Bohol Guide: Chocolate Hills, Tarsiers and the Countryside

Bohol is best known for two things: the Chocolate Hills, more than a thousand grassy cones that turn brown in the dry season, and the Philippine tarsier, one of the world's smallest primates. Both are in the island's interior and can be seen in one day from Panglao, together with the Loboc River, the Bilar man-made forest and the Baclayon Church. Plan three to four nights to add a dolphin-and-snorkelling morning and some beach time.

The Chocolate Hills

Spread over the towns of Carmen, Batuan and Sagbayan, the Chocolate Hills are a field of rounded, almost identical limestone mounds covered in grass. Counts vary, but figures above 1,200 hills are usually quoted. They are a National Geological Monument, and most visitors see them from the viewing complex in Carmen, where a staircase of a little over 200 steps leads to the main deck.

They earn their name between roughly February and May, when the grass dries and turns brown. For the rest of the year they are green, which many visitors find just as photogenic. Go early in the morning or late in the afternoon: the light is softer, the heat is easier and the viewing deck is less crowded.

Seeing tarsiers the right way

The Philippine tarsier fits in the palm of a hand and has the largest eyes relative to body size of any mammal. It is nocturnal, very sensitive to noise and stress, and suffers in captivity.

Choose a sanctuary rather than a roadside enclosure. The best-known is run by the Philippine Tarsier Foundation near Corella, where tarsiers live in a fenced patch of forest and guides point them out from a path. Rules there are sensible and worth following elsewhere too:

• No flash photography and no touching.
• Speak quietly and keep moving; do not linger in front of one animal.
• Do not visit facilities where tarsiers are kept in cages or handled for photos.

Sightings depend on where the animals have chosen to sleep that day; usually you see several.

The rest of the countryside loop

Loboc River

A slow cruise on the jade-green Loboc River, often with a buffet lunch on a floating restaurant and local musicians at a riverside stop. It is touristy but pleasant, and a good midday break.

Bilar man-made forest

A two-kilometre stretch of road lined with tall mahogany trees planted in a reforestation programme. Most tours stop for a few minutes of photos in the shade.

Baclayon Church

One of the oldest stone churches in the Philippines, built by Jesuits and later Augustinians from coral stone. It was badly damaged in the 2013 Bohol earthquake and has since been restored, with a small museum of religious art.

Blood Compact Shrine

A monument in Tagbilaran marking the 1565 blood compact between the Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi and the local chief Datu Sikatuna, regarded as the first treaty of friendship between Filipinos and Spaniards.

All of this fits into one day. Our private Bohol day tour with the Chocolate Hills, tarsiers and Baclayon follows this loop at your pace, and the Bohol countryside tour from Panglao covers the classic highlights with hotel pickup.

Panglao: beaches and sea

Panglao Island, joined to Bohol by bridges, is where most visitors stay. Alona Beach is the busy centre with restaurants and dive shops; Dumaluan, Danao and Doljo are quieter. On land, Hinagdanan Cave has a small underground pool.

The classic sea trip starts before dawn: boats head out to the waters off Pamilacan to look for dolphins, then continue to Balicasag Island, a marine sanctuary with a coral wall where sea turtles are commonly seen. Book it as the Bohol island hopping tour with sunrise dolphin watch and Balicasag snorkelling. Dolphin sightings are frequent but never guaranteed, and good operators keep their distance rather than chasing the pods.

How many days in Bohol?

Getting there

Bohol-Panglao International Airport has flights from Manila and some other cities. From Cebu, fast ferries reach Tagbilaran in about two hours, several times a day. From the airport or port, Panglao is around 20 to 40 minutes by car.

Getting around

Distances are larger than they look: the Chocolate Hills are around one and a half to two hours from Panglao by road. A private car with driver is the most comfortable way to do the countryside; scooters are popular but roads outside Panglao have fast traffic. Tricycles cover short distances on Panglao.

Best time to visit

Bohol is a year-round destination with a less pronounced wet season than Palawan. February to May gives the brownest hills and the calmest sea for dolphin trips. From June to November rain is more frequent, and typhoons occasionally affect the island, but many days remain good for touring.

Tips

• Start the countryside loop early to reach the hills before the tour buses.
• Bring cash for entrance fees at the hills, the sanctuary and the river cruise; check whether your tour includes them.
• Wear light clothes but bring a cover-up for churches.
• For the dolphin trip, expect a 6:00 start or earlier.

What to eat and bring home

Bohol has a few local specialities worth looking out for on the countryside loop. Calamay is a sticky, sweet paste of coconut milk, brown sugar and glutinous rice, traditionally sold packed in a coconut shell sealed with red tape. Peanut kisses are small meringue-like cookies shaped like the Chocolate Hills, sold in boxes at the viewpoint and in Tagbilaran. The island is also proud of its purple yam, ube, which turns up in jams, cakes and halo-halo. On Panglao, the evening seafood restaurants around Alona let you choose fish and shellfish by weight to be grilled; agree the price before cooking.

FAQ

When are the Chocolate Hills brown?

Usually from about February to May, in the dry season. The rest of the year they are green.

Where can I see tarsiers ethically?

At a sanctuary such as the one run by the Philippine Tarsier Foundation near Corella, where animals live in their natural forest. Avoid places that keep them in cages or let visitors handle them.

Can I see Bohol in one day?

The countryside highlights, yes, either from Panglao or as a day trip from Cebu by ferry. For beaches and dolphins you need at least two or three days.

Is Bohol good for families?

Very. Distances are manageable, the sights are easy to reach and the sea around Panglao is usually calm.

Are dolphins guaranteed?

No. Sightings are common, especially in the morning, but they depend on the animals and the sea conditions.