waterfall due to the possibility of flash floods coming from the mountains. Because my guide is one of the official guides at Hinagdanan Cave, I asked him if we could just go here so I could have a swim. I was not able to do so on our first day anyway. I could still swim inside the cave even if it was raining outside. Our motorcycle ride from Antequera to Dauis was unforgettable. We were all wet from the rain and boy was it so cold as we drove en route to this cave.There were still a lot of visitors when we arrived but since most of them were not here for a swim but just picture-taking, I grabbed the opportunity to frolic in the middle of the cave pool all by myself. The tourists would look at me as if envious of me being able to enjoy the natural pool inside the cave. Just like our group on Day One, the majority of visitors didn’t bring any spare clothes so they could not take a refreshing dip. I was already wet from the rain anyway so why not take advantage of the situation?I asked my guide if he could take me somewhere else here in Panglao Island. He suggested some lesser-known beaches that are not usually frequented by tourists. One of the places we visited was this one in the town of Dauis. 📍San Pedro Beach, DauisThis beach of Barangay Bingag known as San Pedro Beach has a short coastline but the exclusivity of the place is its distinct feature.We were the only people during that time here at San Pedro Beach. Too bad the thick cloud cover made my photos dull. At least it wasn’t raining.Still in Panglao Island (FYI, the island of Panglao, connected to mainland Bohol by two bridges, is divided into two municipalities, Dauis and Panglao), we drove from Dauis to the town of Panglao where we capped off our day here at Doljo Beach. It would have been an awesome experience if it wasn’t for the clouds. I was even excited to capture the sunset but it was virtually impossible with the overcast weather.We resolved to finally go back to Tagbilaran City and call it a day. I thanked my guide when we reached the hotel and told him that I’d go back to Bohol to see more of Panglao Island. He promised to take me to some of the beaches that locals like him only know.We flew back to Manila International Airport in the morning. We spent quite a decent number of days in Bohol to explore its natural wonders but it felt like we were only able to experience the tip of the iceberg. I’m really looking forward to revisiting this province in the future. 📍Hinagdanan Cave, Dauis
***For other destinations in Central Visayas, you may visit this link.
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