Best Beaches in Panglao and Bohol: 15 Beautiful Spots

You can’t fool us—one of the goals of your trip to the Philippines is to discover those postcard-perfect beaches you’ve seen online, right? If you’re planning to stop on the island famous for the Chocolate Hills, you’re in luck, as you’ll find some excellent beaches in Bohol and Panglao.

Although beaches aren’t the only reason to visit the island (since, in our opinion, you won’t find the very best beaches in the Philippines here), there are gorgeous stretches of white sand dotted with palm trees and lapped by turquoise waters that you’ll love. After several visits and some very tough research—note the irony—we’re ready to show you the best beaches in Panglao and Bohol, so you can get straight to the good stuff.

What the beaches in Bohol and Panglao are like

By now, having visited hundreds of beaches in the Philippines and in other countries famous for their beautiful beaches (Maldives, Thailand, Cuba, Mexico…), we’ve earned the unofficial title of international beach connoisseurs. With all that experience, we can tell you that, while Bohol may not have the best beaches in the world, it does have some excellent ones that make it a wonderfully well-rounded destination.

Along with visiting Bohol’s waterfalls, the famous Chocolate Hills, tarsier sanctuaries, and rice fields, and diving or snorkeling around Balicasag, Panglao, Napaling, or Pamilacan, you’ll also have plenty of time to relax on these beautiful beaches.

The catch is that even the best beaches in Panglao and Bohol aren’t always ideal for swimming. Because they’re quite shallow, when the tide is low you may have to wade a long way out before the water is deep enough for a swim. That means the water at the shoreline is often quite warm and swimming isn’t always particularly refreshing. Still, on the bright side, if you like sitting in calm, shallow water and chatting with your travel companion, Bohol’s beaches are perfect for that. If you’re traveling with children, these beaches are also a great choice for families, as the shallow water generally makes swimming safer.

That’s why it’s a good idea to check the tide times. We usually wait for high tide, but remember, tide times change throughout the lunar cycle.

Note that if you wade or swim farther out at these beaches, the water can become much deeper very quickly. In many cases, this is where the reef begins and the seabed drops to depths of more than 40 meters. That’s why it’s worth bringing your mask and snorkel. Snorkeling in Panglao and Anda is often incredible.

Most beaches in Panglao and Bohol also have palm trees and vegetation that provide plenty of shade. Besides making the beaches prettier, this shade makes them much more comfortable places to spend the day, since you won’t have to work quite so hard to avoid getting scorched. Believe us, that’s very important in the Philippines, as the sun is especially intense this close to the equator.

Unfortunately, less touristy beaches without a resort to maintain them are often littered. It’s a shame, but this is an issue across the Philippines and, in general, all of Southeast Asia (and the world). In most cases, the litter on the beaches comes directly from the sea and gets washed up on the sand, especially around high tide. If you want to help, there’s an organization called Plastic Free Bohol that organizes beach cleanups you can join almost every week. If there isn’t a cleanup taking place during your visit, spending even five minutes picking up litter around you helps keep Bohol’s beaches cleaner and, most importantly, may encourage others to do the same.

Remember we’re talking about nature: beach conditions can change quickly. In a matter of hours or days, there may be more waves or seaweed, and the water may be clearer or rougher… Of course, personal preferences and individual experiences also come into play. We’ve selected what we think are the best beaches in Panglao and Bohol and we hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

A tip from one traveler to another: try to avoid visiting the beaches of Panglao and Bohol on weekends, since, as you can imagine, they tend to get busy with local families and visitors from elsewhere in the Philippines enjoying a day at the beach.

Map of the best beaches in Bohol and Panglao, plus nearby places to stay

Best beaches in Panglao

The best beaches in Panglao are concentrated along the southern coast of this small island, which is connected to Bohol by two bridges. Even so, you’ll also find interesting places in the north.

The easiest way to explore them is to rent a motorbike through your hotel or from one of the rental shops around Alona Beach. The area around Alona Beach is usually the cheapest and easiest place to arrange one, with rentals costing around 350 pesos per day. If you don’t ride a motorbike, don’t worry—you can get almost anywhere by tricycle (you’ll have to negotiate) or habal-habal (motorbike taxis; the stand is near the Twin Tides hotel).

Below you’ll find the best beaches in Panglao, ranked from our favorite to our least favorite:

1. Dumaluan Beach, the most beautiful beach in Panglao

This is, without a doubt, the best beach in Panglao. So if you’re short on time and can only choose one, we’d suggest going straight to this one.

