Bohol Philippines Dayhikes

Like so much of the Philippines, the island of Bohol is full of beautiful tropical jungle and old Spanish-era churches and lots of interesting wildlife. There don’t seem to be established long-distance trekking routes across the island, but around the popular tourist centers there certainly exist a couple of options for day hikes to keep you busy if you have a few spare afternoons on the island and want to get into the natural beauty a bit. Here are some of the best Bohol Philippines dayhiking options:

Seeing Tarsiers

One of the most common reasons tourists visit the island of Bohol is to see the famous tiny primate that lives in the jungles there. The tarsiers are equally parts creepy and cute, but importantly are also nocturnal so unless you take a night hike you will mostly only see them sleeping on tree branches throughout the day. While many visitors will opt to visit the Loboc Tarsier Sanctuary, this is actually not the best option if you want your tourism Pesos to contribute to tarsier conservation. Instead, head over to Corella and the Tarsier Foundation. The cost is the same (50 Pesos) but they have a much more natural environment for their tarsiers and a visit includes lots of information as well about the species.

A visit here is less a hike and more a quiet walk through the woods, but those interested in nature will usually appreciate the chance to see a tarsier up close as well.

Hiking Above Bohol

Another good dayhike options winds from the little town of Loboc uphill a way to a large hilltop cemetery. From Loboc, look for the gigantic cross above the town and just head uphill towards there. On the way you will see several farms where birds are raised for cock fighting, and at the top from the area where the cross is the view is incredible.

Adventure in Bohol

To get into some really interesting outdoor pursuits, stuff like whitewater rafting or adventure trekking or free-fall sorts of adventure, check out the Danao Adventure Park in the north of Bohol. This is a bit out of the way for independent travelers, but groups especially should enjoy the combination of adventure activities and easy dayhikes from their main campus. If you show up with your own camping gear, you can actually pitch your tent here for 25 pesos/ person. Check out their website for more info.

Bird Watching in Bohol

Finally, for birders, the Rajah Sikatuna National Park is a good place to look out for. Accessible by bus from Tagbiliran (get off at Talibon), this national park has lots of wildlife like monkeys and bats as well as quite a few natural caves and a bamboo bridge for those looking for a bit of adventure. Once again, the trails here are not really set up to enable multiday hiking trips but for a dayhike will be fine.

Practical Info for Traveling in Bohol

Public transportation is usually available via the popular jeepney or bigger (but slower) busses. If you’re short on time or patience, though, something like this Bohol Countryside Tour can make the logistics a lot easier for only a little more expensive.

Tagbilaran is the main city in Bohol, but mostly you will want to pass straight through here. As a base for dayhikes, the town of Loboc is probably ideal and not very far from Tagbiliaran. Check out the Paddles Up Guesthouse especially. Located right on the river and with dorm beds available from $8 US, this is one of the most interesting places to stay anywhere in Bohol. If price is your main concern, though, the Bohol Guesthouse in the main village area of Loboc is slightly cheaper. Several of these guesthouses can rent motorbikes to travelers to get around the island for a day or two. Do so if you’re comfortable, but make sure to wear a helmet as some of the roads get quite rough!