Activities in Bohol

Activities in Bohol

Historical

Blood Compact Site (Barangay Bool, Tagbilaran City).
A marker that identifies the spot where Datu Sikatuna, a native Boholano chieftain, forged a Blood Compact with Don Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, representing the King of Spain, for the purpose of fostering friendly relations between the two countries. The Blood Compact on March 16, 1565 is considered as the first “Treaty of Friendship” between the brown and white races.


Anibogan Massacre Site (Catigbian; 73 km. from Tagbilaran City).
A historical place for valor, glory, and heroism, which symbolizes the lives of the Filipino massacre victims during the Japanese regime.


Behind the Clouds (Catigbian; 38 km. from Tagbilaran City).
The cradle of the resistance movement during the Japanese occupation, when a group of courageous men composed of disbanded and surrendered soldiers and even civilians started the organization of the guerilla to liberate the people from oppression.


Camp Verde (Duero; 73 km. from Tagbilaran City).
A distinct historical spot of the last bastion of Boholano insurgents of the World War II.


Dagohoy Marker (Danao; 92 km. from Tagbilaran City).
The Dagohoy marker in Magtangtang, Danao town was installed by the Philippine Historical Commission to honor the heroic deeds of Francisco Dagohoy who led the longest revolt in the country against the Spaniards, which lasted for 84 years. Magtangtang was Dagohoy’s headquarters or hideout during the revolt. Hundreds of Dagohoy’s followers preferred death inside the cave than surrender. Their skeletons still remain in the site.


Mt. Carmel Hill (Balilihan; 24 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Atop Mt. Carmel Hill right in the heart of Balilihan town is a historical tower of adobe and limestone. These materials were hauled from the town of Baclayon. The tower was built at the foot of a hill to serve as the belfry of the church. The church was, however, burned down during the Philippine revolution. Like a sentinel, the tower stands as guard of the whole town. Concrete stairways lead to the hill.


Pres. Carlos P. Garcia Memorial Park (Tagbilaran City).
Erected as a joint undertaking of Boholanos from all over the country and abroad in loving memory of the greatest Boholano, Carlos Polistico Garcia, the fourth President of the Republic of the Philippines. It sits on a rolling site with an area of 11 hectares, chosen by the late president himself in 1939 when he was governor of Bohol. Here, one can see the exquisite monument of marble base and a life-size bronze statue of Garcia, also the first President of the 1971 Constitutional Convention, by Bohol’s famous sculptor, National Artist Napoleon Abueva. In the background is the provincial capitol.


Ubujan Marker (Tagbilaran City).
The marker was erected in memory of another historic event in the district of Ubuja, which was the battle fought by the brave guerilla Captain Francisco Salazar and his men against the superior forces of the Japanese on October 22, 1942.


The Historic Ermita Ruins (Dimiao; 36.7 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Another Spanish structure in the town, located just across the street from the Catholic church. According to accounts of local residents, the structure was allegedly used as a military fortress, chapel, and final resting place of the members of the Spanish clergy at the time. Questions about its mysterious past, however, remained unanswered that even experts from the National Museum have recommended its immediate excavation.


Punta Cruz (Maribojoc; 14 km. from Tagbilaran City).
An ancient watchtower built of stones that served as a lookout point for incoming pirates. In the slightly indented place fronting the tower, a wooden cross was planted. Legend has it that its mysterious spell had saved many people from the ravages of the pirates as the cross extended its mysterious arms straight to the sea thus preventing marauders. Atop the tower are windows overlooking the Cebu, Siquijor, and Mindanao seas.

Cultural

Baclayon Museum (Baclayon; 7 km. from Tagbilaran City).
The museum is located inside the convent, or Baclayon Church, one of the oldest stone churches in the Philippines. It contains a rich collection of religious art, ecclesiastical vestments, librettos of church music printed in Latin on animal skins, and other priceless relics and artifacts dating back to the early 16th century.


Bohol Museum (Tagbilaran City).
Once the home of former President Carlos P. Garcia, the fourth President of the Philippine Republic and the greatest statesman Bohol has ever produced, and his family. The museum gives the visitors a feel of what Bohol was, is, and will be. On display are the late President and family’s memorabilia, old relics plus a collection of shells found on Bohol’s shores.


