Bohol was very easy to get to from Manila with Air Asia. Flight takes little over 1h. You fly to Tagbilaran airport and take taxi whenever you need to go. We decided to stay at beautiful resort called South Palms on Panglao island, which is about 30min drive from Tagbilaran airport and is connected to Bohol by bridge.
South palms is a 4 star property but there are many highlights. Beautiful quiet beach...although the water is rather shallow to swim, so you might be using more pools to swim - there are two. The property is surrounded by coconut grove ( they harvest them so no need to worry about coconut bumping onto your head), there are plenty of chairs, hammocks, bean bags, umbrellas and also four massage pavilions to relax ( the spa menu has very reasonable prices - 60min Swedish massage is about 20USD).
Another plus is that the owners of the resort also have fish farm. Yes, you can choose your fresh fish from the tank and they cook it to your liking. I really recommend tempura prawns and grilled red snapper with mother sauce. The best!!!
The hotels also offers half - board which is pretty good too with good selection of seafood served as a buffet, but we choose to have fresh fish every day instead and I am not big fan of buffet anyways.
While in Bohol, you should visit Tarsie habitat in Corella and Chocolate Hills. There are many tour operators and smaller companies offering a day excursion which include lunch, church stop, giant snake visit etc... To me the best think is to take a driver (taxi for a day) and do it yourself. You skip the snake and the river lunch and you have a perfect half day trip. We managed for about 20USD per person plus entrance to Corella 60PHP/ person and Chocolate Hills was about the same. FYI 50PHP = approx 1 USD.
The Tarsier Sanctuary is run by Philippine Tarsier Foundation, Inc. although for me (even thou I really wanted to see these little endangered monkeys) it was a little disturbing experience. Its money making machine and nobody really cares about these little tiny creatures. Before they open every morning (9am) they go and look for them and then they point them to you with the stick. Chinese come with big cameras and others too and snap them right into the face ( its nocturnal animal and this is day time, so imagine the sleepless nights), shout at them "look, here, look at me", even try to touch them and these little cute and harmelss animals are just scared to death and have nowhere to escape. They are very beautiful though. So please if you go there, just observe them and let them sleep!!! No flash. Its only few of them left on this earth. People used to take them home as pets and they all died. If they are sepatated from the others they aparently bang their heads, stop eating and die.
Than there are Chocolate Hills - interesting lanscape you should visit. There is a viewing platform where you can take good shots.
The other attractions as giant snake and river cruise lunch at Loboc is on the way, but we skipped that. There is also a church which is under reconstruction, because it was severely damaged by earthquake in 2013. Giant snake is a shabby hut with fee to enter and Loboc river cruise is a floating restaurant with buffet lunch which is mainly interesting for Asian groups, so you are better off to order wonderful fish back in South Palms. Plus there are many places where you can stop and buy snack if you are hungry.
Another pleasant thing in Panglao island was the Alona beach. Alive place with many little bars and restaurants, grilled seafood and cold beer. Its nice place for after dinner drink or sundowners. They call it little Boracay. You get there by tricycle for 2 - 3 USD.
Bohol was beautiful and had very good weather while we were there and we probably had the best fish while in the Philippines ( the 2nd best was Boracay - read more in my another post).
Bohol was very easy to get to from Manila with Air Asia. Flight takes little over 1h. You fly to Tagbilaran airport and take taxi whenever you need to go. We decided to stay at beautiful resort called South Palms on Panglao island, which is about 30min drive from Tagbilaran airport and is connected to Bohol by bridge.
South palms is a 4 star property but there are many highlights. Beautiful quiet beach...although the water is rather shallow to swim, so you might be using more pools to swim - there are two. The property is surrounded by coconut grove ( they harvest them so no need to worry about coconut bumping onto your head), there are plenty of chairs, hammocks, bean bags, umbrellas and also four massage pavilions to relax ( the spa menu has very reasonable prices - 60min Swedish massage is about 20USD).
Another plus is that the owners of the resort also have fish farm. Yes, you can choose your fresh fish from the tank and they cook it to your liking. I really recommend tempura prawns and grilled red snapper with mother sauce. The best!!!
The hotels also offers half - board which is pretty good too with good selection of seafood served as a buffet, but we choose to have fresh fish every day instead and I am not big fan of buffet anyways.
While in Bohol, you should visit Tarsie habitat in Corella and Chocolate Hills. There are many tour operators and smaller companies offering a day excursion which include lunch, church stop, giant snake visit etc... To me the best think is to take a driver (taxi for a day) and do it yourself. You skip the snake and the river lunch and you have a perfect half day trip. We managed for about 20USD per person plus entrance to Corella 60PHP/ person and Chocolate Hills was about the same. FYI 50PHP = approx 1 USD.
The Tarsier Sanctuary is run by Philippine Tarsier Foundation, Inc. although for me (even thou I really wanted to see these little endangered monkeys) it was a little disturbing experience. Its money making machine and nobody really cares about these little tiny creatures. Before they open every morning (9am) they go and look for them and then they point them to you with the stick. Chinese come with big cameras and others too and snap them right into the face ( its nocturnal animal and this is day time, so imagine the sleepless nights), shout at them "look, here, look at me", even try to touch them and these little cute and harmelss animals are just scared to death and have nowhere to escape. They are very beautiful though. So please if you go there, just observe them and let them sleep!!! No flash. Its only few of them left on this earth. People used to take them home as pets and they all died. If they are sepatated from the others they aparently bang their heads, stop eating and die.
Than there are Chocolate Hills - interesting lanscape you should visit. There is a viewing platform where you can take good shots.
The other attractions as giant snake and river cruise lunch at Loboc is on the way, but we skipped that. There is also a church which is under reconstruction, because it was severely damaged by earthquake in 2013. Giant snake is a shabby hut with fee to enter and Loboc river cruise is a floating restaurant with buffet lunch which is mainly interesting for Asian groups, so you are better off to order wonderful fish back in South Palms. Plus there are many places where you can stop and buy snack if you are hungry.
Another pleasant thing in Panglao island was the Alona beach. Alive place with many little bars and restaurants, grilled seafood and cold beer. Its nice place for after dinner drink or sundowners. They call it little Boracay. You get there by tricycle for 2 - 3 USD.
Bohol was beautiful and had very good weather while we were there and we probably had the best fish while in the Philippines ( the 2nd best was Boracay - read more in my another post).