August August is the durian season in Davao and some make it all the way here. The rains make an occasional downpour. The Sandugo annual festival is extended. The weather is milder and electricity is cheaper. Life isn't so bad in Tagbilaran.
Sponsored by IBEX
Sponsored by IBEX
(August 25, 2023 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) Event sponsors should be promoted. I get it. But this one is particularly jaw-dropping and goes beyond ludicrous. They placed a huge company logo installation in front of the stage, blocking the performing band, to make sure the audience 'notices'. What were they thinking?
Old Airport Contol Tower
Old Airport Contol Tower
(August 12, 2023 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) The old airport is being gutted down to make room for new infrastructure. I was just wondering about this control tower. Why gut it down? Why not sell it as a residential unit with a 360-degree view? How cool is that?
Asin Tibuok
Asin Tibuok
(August 11, 2023 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) At the museum, I chanced on seeing the many layered, tedious and backbreaking processes that take place to make this artisan salt - Asin Tibuok. Price? P600/piece. Sure, that's a lot of money for salt, but when you see the process, it'll make you feel it's worth it.
The Archway
The Archway
(August 11, 2023 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) An archway serving as a metaphor for a portal leading to another reality complete with its own history, culture and customs - Tagbilaran City.
Sandugo Blood Compact: Whose Side are we On?
Sandugo Blood Compact: Whose Side are we On?
(August 11, 2023 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) Bohol takes pride in being the place where the historic Blood Compact took place. We should take pride in our Chieftain Sikatuna for representing the Filipino nation. But this painting glorifies the oppressive colonizers - Legazpi takes center stage and all the Spaniards occupy the painting. Where is Sikatuna? His back is shown...and only half of it. Are we still glorifying our colonizers?
Rim-Without-Tire Bike
Rim-Without-Tire Bike
(August 11, 2023 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) The proud boy stands by his crusty hardcore bike. He redefines "when the rubber hits the road". Where's the rubber?
Unfinished Bridge
Unfinished Bridge
(August 10, 2024 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) Politician: a corrupt public official who steals the budget from a bridge construction, leaving the bridge unfinished and abandoned...
Laundry Day
Laundry Day
(August 9, 2023 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) Sometimes, capturing the essence of the mundane becomes poetry. Take laundry day for instance. How many ways can you express this narrative?
Kape Huan
Kape Huan
(August 9, 2023 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) Kape Huan is a non-descript coffee house catering to its equally non-descript neighborhood. Despite its modest size, it manages to create art for its logo.
Motorbike Drag Race
Motorbike Drag Race
(August 8, 2023 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) A small-displacement motorbike drag race was conducted on the airstrip of the old airport. Teams came from different regions across the country. Their bikes were lean, light and fast. I was hoping they would do the "superman" like they do in Thailand, but it's not legal in the Philippines. Oh well...
Sandugo Live Music at the Old Airport
Sandugo Nightly Live Music at the Old Airport
(August 4, 2023 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) With the extension of the annual Sandugo Festival, nightly live music is still happening at the Old Airport - best deal in town. For P65/beer and meals for just over a hundred, you get open-air ambiance and live music.
The Taho Vendor
The Taho Vendor
(August 3, 2023 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) It's rare that roaming foot vendors still carry their heavy load on their backs. They can use a motorcycle or bicycle. Curious, I asked this vendor why he's still doing it the hard way. He said that on a motorbike or bicycle, the jarring 'crumbles' the one-piece texture of the taho. If it looks like shattered glass, people won't buy it. Additionally, on foot, he can go inside tight alleyways into secluded neighborhoods.
Where's the Boulevard?
Where's the Boulevard?
(August 1, 2023 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) Tagbilaran has a wide coastline but there's no boulevard where the public can promenade by the seaside. It only has dilapidated jetty-like extensions with hardly any maintenance. But somehow, the city's politicians have money to destroy good roads instead of developing a boulevard.
Ending Thoughts The 'ber' months are fast approaching and Christmas creeps in the air. The weather becomes cooler and festivities are just around the corner.
(September 4, 2024) This is a zombie film but unlike the typical B-movie cheap horror jump-scares, this is a serious film drawing deep down into the human condition of loss, separation, loneliness and survival...more »»
(September 1-31, 2024) With September, the 'ber' months are upon us. Department stores started displaying Christmas decors and the weather is a little cooler. This month also ended the 2-month Sandugo Festival....more »»
More on Tagbilaran:
Tagbilaran Map
Tagbilaran Local Info
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Tagbilaran to Cebu by Boat
Lite Ferries (Roro) (updated Jan 25, 2025) info from website, Economy P370, 4 - 5 hours, daily, departs 12 noon and 12 midnight, but info is inconsistent with online booking, website and office info. Best to double check.
