{"id":11353,"date":"2019-04-21T11:12:35","date_gmt":"2019-04-21T03:12:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/?p=11353"},"modified":"2019-06-21T10:35:06","modified_gmt":"2019-06-21T02:35:06","slug":"bohol-island-hopping-a-guide-to-diving-sites-and-must-see-spots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/2019\/04\/21\/bohol-island-hopping-a-guide-to-diving-sites-and-must-see-spots\/","title":{"rendered":"Bohol Island Hopping: A Guide To Diving Sites and Must-See Spots"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Whenever Bohol comes to mind, the first things\u00a0we are usually reminded of it are Chocolate Hills and the tarsiers. But did you know that there&#8217;s more to the island than these two?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Gaining attention for its clear waters and vibrant marine life, <strong>Bohol<\/strong>\u00a0in the Visayas region\u00a0is now one of the hottest tourist destinations in the Philippines. Tourists, divers, and snorkelers\u00a0have come to the island to discover its unspoiled tropical beauty\u00a0underwater.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">If you&#8217;ve already seen its natural sceneries by land, why not explore its\u00a0islands, this time? If you&#8217;re planning to go to Bohol province this summer, here&#8217;s a\u00a0recommended island hopping guide for you!<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10846\" src=\"http:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/VirginIsland_05.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/VirginIsland_05.jpg 800w, https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/VirginIsland_05-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/VirginIsland_05-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><em><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">Virgin Island in Bohol<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You\u00a0may arrange your island hopping tours before or after you arrive on the island. However,\u00a0we recommend that you have the tour arranged already prior to your arrival to ensure that your trip will be hassle-free. Hotels and travel agencies in Bohol usually have island hopping tours, so make sure you research which best fit your budget.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Island hopping tours usually take\u00a0<strong>six to seven hours<\/strong>, but it varies depending on the time you spend for each stop. Most tours start at <strong>6 a.m. with dolphin\u00a0watching.<\/strong>\u00a0Keep in mind that dolphin sightings are not always guaranteed, so it&#8217;s best to coordinate with your tour guides\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">regarding the best time to go dolphin watching.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\"><b>Balicasag Island<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10833\" src=\"http:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/BalicasagIsland_02.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/BalicasagIsland_02.jpg 800w, https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/BalicasagIsland_02-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/BalicasagIsland_02-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><em><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">Balicasag Island is a popular stop for snorkelers and divers alike!\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Your first stop\u00a0for the island hopping tour is <\/span><b>Balicasag Island<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Located 40 minutes away from Panglao, this island is a haven for experienced and beginner divers for its thriving marine life. Balicasag is also home to at least six dive sites including:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Black Forest<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> &#8211; a 40-meter dive spot\u00a0named after the black corals scattered in the area. You&#8217;ll find schools of barracudas and eels among others at this dive spot.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Turtle Point<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> &#8211; you\u2019ll find sea turtles <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">in this dive spot.\u00a0There&#8217;s an underwater cave that runs 60 to 75 meters deep, which is why it is a site for more experienced divers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Royal Garden<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> &#8211; from sea turtles to colorful corals, this dive spot is one of Balicasag\u2019s most popular in terms of marine life.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For those who aren\u2019t into diving, don\u2019t worry, as you can also snorkel on the island. This way, you can still enjoy the beautiful marine life without going too deep into the sea. While it\u2019s recommended that you bring your own snorkeling gear such as masks and snorkels, you\u00a0may also rent\u00a0gears from boatmen\u00a0at\u00a0<\/span><b>Php 150\u00a0<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">for each item.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10835\" src=\"http:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/BalicasagIsland_01.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/BalicasagIsland_01.jpg 800w, https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/BalicasagIsland_01-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/BalicasagIsland_01-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><em><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">Smaller boats will take you to and from your tour boat and the island after you&#8217;ve gone snorkeling or diving<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">When you go snorkeling or diving,\u00a0small boats owned by locals (accredited by tour agencies) will be\u00a0your ride to the dive sites. Don&#8217;t hesitate to ask them where the best spots are to make the most of your underwater experience. The guides are also adept with handling underwater cameras and GoPros, and will gladly take your photo or videos for you.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11396\" src=\"http:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/07\/Alona_04.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/07\/Alona_04.jpg 800w, https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/07\/Alona_04-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/07\/Alona_04-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10834\" src=\"http:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/BalicasagIsland_03.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/BalicasagIsland_03.jpg 800w, https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/BalicasagIsland_03-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/BalicasagIsland_03-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><em><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">From your boat, a smaller one will fetch you to take you to the dive or snorkeling spot. You&#8217;re going to have to swim to make the transfer though!\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">After snorkeling or diving, you can\u00a0take a quick break at the island itself to freshen up before continuing your tour. You may also have your lunch on the island, too. You may buy your own ingredients and\u00a0locals will cook it for you (&#8220;<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">paluto,&#8221; in Filipino),\u00a0<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">which costs around <\/span><b>Php 300.