If you are planning to stay in Panglao Island for a couple of days and figuring out what activities you can do on the island, this list should come in handy. I would not say this is comprehensive and complete but these activities should keep you busy whether you’ll be staying for just a day trip, overnight, or for a couple of days. I visit Panglao at least once a year so I try to keep adding more activities to this list.
Go swimming (or just hang out) in Alona Beach
Alona Beach is the most popular beach on the island. It is where most of the mid-priced resorts are located and where you’ll find a lot of restaurants. You can say it’s like a smaller version of Boracay so expect a lot of people, especially in the mornings and late afternoons.
Among all beaches in Panglao Island, this is the best beach to swim in. It’s not as rocky/urchin-filled as Dumaluan Beach and not as seaweed-packed as Doljo Beach. The only nuisance in the swimming area, I would say, are the boats that are parked right where people are supposed to swim. The only area where there are no boats parked is in front of Henann Resort so this is the perfect place to swim.
Every May to September, the tide is very low during afternoons so I suggest that you come here in the morning. In case you chance upon a low tide and you are not up to swim, you can just stroll by the beach and explore the establishments here.
The second half of the day is usually spent enjoying the afternoon sun and the sound of the waves hitting the shore. You can also bring your beach towel and spend the entire afternoon reading a good book until sunset.
To get to Alona Beach, you can hire a tricycle from any point in Tagbilaran City or Panglao Island. Rates would depend on your haggling skills. If you would like to book a private car ahead of time, you can do so here: Bohol Private Car Charter
Try out Buzzz Cafe organic ice cream from Bohol Bee Farm
The Buzzz Cafe by Bohol Bee Farm is one of the most famous eat-out places in Bohol that you shouldn’t miss. If you’ve been to Bohol before, you have probably tried this out since Bohol Bee Farm is usually part of the regular tours around the island.
Their unique set of ice cream flavors is what makes them special. You’ll find flavors like malunggay (moringa), dragonfruit, pandan and spicy ginger, which you won’t find anywhere else in the country (or at least it’s going to be hard to find).
But if you are not as adventurous with food and don’t have the guts to try exotic flavors, they also have the usual ones like mango, chocolate, buko (coconut), avocado, among others.
Apart from this very cute ice cream booth in Alona Beach selling their complete flavor line-up, they also have a bigger restaurant located on the second floor. Here, they sell all other food options such as garden fresh salads, pasta, roasted chicken, and other Filipino dishes. Below are some photos of their branch in Alona Beach. Photos are courtesy of Bohol Bee Farm and were taken from the official website. To know more about Buzzz Cafe, visit their website here: Bohol Bee Farm’s Buzzz Cafe
Take your swimming skills to the next level and go snorkeling
If your visit is around May to September, mornings would be the best time to snorkel since the water is deep and you can enjoy snorkeling to see seaweeds dancing with the current, urchins hiding underneath rocks and of course, different species of fishes going about their day.
Alona Beach and Dumaluan Beach are your best options to snorkel. You can start as early as 6:00 in the morning while the beach is not yet crowded.
Dumaluan is generally a bit more rocky (so you’ll need a good pair of aqua shoes) and the coral reefs are a bit farther away from the shore but there are a lot more fishes here than in Alona.
Alona, on the other hand, is less rocky and more sandy. The coral reef seems to be nearer the shore but there are fewer fishes and corals as compared to Dumaluan.
To get to Alona Beach or Dumaluan Beach, you can hail a tricycle from any point in Panglao Island or Tagbilaran City. Rates would depend on your negotiating skills. If you would like to book a private car ahead of time to take you to any of these places plus other places you’d like to visit, you can do so here: Bohol Private Car Charter
Rent a boat and go island hopping and dolphin watching
Your visit in Panglao will not be complete without seeing nearby islands with equally stunning white sand beaches. When you go island hopping, the trip will include dolphin watching and a quick visit to Balicasag and Virgin Islands. There are 4 ways for you to book a dolphin watching and island hopping tour:
- Via Klook which you can book here: Bohol Island Hopping and Dolphin Watching Tour. You can book ahead of time and save your booking on your mobile phone through the Klook app.
- Through the resort you’re staying in. Just ask for more information from the customer service/reception.
- Via independent boat operators who are usually roaming around Alona Beach. You have more opportunity to negotiate prices with these operators.
- Via independent travel agencies which I normally search for on Facebook. You can also join and visit this Facebook group called DIY Travel Philippines, which has a lot of information about travel agencies and tips about travels in Bohol and other places in the Philippines.
I have another entry specifically about the island hopping and dolphin watching tour in Bohol, which you can read more here: Panglao | Dolphin Watching and Island Hopping Tour in Balicasag and Virgin Islands
Try out tuyom or sawaki (urchins)
When you go to Virgin Island, there are several vendors selling urchins. They sell the urchins for P50 a piece, which is crazy expensive if you’re a Boholana but should be worth it if this is your first time and if you’re only buying one to taste. I love to eat urchins with spicy vinegar so ask the vendor if they have suka (vinegar).
For reference, there are two most popular types of urchins you’ll find in Bohol. The reddish ones in the photo below are called sawaki. The other type is what locals call tuyom – these are the black ones which is sweeter, meatier, and much more difficult to catch.
If you are not going to Virgin Island, you can try asking your resort concierge or the locals you meet hanging around Alona Beach. They should know where urchins are sold elsewhere in the island.
Visit Hinagdanan Cave
Hinagdanan Cave is located in Panglao Island but in another town called Dauis. To get there, you can hire a tricycle or habal-habal (motorcycle) from any point in Panglao Island or Tagbilaran City and ask them to take you to Hinagdanan Cave.