As a Roro, you can load your motorbike or car, no Senior Citizen discount for online ticket purchase
Ocean Jet - 2 hours, departs 10:40 am, arrives 12:40 pm, Pier 1 Cebu. Ocean Jet is NOT folding bike friendly - it charges on a per kilo basis. My folding bike amounted to P500 extra.
Chelsea Starlite Ferries Inc. - MV Starlite Pioneer (CARGO-PAX), 5 hours, P400/P670, Sun, Tue, 1 am,
Can-umantad Falls - long narrow drop until it hits a bulbous mound spreading it into a a curtain-like water canopy and down into a splash pool
Canawa Cold Spring - deep refreshing cold spring with developed pool area
Firefly Tour - evening boat ride into the river to watch fireflies
hotel
Fox & The Firefly Cottages - SUP paddle boarding, luxury riverside native cottages, mountain bike tours, SUP yoga
Baranggay Valladolid, Loboc, Bohol
Bohol Tropics Resort - seafront location, manicured surroundings, swimming pool, resto/bar
0133 Graham Avenue, Brgy. Cogon, Tagbilaran, Bohol 6300
Oasis Resort - Alona Beach location, dive center, resto / bar
Alona Beach, Panglao, Bohol
yoga
Jing Yoga - health & well being through yoga
The Courtyard - Airport Road fronting the church
Bohol Meditation and Yoga Center - 2nd Floor Lim Magtajas Bldg. CPG Avenue
Bohol Travel Info/Tips
Bohol FYI / Tips
the tourist area where most of the hotels, restaurants, ticket offices, tour operators are, is located within the Alona Beach area
the tourist attractions in Bohol are far apart and spread-out. It would be difficult to visit them all using public mass transit. Better hire a van (P3500/day) if in a big group, or rent a motorcycle (P400/day + gas)
Bohol relies on its tourism for revenue. As expected, everything they can capitalize on from tourism is extensively used and developed
Tagbilaran Port to Panglao
You can charter any tricycle from the port all the way to Panglao (~P300), but if you want to do it on the cheap,
don't take the tricycles lined-up inside the port. Walk past the port gate and immediately outside, you'll see many tricycles. Take one to the bus terminal in Dao (~P15)
in Dao, take the jeep that plies the Panglao route (~P20)
Tagbilaran (Bohol) to Cebu City by boat
** schedules and rates keep changing, call for latest schedule
Weesam Express - departs 6:15 AM, 11:30 AM, 4:00 PM
one way: Economy (aircon) P500.00, Economy (non-aircon) P400.00, First Class P600.00
round trip promo (at least 2 days advance booking): Economy (aircon) P600, Economy(non-aircon) P500, First Class P1200
round trip promo (1 day or on the day booking): Economy (aircon) P800, Economy (non-aircon) P700, First Class P1200
Ocean Jet - departs 6-7:05-8:20-9:20-10:40-11:40AM, 1-2-3:30-4:20-5:30-6:30PM, 2 hours, arrives Pier 1 in Cebu
Open Air / Tourist Class P800, Business Class P1000
+63(32)255 7560 / +63 (32) 255 0115 / 0917 638 0000
SuperCat (2GO) - departs 5:50-11AM, 3:45-5:25-8:15PM, arrives Pier 1 in Cebu
P 500.00
+63 32 233 7000
Things to do, Places to go in Bohol
Chocolate Hills - this is a clustering of more than 1200 hills within a 50km2 area. They range in height from 30-50 meters. What's unusual is their near-perfect conical shape resembling an individual chocolate chip. No one knows how they were formed. Entrance is P50/pax.
Tarsier Conservation Area - located Upper Bonbon, Loboc. The tarsiers are no longer being played at by tourists as circus props, but instead, visitors now view them in cordoned-off areas in their natural 6ha habitat. As they are territorial and nocturnal, they are predictable on where they can be viewed. P50/pax.
Alona Beach (Panglao) - Alona Beach is the tourist hub of Bohol. It has 1.5 kms of white sand beach lined-up by bars, hotels and restos. Alona is also the jump-off point for Balicasag Island, a world class dive destination.
Danao Adventure Park - located in Barangay Magtangtang, 72 kms (2 hours ride) from Tagbilaran. Adventure activities include river trekking, tyrolean traverse, rappelling, bouldering, rock climbing and ziplining.