Bohol is one of the most rewarding islands in the Visayas, a two-hour ferry ride from Cebu. It has a rare combination of natural oddities, colonial history, and some of the best diving in the Philippines, all packed into an island small enough to explore in a few days.
The Chocolate Hills are the headline attraction — over a thousand symmetrical mounds that turn brown in the dry season and look exactly like their name suggests. But Bohol has much more than that. The island's interior is lush with rice terraces, manmade mahogany forests, and the Loboc River, where you can take a slow boat through dense tropical greenery. The tarsier, one of the world's smallest primates, lives in sanctuaries here and draws visitors from across the country.
The coast and offshore islands are where Bohol really shines for divers and snorkellers. Balicasag is one of the best dive sites in the Philippines, and Pamilacan Island sits in waters where dolphins and whale sharks pass through. The beaches on Panglao, connected to Bohol by bridge, are among the finest white sand stretches in the Visayas, while Anda gives the island's quieter east coast a slower beach base.
Tagbilaran is the main town and your likely starting point. It has an airport and the main ferry terminal. From there, the island's churches — some dating to the 16th century — are scattered along the coastal roads, and a blood compact monument near Bool commemorates the meeting between the Spanish explorer Legazpi and the local chief Sikatuna in 1565.
