The Philippines is composed of 7,107 islands and when it’s your first time to visit the country, it’s just so hard to choose which islands to visit. If you love the water, you can choose from the tropical islands like Boracay or Siargao. If you love hiking and nature in general, you can go to Sagada or Banaue to see the world-famous Rice Terraces. However, if you only have 2 days and you have to choose just one destination but you can’t decide if you wanted to get a gorgeous tan on the beach or a nice hike along breathtaking views of nature, then I’ll give you a good advice. Just come and visit Bohol because it’s the combination of the two and you don’t really need to choose one over the other.
DAY 1
From Manila, you can catch a flight to Tagbilaran City, Bohol’s capital and only city in the island. Choose a flight that would arrive around 8 in the morning so you still have the whole day to enjoy. Upon arrival in the local airport, you will be greeted by a lot of tour guides offering cheap tours. Instead of checking in your hotel, why not go directly with the tour so you can save more time. The best tour you can book for your first day is the Countryside Tour and experience the beauty and rich culture of Bohol in a fun whole day affair.
CHOCOLATE HILLS. One of the highlights of the tour is to see the most famous landmark of the island, the Chocolate Hills. These hills turn green during the rainy season and go back to being brown during summer. Climb atop the observation deck to get the best panoramic view of the landscape.
TARSIER CONSERVATORY. Another famous icon of Bohol is the world’s smallest primate, the Tarsier. The local government made a big sanctuary for these little animals because they are now an endangered species, but you can still pay them a visit and see for yourself how tiny they really are; they’re no bigger than an adult fist.
LOBOC RIVER CRUISE and BUFFET. Food is always part of the tour, and what better way to taste the local cuisine than to ride a floating restaurant and have buffet lunch while cruising the historical Loboc River. To complete the local vibe, a folk singer will serenade you with local hit songs while you enjoy the lunch and scenery.
After the whole day of visiting centuries-old churches, zoos, historical landmarks and adventure parks it’s time for you to check-in to your hotel, have dinner and book an Island Hopping Tour for the next day.
DAY 2
DOLPHIN WATCHING. 5:30 AM is the usual call time and that is because you are going dolphin watching first. It’s not like the shows you see on Sea World, you just wait for the dolphins to surface, swim around, jump and do natural acrobats out on the open sea.
BALICASAG ISLAND. The most famous marine sanctuary in Bohol can be found in Balicasag Island. You’ll get your eyes full with vibrant marine life bustling with different fishes and colorful corals, and if you’re lucky enough you’ll get to see giant sea turtles floating by.
VIRGIN ISLAND. The last stop is the long strip of pure white sand called the Virgin Island. It’s a picturesque sand bar where you can capture stunning photos of the pristine sand and blue seas. This would be a nice place to get that gorgeous tan you’ve been dreaming of.
ALONA BEACH. By afternoon, you can freshen up a little bit and prepare for a taste of the island night life in the famed beach strip of Alona. Prepare to feast on mouth-watering seafoods while watching a free for all fire dance show. Stroll around the beach, take a photo of huge sand castles, or have a good beach massage before having a good night’s rest.
Time constraint is never an issue if you visit Bohol because you only need some research and good time management so you can see a lot with just 2 days of stay. If ever you decide to stay longer, though, there are so more activities that will keep you busy the whole day.