Our Ultimate Bohol Bucket List [Updated August 2026]

Welcome to our Ultimate Bohol Bucket List, which we started in 2020.

We are living in Bohol, been here and there, tried a few places but haven’t really explored much. 

This 2020, as all our travel plans got cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve decided to stay in our province and experience more of Bohol. 

Years later, the list never really stopped growing — new resorts open, new cafes pop up, and we’re still adding to it every few months. Here’s where it stands now.

Our Bucket List is a work in progress — never-ending, continuously modified, refreshed, and updated.

Can we do all of these? Time can only tell…

It is our hope that you can also use these bucket list ideas as inspiration on your next travel plans whether you’re a local looking for new things to discover in Bohol or someone who’s visiting for the first time.

Join us as we tick each entry off our bucket list one at a time!

Hotels and Resorts to Stay

From beachfront luxury in Panglao to a quiet riverside stay in Loboc, this is every hotel and resort we’ve slept in around Bohol — plus a few we still have our eye on.

✦ Parklane Bohol Resort and Spa ✔️ — a hotel-and-spa stay just outside Tagbilaran city.

✦ Best Western Plus The Ivywall Resort Panglao ✔️ — Bohol’s first international chain resort, under the Best Western brand.

✦ Amorita Resort ✔️ — cliffside resort in Panglao whose name means “little love”.

✦ Bluewater Panglao Beach Resort ✔️ — long-running beachfront resort in Panglao, part of the Bluewater Resorts group.

✦ Be Grand Resort ✔️ — modern waterfront luxury resort with private villas.

✦ Donatela Resort ✔️ — 7.5-hectare wellness retreat, formerly known as Tarsier Botanika.

✦ Mithi Resort ✔️ — 14-hectare beachfront resort, formerly Panglao Island Nature Resort.

✦ Eskaya Resort ✔️ — Bohol’s most exclusive and expensive luxury resort.

✦ Loboc River Nature Resort ✔️ — a riverside stay in Loboc, a change of pace from Panglao’s beaches.

✦ Amun Ini Beach Resort & Spa ✔️ — boutique resort in Anda whose name means “this is ours”.

✦ South Palms Resort Panglao ✔️ — one of the longest, best stretches of white sand beach in Bohol.

✦ Bohol Beach Club ✔️ — one of Panglao’s original beach resorts, known for its long stretch of sand.

✦ Henann Resort ✔️ — Bohol outpost of the well-known Henann resort chain, right on Alona Beach.

✦ Boffo Resort ✔️ — a boutique beach resort stay in Panglao.

✦ The Bellevue Resort Bohol ✔️ — one of our favorite luxury staycation picks, in Doljo, Panglao.

✦ The Wander Nest ✔️ — boutique serviced bed and breakfast in Panglao.

✦ Modala Beach Resort ✔️ — the first beach resort in the Philippines with its own leisure village.

✦ Solea Reef Resort Anda ✔️ — a quieter, slower alternative to busy Panglao, over in Anda.

✦ Jpark Island Resort Alona ✔️ — a 5-star resort brand’s newest property in Alona, Panglao.

✧ The Peacock Garden — an eclectic, art-filled hillside resort in Corella known for its peacocks and views.

✧ Pure Shores Villa — a private villa stay we have our eye on.

✧ Ananyana Beach Resort — boutique beachfront resort in Panglao with a striking infinity pool.

✧ Momo Beach House — a beach house stay on our radar for a future trip.

✧ Vita Isola — a resort we’re planning to check out next.

Things to Do

The adventures, sights, and lazy beach days we’ve built our time in Bohol around — from hiking countryside viewpoints to swimming with sardines.

✦ Hike at The Alicia Panoramic Park ✔️ — a sweeping viewpoint hike in Alicia town.

✦ Sunrise at the Famous Chocolate Hills ✔️ — 1,200+ cone-shaped hills, best seen at sunrise from the Carmen viewing deck.

✦ See the World’s Smallest Primate, the Tarsiers ✔️ — tiny, saucer-eyed primates at the sanctuary in Corella.

✦ Paddle Surfing in Loboc River ✔️ — SUP on the calm, jungle-lined Loboc River.

✦ Sunset Sailing in a Yacht ✔️ — a golden-hour sail off the Panglao coast.

✦ Scuba Diving ✔️ — diving Panglao’s reefs and drop-offs.

✦ Experience Sea of Clouds in Danao ✔️ — an early-morning cloud sea view from the Danao highlands.

✦ Chocolate Hills ATV Ride ✔️ — an off-road ATV route through the Chocolate Hills area.

✦ Extreme Adventures in Danao ✔️ — ziplines, rappelling, and rope courses at the Danao Adventure Park.

