Bohol is the tenth largest island in the whole Philippine archipelago and lies at the very heart of Visayas. It is famous for its crystal springs, white-sand beaches, ancestral homes and ancient churches. Along its coastline are several islets such as Panglao, Cabilao, Jao, Balicasag, Mahanay, and Lapinin which all offer excellent marine life. The Chocolate Hills are just one of the many wonders of the province. Bohol is also the home to the smallest monkey in the world, “tarsier”. These gentle mammals can normally found in the hills of Corella.

There are a number of spots that offer excellent diving. Balicasag, long known for its exotic seashells, (the natives net-fish the deeper waters for rare specimens), and its cascading coral walls is considered one of the best dive spots in the country. The waters off Pamilacan Island teem with schools of tuna, snappers, groupers, mackerel and surgeonfish. Dolphins and pilot whales can also be viewed from the distance

Dive Sites in Bohol

ARCO POINT
Only 2km away from Alona Beach, this dive has a school of seasnakes and a tunnel to dive through, starting at 8m down to 18m. The site is covered with soft corals with a school of glas fishes, moray eels, snake eels and frogfishes. It is a great spot for beginners as well as for experienced divers. Sometimes there is a little current along the drop-off.

CABILAO ISLAND
A small island of Lo-on, Bohol. It is 1 hour 20 minutes boat ride by banca from Mactan Island, Cebu. Diving in the area is centered in front of the light house. It is a straight wall dive with the bottom at 160-200 feet. In-front of the light house is a double ledge at 90-100 feet, where strong current is not uncommon. Schools of barracuda, moorish idols and jacks are a common sites. Approaching the second ledge from the south, where the current usually goes, it meets the outwards currents as you approach the ledge near the point. Divers usually see big pelagic, beautiful soft corals of all different colours and flashlight fish in the crevices. But reserve all your energy for the eel gardens and the shoal of Hammerhead sharks usually seen when the current is very strong and the water colder.

PANGLAO ISLAND
The north and western section of the reef are noteworthy, with a reef platform that is relatively narrow and shallow (15-20 feet) that has an edge terminating into perpendicular submarine cliffs, plunging down to depths 100-170 feet. The reef is thickly covered with hard and soft corals, branching table, sacrophyton and lobophyton varieties. Near the cliff are schools of tuna, mackerel and surgeonfish. At 90 to 100 feet depths are big snappers, groupers, and an occasional black-tip sharks. Farther seawards are schools of dolphins and pilot whales.

BALICASAG ISLAND
A sandy shell coral line beach surrounds the island, which in turn, is fringed by a narrow reef shelf, 30 to 165 feet wide. The shelf, which is 15-25 feet deep, terminates into a perpendicular underwater down to depths beyond 250 feet on the north and northwest face of the reef, the top of the submarine cliffs are covered with the hard coral while lower levels are covered with sponges and gorgonians. A thriving fish community is found around the cliff area. Here, jacks, mackerel and barracudas are seen in abundance. On the south and southwest portions of the shelf are wider and grades down to 60-70 feet . The slope is covered with wide patches of hard and soft coral. The submarine cliffs are indented with caves and overhangs where large groupers, napoleon wrasses and snappers hide.

PAMILACAN ISLAND
Located in the eastern side from Panglao Island, the island has strong currents which is great for drift diving. The island has a gradual slope of white sands and isolated corals but is known for its big Napoleon wrasse and large pelagic fishes.

CERVERA SHOAL
This site is 15 minutes ride by banca from Pamilacan Island, this area has an abundance of corals and is famous for its sea snakes and different colors of frog fish.

DOLJO BEACH
There are several dive sites at Doljo Beach. For example, Fan Coral Garden and Hammerhead Point. These are on the north side of Panglao, approximately 40 minutes away by boat from Alona Beach. A great drop off suitable for deep dives. Huge fan corals, elephant sponges and mostly good visibility makes the dives here unforgetable. You can often see giant frogfishes.

DULJO POINT
This is the furthest most tip of Panglao Island. The dive site is a long 80 feet wall stretch from Napaling to the tip most of Duljo, facing Tagbilaran City. Diving is very good especially during the south monsoon winds because of its strategic location. Just recently, a school of hammerhead sharks have been sited in the area.

HOUSEREEF
The housereef at Alona Beach is the Housereef. It slopes down to 20m and is good for training, night and orientation dives. Different soft and hard corals, lipfishes, butterfly fishes and doctor fishes can be spotted.

OTHER ACTIVITIES
An early Spanish settlement, the province of Bohol is home to a number of 17th and 18th century churches. There are charming tree-lined plazas and old ancestral houses. Visit the Bohol museum in Tagbilaran, the Punta Cruz Watch Tower in Maribojoc, the Baclayon church, and the marker in Barrio Bool commemorating the first peace treaty between Filipinos and the colonizing Spaniards in 1565.

A must also is to go on an enchanting river tour. Bohol has four (4) major rivers, Inabanga and Ipil in the north and Loboc and Abatan down south. From Busay Falls, cruise down Loboc River in a pumpboat. Travel through the seaside towns of Loboc, Loay and Bilar. On board partake in a hearty lunch of fresh lapu-lapu (grouper), shrimp, and squid to the tune of strumming guitars.

Bohol's numerous hills, valleys and plateaus are ideal for hiking and cycling. In Bilar, a three-kilometer man-made forest is sanctuary to the province's endangered species including the tarsier, the world's smallest monkey. The trip would not be over without visiting the world's famous Chocolate Hills. Consisting of 1,268 grassy hills with elevations ranging from 40 to 120 meters. It is truly a wonder of nature. The hills are considered a Philippine National Geological Monument. During the summer, the dome-shaped, grass-covered limestone hills dry up and turn brown, transforming the area into rows and rows of chocolate mounds. Additional attraction will be the Hinagdanan Cave, a symphony of stalactites and stalagmites jutting out of the earth. A swimsuit would be appropriate for a dip in the cool spring waters of this cave that filters in shafts of sunlight.

TRAVEL BRIEF
From Manila, Asian Spirit flies direct to Tagbilaran airport or passengers can take the domestic flight to Cebu then catch a connecting fast ferry to Tagbilaran City, the capital of Bohol.