Bohol is one of the top tourist destinations in the Philippines and it’s no wonder why. Here you can explore the world’s most biodiverse reefs, swim in stunning waterfalls, relax on pristine beaches, visit a man-made forest, enjoy incredible landscapes, and even meet some of the smallest primates in the world.
I visited Bohol for 11 days in 2024 and found that there is no shortage of things to do in Bohol – and you definitely can’t do everything the island has to offer in 3 days!
In this 3 Day Bohol itinerary, I’ll dive into exactly how I would spend 3 days in Bohol on my first visit. I’ll go over where to stay, how to get around, and exactly what to do each day!
If you only have 3 days in Bohol, this itinerary hits all of the highlights of the island to ensure you can make the most of your adventure in Bohol!
How to Spend 3 Awesome Days Bohol: A First-Timers Guide and Itinerary
Where to Stay in Bohol
If this is your first trip to Bohol, you are probably wondering where to stay! Bohol isn’t that big, but getting across the island can take some time and the more time you spend moving around means less time having fun.
If this is your first visit to Bohol, I recommend staying in Panglao for your 3 days in Bohol. This is the main tourist area of Bohol and will be closer to most of the attractions in this guide. Most tours will also be based out of Panglao as well. Panglao is also the home of Bohol’s only airport and many ferry connections.
In terms of hotel options, there is something for everyone in Panglao, from backpacker hostels to luxury resorts and everything in between.
If you are not comfortable motorbiking, then I recommend staying in the main tourist area at Alona Beach since it is built up with tons of stores and restaurants. Also, most day tours are based out of Alona Beach so it will make getting around a lot more convenient.
We personally stayed at Bluewave Apartments in Panglao. It’s a little ways away from the main tourist area but we enjoyed staying in a quieter neighborhood.
How to Get Around Bohol
The best way to get around Bohol is by motorbike since you’ll have the freedom to go anywhere at your own pace. You can rent a motorbike in Bohol for about 300 to 500 pesos per day.
Read our full blog post: Renting a Motorbike in the Philippines: Complete Guide
Don’t worry if riding a motorbike isn’t your thing. There are other transportation options to get around Bohol, and all the tours we recommend include transportation to Bohol’s top attractions.
If you’re only going around Panglao, tuk-tuk drivers hang out all over the place and you can hire one for 300 to 500 pesos per ride.
What to Pack for Bohol
I won’t go over my whole packing list since that’s not necessary! Instead, I’ll share some of my must-have items you might not have thought of when packing for a trip to Bohol.
- Crocs: If you’re coming to Bohol, whether you swim in the ocean, go snorkeling, or explore one of its amazing waterfalls, your feet will get wet at some point! During our time in Bohol, I was so glad to have Crocs like these to protect my feet when exploring rocky terrain and chasing waterfalls. They are the ultimate shoe in the Philippines for a reason – many Filipinos wear them too!
- Snorkel: With all the amazing snorkeling spots in Bohol, it helps to have your own snorkel set like this one if you plan to do some underwater activities! Plus, you won’t need to worry about renting a snorkel, which may be of… questionable quality.
- Sunscreen: For some reason, sunscreen is expensive in the Philippines and I’ve even encountered places selling fake sunscreen that doesn’t work! So I recommend bringing your own sunscreen to Bohol.
- Dry Bag: With all the sand, salt, and water flying everywhere during our adventures, I was so glad to have a dry bag to keep all my things safe from the elements!
- Travel Towel: In my opinion, a travel towel like this one is super necessary for a trip to Bohol! It packs down nicely and was there for me anytime I went swimming, or just needed to brush sand or dirt off. I didn’t go anywhere without mine!
Bohol Day 1: Panglao Brunch, Snorkel, and Sunset
It’s the first day of your 3-day adventure in Bohol – welcome! You might be a little tired from your journey to get here so we’re going to keep it simple and do some amazing things right in Panglao, the main tourist hub of Bohol.
Brunch at Zara’s Cafe
If you arrive in the morning, I recommend grabbing brunch before you get your day started. My recommendation is to have your meal at Zara’s Cafe. It’s owned by a Swedish man, so they import many of their ingredients from Sweden. The cafe sits atop a hillside overlooking the island of Bohol. Not only are the views amazing but the food is delicious too!
Snorkel at Napaling Reef
After having your meal, head over to Napaling Reef, an amazing snorkel and dive spot right in Panglao. Despite its location right next to the coast, Napaling Reef is teeming with aquatic life! To get to the reef you walk down a large staircase and then go down a ramp where you can ease your way into the water.
The second you get into the water you are spoiled with some of the best marine biodiversity! Colorful reefs, tons of fish, and even a sardine run! The sardine run was so large, that I had to move my feet at times just so I could see the reef.
