Bohol Day Tour from Cebu City: Booking and What to Expect
Bohol is an island located in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. Known for the Chocolate Hills, Baclayon Church, and being home to the Philippine Tarsier, Bohol is a must visit destination. I booked a Bohol Day Tour from Cebu City and it was definitely a highlight of my trip to the Philippines. If you are planning a trip to Bohol from Cebu, then this post is for you. In this post you can find out how I booked my tour to Bohol, transportation to and from the island, what lunch was like, and all the highlights included on a day trip to Bohol Island, the Philippines.
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If staying in Cebu City, the Philippines, I highly recommend visiting the island of Bohol. While Cebu feels overcrowded, touristy, and honestly dirty, Bohol Island is a different story. Bohol is less crowded, more connected with nature, and feels more authentic. I highly recommend visiting Bohol Island from Cebu City, whether it be a day tour or multiple days.
I booked a Bohol Day Tour through Viator several weeks prior to my visit to Cebu City.
After doing research, I decided to book the Bohol Countryside Day Tour from Cebu City. I booked this tour based on price and reviews posted on Viator.
We booked the Bohol Countryside Day Tour from Cebu City on Viator.
Transportation to and from Bohol Island
When booking the Bohol Countryside Day Tour from Cebu City the tour company provides pick up and drop off at your hotel.
The tour included ferry tickets to Bohol Island. We arrived at Cebu Ferry Port early and had to wait, but the tickets included assigned seats.
The ferry journey from Cebu City to Bohol was about 2 hours.
Once we left the ferry port in Bohol, our tour guide for the Bohol Countryside Day Tour from Cebu City met us at the gate where we hopped in an air conditioned van and began our Bohol Island day tour.
Bohol Day Tour: Attractions and Lunch
Blood Compact Monument
The first stop on our day trip to Bohol from Cebu City was the Blood Compact Monument.
The location of this monument is where Miguel Lopez de Legaspi and Rajah Sikatuna in 1565 carried out a blood compact.
A blood compact was done by each individual, they would cut their hand and pour blood in a cup. Blood compact was a way to honor a friendship or share an agreement.
Baclayon Church
After visiting the Blood Compact Monument, we briefly stopped at the Baclayon Church. Baclayon Church is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines, dating back to 1727 but being founded on the location in 1596.
The church is built out of coral stones, where you can see on the outside of the church.
Visitors can tour the inside of the church, it is highly recommended to do so as there are many original artifacts and structures inside.
Tarsier Conservation Area
One of the main highlights on the Bohol day trip is visiting the Tarsier Conservation Area.
The Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary was established in 1996. According to information at the conservation area, the sanctuary consists of 8.4 hectares and is a safe place for the tarsiers.
Tarsiers are small primates found only on certain islands in South East Asia, Bohol being one of them. Tarsiers are endangered due to habitat loss.
Tarsiers are known for their huge eyes which takes up about 60% of their entire head. They can move their head in either direction, 180º, giving them a 360º view. Tarsiers are nocturnal and are carnivores.
One more note about Tarsiers. They do not manage stress well. When stressed, they commit suicide by bashing their heads against the tree. This is why you won’t see them in zoos or as pets. So when visiting it is very important to keep quiet and do not use flash on your camera.
When visiting the Tarsier Conservation Area, there is a guided nature trail that is but a kilometer or so. We saw a total of 4 tarsiers. It was during the day so they were all resting in the trees.
Loboc River Cruise and Lunch
One of the unique stops along our Bohol Countryside Day Tour was lunch along the Loboc River. Lunch was served on a boat that slowly cruised down the Loboc River.
Lunch was buffet style and had a lot of good options from giant prawns and noodles to grilled skewers and grilled chicken. The food was surprisingly good.
The boat ride was a solid hour and a half. The river was beautiful and the water was very calm. Each side of the river was lined with palm trees. Halfway through, there was a dance performance by locals.
The Loboc River Cruise was a nice break in the middle of our day tour in Bohol.
Chocolate Hills Natural Monument
The Chocolate Hills is probably Bohol’s most popular and busy attraction. Bohol Island Day Tours save the best for last. For me, besides the Tarsiers, the Chocolate Hills were my favorite.
The Chocolate Hills makes up an area of Bohol that has very unique landforms. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. There are an estimate 1,700 hills scattered around the area.
Reading an information sign at the site, the Chocolate Hills were formed by the uplift of coral deposits mixed with erosion.
Most tours will head straight to the Chocolate Hills Viewing Deck. There is a large parking lot here with an observation deck that is a hundred or two hundred stairs up. Trust me, it’s worth it. You can see the entire Chocolate Hills and surrounding area.
Ending with Coconut Wine
We had a little spare time on our tour and after visiting the Chocolate Hills, our tour guide asked if we wanted to try Tuba, also known as “Coconut Wine.”
We stopped at a local house where a family makes coconut wine and got to try it.
Coconut wine is made of fermented coconut or the sap on the palms.
The color was unexpecting as it was a brown-red color due to the extract used from dried bark.
Tuba is relatively low in alcohol. It is usually around 2 – 4%. But the flavor is very potent. I enjoyed it, but don’t think I could drink to much in one sitting.
Conclusion
A Bohol Day Tour from Cebu City is a must when staying in Cebu for longer then a day. This day trip from Cebu City was one of the highlights of my entire stay in the Philippines. Although a lot of travelling to get here was involved, I feel I experienced enough of Bohol Island to truly enjoy the nature and simplicity of the island. The history of the Blood Compact Monument was interesting as was the Baclayon Church, the tarsiers were adorable and I am thrilled to have seen them sleeping during the day. Lunch on the Loboc River was satisfying but the views from the boat of the surrounding river and rainforest were unmatched. Finally, the Chocolate Hills were a unique attraction, unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Bohol Island is a beautiful island in the Philippines and it well worth a day trip from Cebu City.
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Plan Your Trip: 🗺️✈️ 🇵🇭
Booking Accommodations ⛺️🛖
For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com
Activities and Tours 🏖️🚁
Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.
In need of a car rental? 🚗🚘
I recommend checking with Rental Cars.
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