As far as I know, there is no standard rate for this so the rates you are given will be different from one tricycle/habal-habal to another. Some might give you the trip for P400 or some might give it to you for only P250. It will highly depend on your negotiating skills as well.
The cave has an underground natural pool so if you are planning to go swimming, don’t forget to bring extra clothes. The entrance fee as of 2019 is P100 if you are swimming and P25 if not.
Here are other websites with more information about Hinagdanan Cave:
- Bohol Tourism: Hinagdanan Cave
- Bohol-Philippines.Com: Bohol’s Hinagdanan Cave
- Out-of-Town Blog: Exploring Hinagdanan Cave in Dauis Bohol
Get a massage in Alona Beach or in Bohol Bee Farm
So I’ve tried these 2 massages in Panglao which I both highly recommend – Bohol Bee Farm (Buzzz Spa) and the massage services you find along the beach in Alona.
The one in Bohol Bee Farm tops the other, tops any other massages I’ve had in my life. The ambiance is very relaxing and pleasant, and it was the one and only massage I’ve had that made me dose off. I may have been a bit tired from swimming and a little tipsy with the wine I drank during dinner but when you come to think about it, would be the best combination to enjoy a massage before you end your day. It’s a bit more expensive than the usual spa services in Bohol but trust me, trying their massage would be worth it.
They are open until 8:00 PM for walk-ins but of course, it will depend on availability. I would still suggest to call them up and reserve. The number you can call to reserve is +639173041491. They are not as responsive through text/SMS or Facebook Messenger so better call them up.
The prices of the Bohol Bee Farm spa services are in the photo below:
- Bohol Bee Farm Website – https://www.boholbeefarm.com
- Bohol Bee Farm Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/officialboholbeefarm
You can also read about our overnight trip at the Bohol Bee Farm here: Bohol Bee Farm Resort Overnight Review
For a less expensive massage, you can avail of one along Alona Beach from the girls in uniform walking or huddling in front of the area near Buzzz Cafe and Alona Vida Resort. They usually roam around the beach offering their massages to tourists so you won’t miss them. The massage beds are lined up along the beach and more likely to get filled up during summer afternoons. The only few drawbacks are that the masseuse can sometimes be a bit chatty and since the beds are just along the beach, the tourists around can be noisy so it kind of disrupts the atmosphere.
Wine and dine in Bohol Bee Farm in Dauis
You’ve probably heard of Bohol Bee Farm before. It’s one of the most popular, if not the most popular, restaurants in Bohol. Their restaurant is actually called Buzzz Cafe and can be found around several touristy areas in Bohol but most people would refer to their main branch in Dauis Panglao simply as Bohol Bee Farm.
Other than their farm-to-table concept, the view of the ocean from the restaurant is unparalleled. I love visiting this place during habagat (southwest monsoon) season, when the winds are the strong and the sound of the waves adds to Buzzz Cafe’s rustic atmosphere.
Buzzz Cafe also has other branches around Bohol but if you have the chance to go here, I would recommend going to this main branch. You can read more about this in another blog entry: A Review of Buzzz Cafe/Bohol Bee Farm
Again, Bohol Bee Farm, like any other places in Panglao can be easily reached by getting a tricycle. But if you would like to book a private car ahead of time to take you to the bee farm plus other places you’d like to see, you can do so here: Bohol Private Car Charter
Go on a Panglao Island tour by land
If you would like to see Panglao in its entirety and to save you the trouble of having to commute your way around the island, you can also go on a chartered trip around the island by land.
Obviously, this is not an island hopping tour but instead, you will get to see mainland Panglao attractions such as Hinagdanan Cave, Dauis Church, Shell Museum, Bohol Bee Farm (see my post about Bohol Bee Far here) and Alona or Bolod Beach.
You will be picked up from your resort/hotel in Panglao and you can have lunch in Bohol Bee Farm or wherever you prefer within Panglao Island.
The trip starts at 9:00 AM and finishes around early afternoon. You can book this activity through Klook here: Panglao Island Land Tour.
Experience Parasailing over Panglao Island
One of the new activities in Panglao is parasailing, which I am actually very excited about. I haven’t tried parasailing in Panglao yet but it’s something that I look forward to doing when I go back to Bohol. The entire parasailing activity takes only about 15 minutes but it still sounds and looks worth it. There are several ways for you to book this activity:
- VIA RESORT. Some resorts offer this activity such as Bellevue Resort. You can go to their website or their Facebook page to look for more information or contact them at [email protected] or +63-38-422 2222.
- VIA KLOOK. The most convenient way of booking your parasailing experience is through Klook. You will be picked up from your hotel in the morning and will bring you back to your hotel right after. Pick-up and drop-off are free if you are in Panglao but they need to charge extra if your hotel is in Tagbilaran City. You can book here: Parasailing Experience in Bohol
- VIA AGENCIES. Travel agencies can also arrange for your parasailing experience. Some of the few travel agencies I know which can arrange this for you are the following:
SEAS AND HILLS TRAVEL AND TOURS
Mobile number: 0906 824 9566
Email address: [email protected]
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/boholtouristhubAndtourpackage.ph/
MOANA TOURS AND TRAVEL
Mobile number: 0905 916 0709
Email address: [email protected]
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/moanatoursandtravels/
I TRAVEL BOHOL
Mobile number: 0948 866 3213
Email address: [email protected]
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/itravelbohol/
BONUS ITEM: Go on a daycation in a luxury resort in Panglao
Recently, I’ve noticed the rise of daycation packages offered by 5-star resorts in Panglao. I will be creating a new blog entry about this soon but so far the ones I know with daycation packages (which are surprisingly affordable) are Modala Beach Resort and South Palms Beach Resort. You can contact them via Facebook to check availability and price.
OTHER USEFUL LINKS |
WHERE TO STAY IN PANGLAO
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