Bohol & Panglao

The capital city Tagbilaran has pretty tree lined plazas and historic stone buildings including a church built by the Jesuits of the 18th century. The tiny airport with daily flights from Manila is right in the centre of town so there are no high rise buildings here, it is all very local and quite charming. You can also reach Bohol via two hour ferry from Cebu, which you can fly into internationally from Hong Kong and Singapore and they are currently building a new airport on Panglao which will open up international flights in the coming years. The ferry is quite basic but you’ll have a seat in business class on the upper deck which is perfectly comfortable. There are also regular flights to and from Manila.

Bohol also has some of the best beaches in the country, its coastline dotted with islands including Panglao, Cabilao, Mahinay and Lapinin which are excellent dive spots. Most visitors will stay on the nearby island of Panglao, connected to Bohol by a bridge, with gorgeous whiter than white beaches, clear turquoise seas and lively nightlife at Alona Beach with local bars and restaurants located right on the sand. Base yourself here for days of relaxation and sun worshipping and if you can manage to tear yourself away from the blissful beaches for some adventure, then a day tour of Bohol is the ideal way to inject an element of culture and activity into your holiday.

South Palms Resort is a traditional, relatively simple resort but on the best stretch of beach, making it a definite favourite, or upgrade to the more sophisticated Amorita Resort, perched on the edge of a cliff at the very end of Alona Beach, commanding spectacular views of the ocean and overlooking the beach. An ideal retreat for luxury and seclusion but within walking distance of the local restaurants of Alona.