Clarin Ancestral House (Loay; 18 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Owned and maintained by descendants of the Clarin family, the ancestral house is located at the poblacion. Guests are in for a nostalgic trip as they enter the house replete with interesting antique jars, lamps, kitchenware, and furniture.

Natural

Anda Beach (Anda; 101 km. from Tagbilaran City).
A beach along the poblacion covered with white sand. It is noted for its cleanliness. The townfolk enjoy the unpolluted sea.


Alona Beach (Panglao; 20 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Located in a cover of white sandy beach facing the Mindanao sea. The waters are deep, making the beach ideal for scuba diving.


Alejawan Beach (Jagna; 58 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Though its sand and pebbles are brown, the water does not get murky. The sea bottom very gently slopes to the deep making it a child-friendly beach. The beach has a wide level ground which can hold expansion and development. The area is about two hundred meters from the highway. Thick coconut grooves line half of the beach and the other half is an open sandy portion.


Balbalan Beach (Dimiao; 36.7 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Dimiao has a stretch of white sandy beaches facing the Mindanao Sea. Colorful coral reefs dot its shorelines, offering an alternative diving haven in the province. The most famous of these beaches is the Balbalan Beach Resort, which is a 5-minute drive from the poblacion, whose crystal-clear blue waters is ideal for swimming, sailing and diving.


Bay Watch (Panganagn Island, Calape; 41 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Famous for scuba diving, especially noted for the presence of famous white sharks.


Bikini Beach (Dauis; 8 km. from Tagbilaran City).
An ideal beach for all bathers. Calm waters, with palm trees around that shade the beach. It has huts and benches for picnickers. Fish of various kinds abound here.


Canuba Beach (Jagna; 58 km. from Tagbilaran City).
An ideal place for bathing. Clean water and white sand along the highway shaded by palm trees and a cliff in the eastern part of the beach.


Clarin Beach (Loay; 28 km. from Tagbilaran City).
A long stretch of white sand beach, it was developed during the time of late Senator Jose Clarin. It is complete with recreational facilities and a bath house. This beach is only one kilometer away from the poblacion to Loay.


Darak Beach (Pangangan Island, Calape; 41 km. from Tagbilaran City).
The most popular resort in Calape. Has cottages and an audio visual hall for conference and social gatherings.


Doljo Beach (Panglao; 20 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Ideal site for scuba diving. Noted for its beautiful and wonderful sea shells. The deep sea of Doljo has clear and clean water. It is not disturbed by strong waves. The beautiful and big coral rocks are the habitat of small and big colored fish. The beach has a long stretch of white sand.


Duero Beach (Duero; 73 km. from Tagbilaran City).
A beautiful beach located in the eastern part of Bohol. It is noted for its long and white sand, and shaded by palm and coconut trees.


Imelda Beach (Dimiao; 40 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Once chosen as the campsite for Boys and Girls Scouts of Bohol. Just like other beaches, Imelda Beach is also covered with palm trees. This is located along the National Highway before reaching the town proper of Dimiao.


Kaingit Beach (Tagbilaran City).
A popular beach resort in Tagbilaran which is jam-packed by bathers during weekends. It is situated in a cove, which leaves the bathers undisturbed even during stormy weather. It is located at the end of a side street fro Graham Avenue. It is being developed and maintained by the city government. Seafood and drinks are also sold.


Laya Beach (Baclayon; 9 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Picnickers from various places enjoy their weekends here. Laya has a wide area shaded by tall coconut trees. A rest house is available at a very minimal cost.


Lintuan Beach (Loon; 25 km. from Tagbilaran City).
It is the favorite bathing resort in this part of the province. It has white sand beaches and a sandy sea bed. Ideal bathing area for children.


Sta. Fe Beach (Alburquerque; 13 km. from Tagbilaran City).
One of the favorite beaches covered by white sand. Fronting the open sea of Mindanao. This beach is visited by big numbers of picnickers during holidays. It is located in about one and one half kilometers from the poblacion of Alburquerque.


Chocolate Hills (Carmen; 55 km. from Tagbilaran City).
This is the most famous tourist attraction in Bohol. Among the 1,268 perfectly cone-shaped hills which abound in Central Bohol, two have been developed into a resort. On top of the hills is a complex that offers accommodation, conference rooms, restaurants, and a view deck.


