Tagbilaran is the capital of Bohol and the most likely starting point for exploring the island. It is a small, functional city — not a destination in itself, but a convenient base with an airport, the main ferry terminal, and enough services to get you sorted before heading out.
The real rewards are just outside town. The Punta Cruz watchtower, a pirate lookout from the Spanish era, stands about 15 kilometres north near Maribojoc. A bit further in the same direction, the town of Loon has a beautiful old church dating from 1753. Antequera, about 25 kilometres north, has a lively Sunday market worth timing your visit around.
East of town, the village of Bool is just three kilometres away and has a monument commemorating the 1565 blood compact between the Spanish explorer Legazpi and the local chief Sikatuna. Continue another four kilometres to Baclayon, where the oldest church in Bohol stands — a massive coral-stone structure built in 1595.