It’s a huge, clean strip of white sand lapped by crystal-clear waters. The prettiest stretch is in front of the luxury resorts Oceanica Resort Panglao and Bohol Beach Club. The resorts keep this stretch beautifully maintained, with rows of slender palm trees, so you’ll probably want to spread out your towel there, but be warned: at the latter, staff may try to move you along almost immediately. Although, for obvious reasons, you can’t use the resorts’ private facilities, you should know that Philippine beaches are public, so you’re free to sit on any unoccupied part of the beach.

In fact, Dumaluan Beach is 3 kilometers long. Although its name changes as you move east (White Beach and Libaong Beach), it is one continuous stretch of sand. That said, the most beautiful part is at the western end—the area we refer to as Dumaluan Beach.

Unlike Alona, which we’ll discuss next, Dumaluan doesn’t have many restaurants or bars. Even so, DBR Grill has everything you need for a casual beach meal. We mention it in Where to eat in Bohol, and it serves traditional Filipino dishes, including grilled meat and fish. You’ll also find cold drinks and smoothies to quench your thirst after a long day at the beach.

Don’t forget to bring your snorkeling mask! Although you’ll have to wade and swim a fair distance, you’ll find some beautiful reefs offshore from Bohol Beach Club. There are loads of starfish and clownfish. Please remember that handling starfish or taking them out of the water can kill them.

How to get to Dumaluan Beach: although it’s a free beach, the most direct routes to Dumaluan Beach pass through the resorts, which may charge an access fee. If you don’t want to pay, you can park your motorbike near one of the access points to White Beach or Libaong Beach (free) and walk to Dumaluan, which will take about 15–20 minutes. If you don’t want to walk, the cheapest option is to park at Dumaluan Semi Public Resort (DBR) and pay a 20-peso parking fee for your motorbike and 100 pesos per person. This gives you access to the beach as well as bathrooms, showers, and changing rooms. If you come by tricycle or habal-habal, tell them to drop you at DBR and you’ll only need to pay the entrance fee.

Another idea is to go to Oceanica Resort and buy a day pass. The cheapest option costs 500 pesos per person, and the full amount can be used toward food and drinks. The resort also offers happy hour from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The other option costs 888 pesos per person, but the fee cannot be used toward food or drinks. From 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., you can use the pools, gym, tennis court, and front-row loungers or beanbags, with 30 minutes of kayaking or paddleboarding included.

Places to stay in Dumaluan Beach: Oceanica Resort and Bohol Beach Club.

2. Alona Beach, Panglao’s most famous beach

You’re likely to visit Alona Beach at some point during your trip to Bohol, since it’s Panglao’s most famous beach and also one of the best-known in the Philippines. Although it has been popular for decades, we’ve unfortunately watched it become increasingly developed and crowded over the years. Here you’ll find lots of hotels, bars, and restaurants, as well as operators offering water sports (jet skiing, water-skiing, parasailing…) and diving trips. It even has a 7-ELEVEN now.

Most diving and snorkeling trips to Balicasag, Pamilacan, and other dive sites around Panglao depart from Alona. For us, it’s undoubtedly one of the best places to take a diving course in the Philippines.

As a result, it’s one of the busiest tourist beaches in Panglao and one of the best known in the country. Expect some vendors to approach you with offers of tours and souvenirs. Even so, with a bit of patience, it shouldn’t become too much of a nuisance.

Alona Beach is about 800 meters long, so it won’t even take 10 minutes to walk from end to end. Although it’s also shallow and affected by the tides, you can usually swim at almost any time of day.

Since hotels and restaurants were built very close to the shoreline and the beach has become noticeably narrower due to coastal erosion, in many parts there’s hardly any space left to lay your towel. That’s why we recommend not judging it too quickly and walking toward either end of the beach.

If you walk toward the eastern end, you can enjoy the widest section, in front of the Henann Resort. If you walk toward the western end, in front of the Blue Ocean Bohol Beachfront Resort, you’ll also find a quieter stretch. There, you’ll see a rocky section with a set of stairs. If you keep going, you’ll reach Kaipayan Beach Bay, a small beach that few visitors know about and that we also recommend visiting.

By the way, when the sun goes down, Alona’s restaurants usually bring out their grills. Live music is common on weekends and, although there are bars, nightlife on Alona Beach is fairly laid-back. It’s a pleasant place to linger over a beer until 1:00 or 2:00 a.m., but don’t expect an all-night party resort.