Banat-i Hill (Tagbilaran City).
This hill commands a scenic view overlooking the vast sea of Mindanao, Negros, and Siquijor provinces, and the strait of Panglao Island. Elevation is 145 meters above sea level.


Elly Hill (Tagbilaran City).
Its formation is similar to that of the famous Chocolate Hills. Elevation is 100 meters and it is situated in the northern part of the city about 5 kilometers away. On top of the second hill is an observation deck with 213 concrete steps. Once on top, one can view the exquisite panorama of wondrous creations spread below as far as the eyes can see.


Himontagon Hill (Loay; 20 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Located in Sitio Candaon in Barangay Botoc Occidental, the Himontagon Hill is a very scenic place overlooking the Mindanao sea. Visible from atop the hill are the sparkling evening sceneries which portray a beautiful glittering city mid-sea, the lights being provided by lamps of fishermen. During clear weather, Mt. Hibok-hibok volcano in Camiguin Island is visible. The place also provides fascinating scenes during sunrise and sunset. The hill was the site of the area jamboree of the Boy Scouts.


Sampoangon Hill (Calape; 41 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Located in Sampoangan, a distance of about 12 km. from the town proper. The hill has a breathtaking scenic view and is overlooking Cebu.


Hinagdanan Cave (Dauis; 6 km. from Tagbilaran City).
It has clean, fresh water gushing from rocky sides. An eerie underworld of stalactites and stalagmites. Underneath is a bathing pool. This cave is about 2 ฝ kilometers away from the poblacion of Dauis.


Eva Cave (Odiong – Jagna; 58 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Wild orchids and tree ferns of the tropics grow abundantly near the cave. Countless birds abound and these birds build edible nests which are gathered in large quantities for sale. A stone wall covers the area with several compartments.


Kokok & Nueva Vida Sur Caves (Carmen; 59 km. from Tagbilaran City).
These caves lace the underground of the town’s upland areas with giant chambers, springs, fascinating rock formation, and stalactites, where one can experience the thrill in conquering mother nature by exploring.


Busay Falls (Sevilla; 34 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Busay Falls is located inland of the Loboc River past Sevilla town. This beautiful falls provides an exciting scenery for the bathers. Bathers jam this bathing resort during weekends. Two little islets in the middle of the river make the place an ideal site for picnickers. The rushing waters are the favorite bathing pool of the children.


Camugao Falls (Balilihan; 22 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Located in Barangay San Isidro, the falls is a delight for climbers and campers. The cascading falls, accented by its adjacent lush forestall vegetation, is a come on for bathers as it drops into a pool.


Dimiao Twin Falls (Dimiao; 38 km. from Tagbilaran City).
The beautiful cascading twin falls is found 14 kilometers away from the highway. It is very ideal for picnics and trekking.


Mag-aso Falls (Antequera; 20 km. from Tagbilaran City).
About 25 feet tall with verdant green forest as a fitting background for the placid waters. A very beautiful bathing resort with its cool cascading water and a scenic surroundings.


Kawasan Falls (Balilihan; 22 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Situated 5 km. from the poblacion, the cascading falls amidst the primeval accented mountain sides and greenery is a sight to behold.


Kinahugan Falls (Jagna; 58 km. from Tagbilaran City)
Three waterfalls that are trigonomial in nature. The center fall is flanked by one on the northern side of the cliff and the other on the southern side, and all are covered with moss. Tall coconut groves around the deep basin and the river bed give shade, making the place invigorating. The mild temperature and the cool water lure the visitors to take a cool bath. Trees, ferns, and airplants on rocks are a delight to plant fanciers who appreciate the bounties of nature.


Inambacan Falls (Antequera; 19 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Commands a beautiful view of the cascading waterfalls. This could be a potential source of water supply for drinking and irrigation in Antequera town and even Tagbilaran. The estimated output is about 8,000 gallons per minute all drained to the Abatan River. It is one kilometer from the poblacion of this town.


Niluksoan Falls (Balilihan; 22 km. from Tagbilaran City).
The falls in Barangay Sal-ing is another countryside interest. Its cool and clear water flowing into a semi-spherical cone before dropping to a basin where one can have a refreshing swim in the pool to look back and view the landscape from behind the transparency of the curtain-like cascading water is a sight to behold.