✦ Chill at the Beach in Panglao ✔️ — a slow beach day on Panglao’s white sand.

✦ Learn Freediving in Panglao ✔️ — breath-hold diving lessons in Panglao’s clear water.

✦ Swim with the Sardines ✔️ — snorkeling through a massive sardine school just offshore.

✦ Island Hopping ✔️ — boat-hopping between Bohol’s small offshore islands.

✦ Firefly Watching at Abatan River/Loboc River ✔️ — an evening river cruise watching fireflies light up the mangroves.

✦ Chasing Waterfalls ✔️ — exploring Bohol’s countryside waterfalls.

✦ Get a Massage at Renaissance Spa ✔️ — a spa day at Renaissance Spa.

✧ Paragliding / Hot-Air Balloon — an aerial view of the island.

✧ Swim in the Underground Pool at Hinagdanan Cave — a cool dip in a cave pool in Panglao.

✧ Visit the Blood Compact (Sandugo) Shrine — the monument marking the 1565 Sandugo blood compact.

✧ Drive Through the Bilar Man-Made Forest — a dense, shaded mahogany-tree tunnel along the highway.

✧ Go Dolphin Watching off Pamilacan Island — an early boat trip to spot wild dolphins.

✧ Tour Baclayon Church, One of the Oldest Stone Churches in the Philippines — a 17th-century stone church near Tagbilaran.

Restaurants and Cafes to Try

Where we actually eat when we’re not cooking at home — the cafes, bistros, and dinner spots that have earned a repeat visit.

✦ SMOQUE bistro + Cafe &bar ✔️ — a smokehouse-style bistro, cafe, and bar.

✦ Bohol Bee Farm ✔️ — organic farm-to-table restaurant (and resort) in Dauis, famous for its homemade ice cream and bread.

✦ Chido Cafe ✔️ — a local cafe stop we enjoyed.

✦ BECCA Cafe x Bistro ✔️ — a cafe and bistro we keep coming back to.

✦ Mosia Cafe ✔️ — a cozy cafe stop.

✦ Cafe Racer ✔️ — a motorcycle-themed cafe.

✧ Cafe Anlio — next on our list to try.

✦ Shaka Panglao ✔️ — a laid-back, surf-vibe cafe in Panglao.

✦ Sisa Bistro ✔️ — a bistro favorite of ours.

✦ Lotus Storm ✔️ — Asian fusion restaurant with a Boracay-beach-club feel.

✦ Mist ✔️ — one of our go-to dinner spots.

✦ Sicily ✔️ — an Italian restaurant we love.

✦ Toto E Pepino ✔️ — another Italian favorite.

✦ Flujo Café at The Bellevue Resort ✔️ — a cozy cafe inside The Bellevue Resort’s lobby.

Bohol Fun Facts

A few things we’ve picked up living here that might be new to you too.

• Bohol is the Philippines’ 10th largest island, sitting in the Central Visayas region between Cebu and Leyte.
• The Chocolate Hills are made up of more than 1,200 grass-covered limestone mounds — they turn brown in the dry season, which is how they got their name.
• The Philippine tarsier, one of the smallest primates in the world, is native to Bohol and can fit in the palm of your hand.
• The province is made up of Bohol Island plus dozens of smaller surrounding islands, including Panglao.
• Panglao Island, home to most of Bohol’s beach resorts, is connected to the mainland by two bridges.
• Bohol has its own international airport on Panglao Island, which opened in 2018.
• Bohol was the site of the 1565 Sandugo (Blood Compact) between Datu Sikatuna and Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi, still commemorated every year at the Sandugo Festival.
• Loboc River is one of the cleanest rivers in the Philippines and home to floating restaurant cruises and nightly firefly tours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you fit the Chocolate Hills, Tarsiers, and Loboc River into a single day? Yes — this is Bohol’s most popular full-day countryside tour, and it’s usually the first thing to check off if you’re short on time.

Which items on this list should first-time visitors prioritize? The countryside tour, a beach day in Panglao, and one proper resort stay cover the essentials — everything else here is for filling out a longer trip.

Are the water activities suitable for kids? Most of them — island hopping, snorkeling, and beach time work for most ages. Scuba diving usually requires certification or a discovery-dive add-on for older kids.

Do you need to book resorts and restaurants ahead of time? For the resorts, yes, especially during peak season and Philippine holidays. Most of the cafes and restaurants on this list don’t need reservations.

Is it realistic to complete this whole bucket list in one trip? Not really, and that’s kind of the point — it’s a running list we add to every time we discover something new, not a one-trip itinerary.

Do you have recommendations we can add to our list?

Let us know in the comments section below. 

We would love to hear from you! 🤗