Places to stay in Alona Beach: La Sirenita Resort (read about our stay here) and Henann Resort Alona Beach.

3. Libaong White Beach

As we mentioned, Dumaluan is actually one section of a continuous beach stretching for just over 3 kilometers. White Beach is the middle section, while Libaong is the eastern end and our second favorite after Dumaluan.

Here, too, you’ll find palm trees, white sand, and clear water. If you visit between Monday and Thursday, it’s rare to see many people. On weekends, however, there are a couple of bars where Filipinos spend the whole day eating, drinking, and enjoying the beach with their families. It’s a great opportunity to experience the lively local atmosphere.

As elsewhere along this part of Panglao, it’s well worth bringing your snorkeling gear, as the reef here is beautiful. In fact, some of the island’s best dive sites are located right here.

There are also a few hotels on Libaong Beach, but they’re much simpler than those in Dumaluan and therefore cheaper. So if you want to stay right by the beach without spending much, this is the spot.

Places to stay in Libaong Beach: Amarela Resort and Aramara Resort.

4. Talisay Beach

This was one of our favorite discoveries while exploring Panglao’s beaches! Although it has its own name, it is actually a small section at the eastern end of Doljo Beach.

Smaller and much more secluded than neighboring Doljo Beach, yet even more photogenic and lined with palm trees, this is a great choice if you’re looking for peace and quiet. You may well have the beach entirely to yourself, without any vendors approaching you, and although the water is also quite shallow, you can enjoy a peaceful soak or swim in calm water.

Bring water and some food, as there are no shops, restaurants, or hotels nearby.

Places to stay in Talisay Beach: Lindstrom’s Inn.

5. Momo Beach, a Panglao beach with great snorkeling

Continuing along Panglao’s northern coast, we recommend this pretty, 500-meter-long beach. Although it isn’t particularly well maintained and there may be some litter and quite a few boats, we think it’s a lovely place to relax and enjoy some snorkeling. The reef is colorful and you can sometimes spot a turtle or two.

As the water here is also very shallow, it’s best to visit at high tide.

Places to stay near Momo Beach: Mario Dive Resort and Panglao Moravian Apartments.

6. Doljo Beach

Although we wouldn’t rank it among the best beaches in Panglao, Doljo, with its 1.6-kilometer stretch of white sand, is still worth visiting. The downside is that, outside the resort areas, the beach is often poorly maintained and littered with plastic.

From experience, the easiest way to access this beach is through the grounds of the enormous The Bellevue Resort. Don’t worry—you can park in the lot and you won’t be charged an entrance fee or required to buy anything. Also, as long as you don’t use the resort’s sun loungers, you should be able to enjoy the beach without any issues because, remember, beaches in the Philippines are public.

Heads up: if you fancy a beer, keep in mind that the resort bar charges some of the highest prices we’ve seen in the Philippines—180 pesos for a San Miguel!

Although you won’t see the sun sink directly into the sea from here, Doljo Beach is a beautiful place to watch the sunset, as the sky often turns different shades of pink.

Places to stay in Doljo Beach: The Bellevue Resort and Homaja Beach Resort.

7. Bikini Beach

This roughly 500-meter-long beach is a favorite among local residents, so it’s not unusual to see them enjoying the crystal-clear water, especially late in the afternoon. It’s a slightly odd beach because a retaining wall has made it somewhat narrower, but it still has white sand and some rock formations that give it plenty of character.

Be very careful when entering the sea, as there are some rocks along the shore.

Places to stay near Bikini Beach: The Mayana Resort.

8. Danao Beach, the best beach in Panglao for sunset

This is the westernmost beach on Panglao’s southern coast. Although it isn’t one of the island’s prettiest beaches, it deserves a place on this list for one reason: it’s the best place to watch the sunset.

Although it’s often quite full of boats and not very clean, the sunsets here are incredible, as are those at North Zen Villas. The sun sets near Balicasag Island and, if it’s not too cloudy, the colors are stunning.

The bar at Linaw Beach Resort serves reasonably priced drinks, making it an ideal place to cool off and enjoy the view.

Places to stay in Danao Beach: Pahiluna Guesthouse and Linaw Beach Resort.

9. San Pedro Beach or Panglao Beach

This is a small beach in the north of the island that is rarely visited by tourists. At only about 200 meters long, this beach is best visited at high tide because otherwise much of the exposed seabed can look muddy.

Places to stay in San Pedro Beach: Mithi Resort and Spa and Natura Vista.