Pahangog Twin Falls & Caverns (Dimiao; 36.7 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Over 30 meters high and with the lush forest as a fitting background for its crystal-clear water, one can readily take a bath in its nature-made lagoon. In its vicinity are two caverns with bizarre interiors. One of them has a pool that catches fresh cool waters gushing from its sides.


Tontonan Falls (Loboc; 27 km. from Tagbilaran City).
The Tontonan Hydroelectric Plant is generated by these falls, which is the first of its kind in the Visayas. It is capable of supplying electric power to six municipalities. The plant machinery is dug deep into the bowels of the earth few meters from the Loboc River.

Badiang Spring (Valencia; 44 km. from Tagbilaran City).
The volume of the water that gushes from twin pipes makes the place fascinating. The waters flowing into the sea adjacent to the spring is a swimming pool that people from the towns enjoy during the weekends. This is a unique bathing place where the bathers choose the swimming pool, the waterfalls, and the place close to each other.


Cabasi Spring (Carmen; 54 km. from Tagbilaran City).
With caves abounding, it is no surprise to see water springs and pools inside these caves. Cabasi is one of them that attract swimmers and divers to explore the depth and mysteries that these cave waters hide from the less courageous and adventurous.


Loboc River (Loboc; 21 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Enjoy a fascinating boat ride in the serene waters of Loboc River, starting from Loay Bridge which is the outlet of the river, and along the palm-fringed banks inland. The ride via motorized pump boat ends near the Tontonan water falls, where several falls with cascading water provides a pleasant bathing session.


Logarita Spring (Bilar; 41 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Springwater-fed swimming pool and a picnic ground at the Rajah Sikatuna National Park.


Busay Falls (Loboc; 26 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Busay Falls is 12 meters wide and four meters deep. It caters to swimmers and sightseers who would be enthralled to commune with nature. The Floating Restaurants had been anchored there as venue for meetings and conferences.


Omhon Resort (Dimiao; 40 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Omhon is located in one of the highest elevated portions of the province. The climate is cool and the place is planned to be the summer capital of the province. It is approximately 20 km. from the town proper.


Other Popular Dive Sites.
Arc Point, Puntod Point, Pamalican Island, Cervera Shoal, Duejo Point, Momo Point, Gak-ang Point, Napoling and Tangnan Point.

Religious

Alburquerque Church (Dimiao; 12 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Founded in 1869, this imposing structure is famous for its sturdy arches supporting a pathway that connects the church to the convent.


Baclayon Church (Baclayon; 6 km. from Tagbilaran City).
One of the oldest stone churches in the Philippines. This ancient massive edifice still retains its century-old architectural design. Both in the external and internal portions of the church are various interesting relics and artifacts dating back to the early 16th century, which have been placed at the Baclayon Museum. Baclayon is also the oldest town in Bohol and the mother town of Alburquerque, Balilihan, and Sikatuna.


Dauis Church (Dauis; 3 km. from Tagbilaran City).
This is one of Bohol’s beautiful churches which has retained its Spanish architecture although it has a semi-modern fa็ade. The church interior has life-like murals painted on the ceiling. The patron saint, the Virgin of the Assumption, is believed to possess miraculous powers. It is the object of the faithful, who attend its annual festivities. Legend has it that when the town was invaded by pirates, the townfolk locked themselves inside the church until they ran out of water and provisions. Then suddenly a well appeared at the foot of the altar where people started drawing water. It is still the main source of water for the people living in the church vicinity. Surprisingly, the water is absolutely fresh even as the well is located only a few meters from the sea.


Dimiao Church (Dimiao; 36.7 km. from Tagbilaran City).
This centuries-old Roman Catholic church stands sturdy and in possession of relics of the friar days, being preserved for posterity, reflecting the culture and traditions of its people who are deeply religious.


Lord of Pardon Hill (Duero; 73 km. from Tagbilaran City).
A mass site during the Holy Week, where along the way are cemented structures of the 14 Stations of the Cross with a big black cross at the top of the hill.


Loboc Church (Loboc; 24 km. from Tagbilaran City).
Second oldest church in Bohol built in 1608. With a three storey convent, a coat of arms can be found in the stonewall at the entrance of the convent.


Loon Church (Loon; 25 km. from Tagbilaran City).
A long flight of 174 stone steps believed to be the longest step stairway in the country, reminiscent of Spanish era forced labor. The stairway connects Napo, the former seat of the town, to the church.