How long on Bohol, where to stay, what to do and where else to go

Hello All,

So, we get a couple of weeks off work in October and so are off to the Philippines. We have booked flights from Vietnam to Bohol and then flights from Manila back to Saigon 16 days later.

Anyway have suggestions of good places to stay on Bohol? We want to chill out on a beach for a couple of days - Panglao Island perhaps? We'd like to do some snorkelling, but we can't dive. We'd like somewhere nice, but not overly expensive. What sort of thing can we get for about $30 a night?

We also want to see the Chocolate Hills and the Tarsiers and go dolphin watching around Pamilacan island. Nuts huts on the Loboc river looks good too.

How long will we need on Bohol to see all of this?

Is it easy to get to Boracay from Bohol, or would be be best either sticking to another island near Cebu, or flying to Manila and going to Puerto Galera? We are planning to go to Palawan just before we fly home with some friends.

October seems to be the end of the monsoon in the Philippines. How will the weather be?

We know that a lot of you have visited the Philippines, and we've been reading the blogs and salivating over the pictures....So any personal advice would be cool.

Thanks

Kate and Kris
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when you're done with bohol (or you should probably be in Bohol or back to where you came from)and you still have time, there's a place in southern leyte not so frequented by tourists where you can catch a glimpse of some whale sharks, dive spots, and the usual island hopping with white sands of course. it's just a few hours ferry across from Bohol to Bato then a bus or a van from there to Sogod Southern Leyte and start from there.
After that, an island hopping and snorkling at the Quatro Islas will be a nice way to go from there.

If you love forests, lakes and waterfalls do ask the locals where to visit these places.

Here is a lists of some the spots you might want to have a look in this part of the Visayas in the Philippines.

Since you start from Bohol Southern Leyte will be the next closest place to go.

Things to do/see in SOGOD Southern Leyte:

Swimming with Whale Sharks/diving snorkling/nature tripping/Springs/Bungee jumping on Agas-agas Bridge/rapelling/etc.

get a glimpse of where the first Catholic Mass was held in the Philippines LIMASAWA.

After that, next on the itinerary is Hilongos where you can have a bit of wreck diving.

Then up to Hindang or Inopacan for some island hopping and snorkling on the Quatro Islas. You might even also get a glimpse of whale sharks in that area. They usually frequent the coastal towns of Sogod up to Albuera, Leyte.

Next stop is Ormoc City the cleanest and greenest of all cities in the country.

See the wonderful scenery while on the road towards this 1st class City. The usual rice paddies, cliffs, mountains, the never ending shoreline,the always smiling locals along with those supersonic buses or motorcycles. Be sure to carry a 6pack of ice cold San Miguel or perhaps Red Horse since it will be a 4 to 6 hours travel depending on your driver. (a 120km/hr is considered normal in a two way lane road so brace urself. No seatbelts allowed in this trip so a helmet is quite handy during land travels :P)

When in Ormoc City, see the city lights for a change of scenery, try the local cuisine and definitely try BALUT i dare you!!! IF you like to eat what your money is worth try FOODSTREET cheap and fresh from the frigde JK.

So on to the next point of yor travel, is the still unmeasured depth of LAKE DANAO in the mountains, get on a boat and dare yourself to jump in the middle of the lake thinking about the legendary GIANT EEL!! hehehe (which i think is just a myth) then shower yourself with natures' spring water in a waterfall nearby or a dip in the hot springs. While at it see if you can spot a Tarsier or a wild boar lurking around the vicinity.

One last stop before you go back to civilization, try the sweetest pineapple in the world has to offer or visit the plantation(although there isnt much to see except for well pineapples!) and the local cassava cakes.

If you fancy a ride on a "Calesa" while waiting for your ride back to Cebu or Manila wherever you want to go next go to the city park and ready a 5peso. Yeah! 5 pesos only for a quick ride around the park where would you find a cheap ride like that anywhere in the Philippines??

These are just some of the things you can do or see in this part of the Philippines and there are many more!

FYI

Daily flights from Ormoc to Manila VV
Daily flights form Tacloban to Manila
Daily ferries from Ormoc to Cebu and VV
Daily Fastcrafts from Ormoc To Cebu and VV
Daily ferries from Bohol to Bato S.Leyte. VV.

See you there!!! Reply to this

Thanks Liri

We did a very similar tour. We had a driver for the day and he took us to the Baclayon church, the tarsiers and the big snake in the morning, then we did the river cruise and followed it with the Chocolate hills and the Blood compact in the afternoon.

We have left Bohol now and are on Boracay. The Philippines are great, we are having a lovely time.

Thanks for your help though!
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