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Also Read: <\/span><\/i><a href=\"http:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/2017\/07\/12\/balicasag-island-snorkeling-and-swimming-in-bohol\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Balicasag Island in Panglao is One of Bohol\u2019s Best Snorkeling and Diving Spots<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\"><b>Virgin Island<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Virgin Island is one of Bohol&#8217;s most iconic island destinations, and for good reason as well! <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Boats usually dock on this island after touring Balicasag Island. Its scenic view would remind you of what you would usually see in movies.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10843\" src=\"http:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/VirginIsland_03.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/VirginIsland_03.jpg 800w, https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/VirginIsland_03-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/VirginIsland_03-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><em><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">Mangrove trees on Bohol&#8217;s Virgin Island<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There are mangrove trees on planted on the island where fish live in.\u00a0You may walk across the island&#8217;s shallow water during low tide and admire the crystal clear waters. There are colorful starfishes scattered in the water to see, too! (just make sure not to touch them).<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11374\" src=\"http:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/04\/VirginIsland_001.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/04\/VirginIsland_001.jpg 800w, https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/04\/VirginIsland_001-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/04\/VirginIsland_001-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><em><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">Keep an eye out for starfish as you walk through Virgin Island. Just be careful to not step on them or touch them!\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt\"><b>Isola di Francisco<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Isola di Francisco is part of the Virgin Island where you can relax and have a little bit of quiet time after the tour. This part of the island is\u00a0an ideal place for reflection as it&#8217;s quite hushed and even when there are\u00a0tourists on the island, the island doesn\u2019t get that crowded.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On the island, you&#8217;ll be greeted by a statue of St. Pio of Pietrelcina. Walk a little further and you&#8217;ll find a small museum on the island that displays natural objects that depict the beauty of God&#8217;s creations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"534\" height=\"800\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10845\" src=\"http:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/VirginIsland_04.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/VirginIsland_04.jpg 534w, https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/VirginIsland_04-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 534px) 100vw, 534px\" \/><em><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">The\u00a0statue of\u00a0St. Pio of Pietrelcina on Isola di Francisco<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">In the waters\u00a0of the island, you&#8217;ll also find statues that depict a scene from the Bible&#8217;s New Testament, particularly in the Gospel of Matthew where Jesus Christ pulls Peter out of the sea after the disciple attempted to follow after Christ who was walking on the water.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11373\" src=\"http:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/04\/Isola_01.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/04\/Isola_01.jpg 800w, https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/04\/Isola_01-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/04\/Isola_01-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><em><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">Statues that depict Jesus Christ saving Peter from the water<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There&#8217;s a one-hectare long sandbar on the island which feels much like a tropical paradise. You can walk to the end of the sandbar\u00a0too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10841\" src=\"http:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/VirginIsland_01.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/VirginIsland_01.jpg 800w, https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/VirginIsland_01-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/03\/VirginIsland_01-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\"><em>The one-hectare long Sandbar that&#8217;s perfect for your Instagram feed!\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Virgin Island and Isola di Francisco\u00a0are a 10-minute boat ride away from Panglao Island and are usually the last stop on island hopping tours.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Free shuttle services going to and from the island at Panglao Port are available. Just make sure that you get your name listed early. They start accepting passengers by 9 a.m. This shuttle service is available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with their last call going back to Panglao Port at 3 p.m. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Also Read: <\/span><\/i><a href=\"http:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/2015\/05\/08\/virgin-island-bohols-well-kept-secret\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Virgin Island in Panglao is One of Bohol\u2019s Most Picturesque Views<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Island hopping is definitely something that you should consider adding to your itinerary when\u00a0going to Bohol. It will surely make your experience on the island a lot more exciting, making your trip to Bohol\u00a0lovelier and more memorable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><em>For tours around Bohol, you can contact Bohol Tours and Nature\u2019s Wonder Travel &amp; Tours, they are a Tagbilaran City-based travel agency who can assist you in your adventures on the island. You may contact them through boholtourismphilippines@gmail.com, you may also visit their website at boholtourism.com.ph. You may also contact them at 038-422-8321 \/ 0926-750-4755.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bohol is home to crystal clear waters and a thriving marine ecosystem that you can see for yourselves when you go island hopping.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":10837,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55,342,2237],"tags":[158,2126,2127,2137],"class_list":["post-11353","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bohol","category-travel-guide","category-bohol-spot-2019","tag-bohol","tag-bohol-island-hopping","tag-island-hopping-guide","tag-island-hopping"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11353","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11353"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11353\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11412,"href":"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11353\/revisions\/11412"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10837"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11353"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11353"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11353"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}