You can rent snorkel gear at Napaling Reef but we brought our own. The total entry fee for Napaling Reef is 300 pesos per person (100 for entry + 200 for a mandatory guide). This is the perfect example of a beach day if you don’t like sand – just rocks, reefs, and the most beautiful colorful fish!
BONUS: If you have extra time after snorkeling at Napaling Reef I recommend checking out the Hinagdanan Cave. It’s an underground limestone cave that you can swim in!
Catch the Sunset in Panglao
After exploring the wonderful Napaling Reef, I recommend watching the sunset at one of Panglao’s awesome beaches. I will give you a quick report on each beach since we visited all of them. You can decide which beach best suits your style.
ALONA BEACH
Alona Beach is the most popular place to watch the sunset in Panglao. Bohol’s tourism industry was actually built around Alona Beach, so it’s the ‘main strip’ of Panglao.
Lined with palm trees, this long white sand beach is considered one of the top beaches in Panglao. Alona Beach has a variety of restaurants and beachside hotels, which makes it convenient if you want to grab a bite to eat during or after the sunset. We enjoyed drinking fresh fruit smoothies while watching the sun set into the horizon.
During sunset, golden hues paint the sky – from pinks to bright oranges. We tried to leave early many times but the sunset kept getting better and better!
HERMIT BEACH
If you’re looking to avoid crowds while enjoying the sunset in Panglao I recommend checking out Hermit Beach. This place has a rocky point with an amazing view of the sunset and the surrounding islands.
Hermit Beach is located along the western side of Panglao and it’s a little bit of a journey to get there. If you ride a motorbike to Hermit Beach you need to pay 20 pesos for motorbike parking just outside the main gate, but otherwise it’s free to enter.
From the entrance, you walk 10 minutes through trails to the coastline where you can enjoy peaceful and quiet views of the sunset. When we visited in 2024 the trail was a bit dusty and there was some construction along the way but if you walk to the end of the coast, there is a nice small beach and rocky point which gives you a panoramic view of the ocean.
PANGLAO BEACH
Panglao Beach is not far from Napaling Reef so if you’re short on time after snorkeling this place is a good option.
The beach is directly next to the famous Mithi Resort and Spa, so you will be sharing the same view as a world-class resort.
The beach itself is more off the beaten path and where local fishermen park their boats. Parts of it have some rubbish so it could use a good beach clean-up, but regardless the sunset is still stunning! We sat on a cute bench while the most fiery orange sunset painted the sky. And the best part is that the beach was pretty empty – we shared it with just one other group.
Free Bohol Google Maps Locations
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Dinner at Alona Beach
At this point of the day, you’re probably pretty hungry and looking for a place to eat before returning to your accommodation.
Look no further than Alona Beach, which is the main tourist area in Bohol. It isn’t much of a city but has tons of food options that fit any budget.
Restaurants range from local Filipino food, Korean BBQ, Chinese, and even Spanish tapas. Alona Beach also has its own McDonald’s and Jollibee! The beach is lined with restaurants if you want to enjoy a beach sunset with your dinner. Below are some of our favorite places to eat in Alona Beach.
Lutong Pinoy Aquatica ($)
If you’re on a budget then the best deal is sticking to local Filipino food. After a few days on Panglao, we finally found an affordable Filipino restaurant and it ended up being right along the beach.
Lutong Pinoy Aquatica is located at Aquatica Beach Resort on Alona Beach and is carinderia style – meaning it offers a wide variety of Filipino home-style dishes that you can pick and choose. It’s kind of like a buffet but you pay per dish at an affordable price. We picked 4 or 5 small dishes for the two of us and paid 350 pesos.
Jollibee ($$)
Not going to lie, I’m a HUGE fast-food fan. Jollibee may not be my favorite fast food chain but it is one you should try while in the Philippines. Jollibee is known for its fried chicken ‘Chicken Joy’. When we finally made our way to an official Jollibee in the Philippines we were shocked at how good the prices were.
Bougainvillea Spanish Restaurant ($$$)
If you’re looking for something a little fancier then I recommend checking out Bougainvillea Spanish Restaurant. It’s a Spanish Tapas and wine bar with a good selection of famous Spanish dishes.
The restaurant’s ambiance is nicely decorated, clean and modern. And of course, the food is exceptional! I even ordered a salad – dangerous I know – but I didn’t get sick and it was delicious! Exactly what I needed. We ordered 3 dishes and paid 1,069 pesos.
Bohol Day 2: Tarsiers, Loboc River, and Chocolate Hills
It’s now day 2 of your 3-day adventure in Bohol and it’s time to check off the main attractions of Bohol!
On this day, you will be leaving Panglao to explore the countryside of Bohol. I’ve included 4 awesome places I recommend visiting.
You can either opt to do a self-guided motorbike tour, hire a private charter, or book a group tour. No matter what you choose, you will have a fantastic time!
Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary
The best way to start your day is by visiting the famous Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary. Here you can view the world’s smallest marsupials – Tarsiers!
This was a major highlight of our trip as Tarsiers are SOOOO CUTE! We arrived right when they opened at 9:00 AM and it took 45 minutes for this activity.
When you get to the sanctuary, you are put into a small group with a guide to visit a few different trees to see where the tarsiers are sleeping. Yes, the tarsiers are sleeping when you are visiting them as they are nocturnal and incredibly hard to spot at night.
Tarsiers are my favorite animals so this was an opportunity I couldn’t miss – plus Tarsiers are only found in southeast Asia so it’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The sanctuary is very ethical and the tarsiers are not held captive. I’ll be honest, sometimes I can be a bit sensitive when it comes to seeing animals as I feel sad if they are held in captivity but I didn’t feel sad at this sanctuary. It was wonderful!
Loboc River and Sevilla Bridge
The Loboc River is an awesome pit stop on your way to the Chocolate Hills. If you book a tour, you will enjoy a buffet lunch while cruising down one of Bohol’s largest rivers in a boat.
If you motorbike here, I recommend visiting the Sevilla Twin Hanging Bridge. These bamboo footbridges hang 25 meters above the Loboc River.
We visited these bridges and they are definitely some of the scarier bridges we’ve been on. The creaking and constant sways make it a fun and exciting experience!
On the other side of the bridge, there are sari-sari stores selling local Filipino snacks. We treated ourselves to fried bananas, coconut milk, and cassava chips. The cassava chips were so delicious! There is also a bathroom on the other side of the bridge should you need one.
Bilar Man-Made Forest
The Bilar Man Made forest is another awesome stop on your way to the Chocolate Hills. I’ve seen photos of this place online but after experiencing it in person it was way cooler than expected! I’ll tell you why below.
Exploring the Philippines gets HOT and we were there during the dry season in May. Being on the motorbike all day with the sun beating down on us was tiresome. But once we passed into the manmade forest it cooled down over 10 degrees and was the cool refreshing change we needed!
This beautiful man-made forest is made of mahogany trees and was planted as part of a reforestation project in the area. Something that surprised me about the man-made forest is that street signs are telling you to beware of pedestrians taking photos. I found it surprising that in the Philippines, taking photos in the middle of the road is encouraged!
Chocolate Hills
Finally! The place you’ve been waiting to visit and an absolute must-visit in Bohol – the Chocolate Hills! It’s been quite a journey to get here but its unique landscape is one of the icons of Bohol.
The Chocolate Hills are located roughly in the center of Bohol and you actually go up to the top of one of the hills where the viewpoint is. There are a few steps to get to the viewing deck, but once you’re at the top you’ll be treated to a 360-degree view of Bohol.
We went to the Chocolate Hills during sunset which was absolutely incredible but you can definitely enjoy these sweeping views any time of day.
To give you an idea of what visiting the Chocolate Hills is like, here are images we captured with a drone during our time there.
Read our full blog post: Chocolate Hills in Bohol: Complete Guide
A QUICK NOTE ABOUT FOOD: As you may have noticed, I left out food places on the Day 2 itinerary. That’s because we mostly ate quick snacks since we were on the go (we LOVE our spicy and calamansi-flavored pancit canton noodles from sari-sari stores)!
There is also a restaurant at Chocolate Hills if you want to sit down for a meal. Don’t count on Western-style restaurants once you leave Panglao, so bring snacks if you have strict dietary restrictions.
Bohol Day 3: Balicasag Island or Waterfall
It’s your last day in Bohol and now it’s time to make a difficult choice: Have an epic beach day or visit some unforgettable waterfalls? If it were up to me, I would hit up the beach with the Balicasag Island tour. But I will go over the options with you below so you can make the best decision for your travel style.
Balicasag Island
Balicasag Island is a tiny island off the coast of Bohol that is well-known for snorkeling. Here you are guaranteed to see a turtle, swim in crystal clear waters, and witness the huge variety of marine life that the Philippines is known for.
The waters surrounding Balicasag Island are beaming with marine life which makes it a must-visit in my opinion. When you first arrive at Balicasag Island you are immediately matched up with a local tour guide who takes you out on a canoe to see reef fish and swim with a turtle.
The reef in this area is a little dead so this part of the tour isn’t my favorite, but I understand why it’s done – it’s to ensure that you indeed see fish and turtles, safely.
But my favorite snorkeling spot is on the north side of the island. It’s seriously one of THE BEST snorkel spots I’ve ever been to. There are tons of fish and healthy coral! This spot alone makes the journey to Balicasag all worth it.
Balicasag Island also has some of the cleanest beaches and clearest waters! I was literally in awe at the crystal clear waters, I would dry off only to jump into the water again. It was seriously so much fun!
The best way to get to Balicasag Island is to book a tour that departs from Alona Beach. If you do a shared tour, it will cut your costs down significantly but you need to arrive early in the morning.
We woke up a bit later and ended up renting a private boat for 4000 pesos (1-3 persons max). The boat ride to Balicasag Island takes about 35 minutes and you should set aside 5-6 hours for the entire adventure.
Explore and Swim in Waterfalls
If you have read our other blog posts, you will know we are obsessed with the waterfalls in the Philippines! They are incredibly beautiful, and the best part is – you can swim in them!
Visiting a waterfall is always a fun adventure, with a little bit of hiking, climbing, swimming, and cliff jumping – all activities we love! We visited many waterfalls while in Bohol so we’ve compiled a list of our favorite ones below. If you’re based in Panglao I recommend the Bohol Hidden Waterfalls Tour which takes you to two of these waterfalls.
DAM AGAN FALLS
An hour’s drive from Panglao you will find Dam Agan Falls. The falls itself is epic. There is a deep pool of water and many options for jumps. There is even a nice bamboo raft someone made that is used to access some of the higher jumps.
To get to Dam Agan Falls, you walk down a hillside through a small community that lives there. On this walk, you are treated to gorgeous countryside views of palm trees and rice terraces. It’s so peaceful and quiet – we stopped many times to take photos!
PAHANGOG FALLS
Pahangog Falls also known as Dimiao Twin Falls is a waterfall rich with teal waters. It received its name due to the 2 flows of water that feed it. We came during the dry season and it was one of the few waterfalls that was fully flowing!
Now this waterfall is for those who are active and high energy while traveling. It’s slightly off the beaten track when it comes to Bohol attractions.
The waterfall itself is beautiful! It has the most gorgeous teal waters and a couple of nice jumps. I recommend hiring a tour guide at the entrance so they can advise you where it is safe to jump as it’s not so obvious at this waterfall.
CAN-UMANTAD FALLS
Can-umantad Falls is massive and beautiful. At a towering 60 meters in height, it is the tallest waterfall in Bohol. The waterfall has a few different swimming pools that you can enjoy.
Can-umantad is one of the most famous waterfalls in Bohol but if you’re staying in Panglao it’s a long journey. However, if you plan on going to Anda or catching the ferry to Cebu from Ubay then it’s worth the side trip.
Hotels We Recommend in Bohol
We stayed on the Dauis side of Panglao at Bluewave Apartments. It’s an apartment in a residential neighborhood, just a clean room with hot water and a kitchen. We liked the location since we were motorbiking and it was easier to enter the main island of Bohol from this location in Panglao. The apartment manager lived in the room next door to us and was always available via WhatsApp to call a tuk-tuk or refill our toilet paper.
If you’re looking for convenience, I recommend staying in Alona Beach since that’s where most restaurants and hotels are located.
If you’re seeking a more luxurious experience look no further than Mithi Resort & Spa. It’s on the north side of Panglao in a quieter area but there is a restaurant on site, swimming pools, and a private beach.
Are You Following Our Bohol Blog Series?
During our 11-day adventure in Bohol, we found some of the island’s most stunning natural wonders—epic waterfalls, caves, and incredible snorkeling spots. To help fellow adventurers, we’ve put together guides to the best places we found. You can check them out by clicking the links below.
- Start planning your trip here: Bohol Travel Guide
- Our Bohol accomodation/area guide: Where to Stay in Bohol
- Our Ultimate Guide to Bohol: 24 Awesome Things to Do in Bohol
- How to plan your Bohol vacation: Bohol 3 Day Itinerary
- Interested in chasing waterfalls?: 5 Best Waterfalls in Bohol During Dry Season
- Our favorite hike in Bohol: Alicia Panoramic Park Hike
- Our favorite day tour in Bohol: Balicasag Island Snorkeling
- Our favorite waterfall in Bohol: Dimiao Twin Falls (Pahangog Falls)
- Our favorite place to swim in Bohol: Cabagnow Cave Pool
- How to rent a motorbike in the Philippines
I hope you enjoyed our Bohol 3-Day Itinerary!
Hi Chloe,
thanks for the itinerary and including everything useful. exactly what i was looking for,
I searched and found this itinerary first. I like it! I’ll follow my 3-day Bohol itinerary based off of this. Thank you 🙂
Hi Shermane, is it similar to places like Boracay and Palawan where one can easily book the joiner tours everywhere in town and at the hotel? For example in Palawan, everyone offers same Tour A, Tour B, etc packages and all same price no matter where you booked….
Hi, where do you recommend hiring a motorbike?
Hi Shermane,
We rented our motorbike directly from our accommodation, Bluewaves Apartment in Dauis. They had good quality bikes at the time. We typically rent bikes in close proximity to where we’re staying.