Best beaches in Bohol (Anda)

The best beaches in Bohol are, without a doubt, found in the Anda area. Near Jagna, where boats to Camiguin depart, you’ll find a reasonably attractive beach called Can-uba Beach, which is made up almost entirely of white pebbles. However, we don’t think it’s worth stopping in that part of the island unless you’re already passing through. If you want an even more relaxed beach retreat than Panglao, in Anda you’ll find several beautiful beaches, including those listed below.

1. Quinale Beach

Known locally as “Little Boracay,” Quinale Beach is the main beach in the town of Anda and, in our opinion, one of the best beaches in Bohol.

This vast, 3-kilometer stretch of white sand is usually very quiet from Monday to Thursday (unless it’s a holiday) and is perfect for relaxing and gazing out at the sea. The small, government-run Quinale Beach Bar also has several photogenic huts that visitors can use free of charge. This means you won’t need to be a hotel guest to find a shady place to sit.

If you stay overnight in Anda—which we highly recommend—make sure you also visit after dark. You can dine with your feet in the sand, as both Old Castle and Quinale Beach Bar serve food in the evening.

Places to stay in Quinale Beach: Old Castle and Zenith Inn & Resto Bar.

2. White Beach

Just as beautiful as Quinale but considerably quieter, White Beach is one of the best beaches in Bohol. As its name suggests, this vast white-sand beach is home to several resorts, so it’s usually well kept and is a lovely place to spend the day in the shade of a palm tree. Try to go at high tide, which is when you’ll see it at its best.

Two of Anda’s best resorts are located here, making this a great area to stay in. Imagine waking up to one of Bohol’s most beautiful coastal views. Paradise!

Places to stay in White Beach: Three Little Birds Resort and Anda White Beach Resort.

3. Talisay Beach

Talisay Beach lies between Quinale Beach and White Beach, so it is very similar to the two beaches mentioned above. There are no resorts here and, since the nearest attraction (Cabagnow Cave Pool) has been closed for months now, few travelers visit. Local fishermen use much of the beach to moor their boats, so it may not be quite as picturesque as the neighboring beaches.

If the tide is low, you can walk to Talisay Beach from Quinale Beach.

Places to stay near Talisay Beach: Rd Bed and Breakfast.

4. Bituon Beach

If you’re exploring Anda’s many caves (highly recommended), you’ll probably come across Combento Cave. Don’t head off too quickly—follow the path toward the sea and you’ll find this small, secluded cove framed by the limestone cliffs typical of Anda.

It’s also a wonderful place to watch the sunset.

Places to stay in Bituon Beach: 1peace guesthouse and Anda Poseidon’s Beach Resort.

5. Bas Gamay

This beach is one of Anda’s best-kept secrets—and you may have it almost entirely to yourself. It’s our favorite beach in Anda, and we’ve visited several times. Although the strip of sand is quite narrow, we recommend visiting at high tide, we think that’s part of its charm, as it’s sheltered by low limestone cliffs. Try to visit between Monday and Thursday, as local families often come here for the day on weekends, sometimes bringing their own grills.

Finding the beach can be a little tricky, but it isn’t too difficult once you know where to turn. Turn off the main road and keep following the unpaved track. You’ll pass the gates of a large resort complex (Amun Ini) and then you’ll see lots of motorbikes parked. Eventually, you’ll reach a narrow passage and a set of steps that lead you down to this beach paradise.

6. More beaches in Anda

We’ve already told you about 13 beaches in Bohol! If you’re still looking for more, west of Bituon Beach you’ll find a series of coves tucked between the cliffs that see very few visitors and are incredibly picturesque: Bugnaw Beach, Dapdap Beach, and Arthogin Beach are among the most scenic.

Also, did you know Anda has fantastic snorkeling? The reef in front of Magic Oceans Dive Resort is spectacular. You’ll need to swim a fair distance, so this spot is best suited to confident swimmers wearing fins. You’ll find incredible marine life, and turtles are frequently spotted here. If you’d prefer to reach the snorkeling spot by boat, we know a local boat operator who can take you to this and other snorkeling spots in the area. Leave us a comment and we’ll send you the details.

You can also spot plenty of turtles just offshore from Blue Star Dive Resort, and you can easily access the water via the resort’s stairs. When we visited, buying something at the resort was enough to gain access, but some travelers have told us that the resort now charges an access fee. It’s worth asking about the current access policy, as the snorkeling here is excellent.

Other beachfront hotels in Anda: Magic Oceans Dive Resort and Amun Ini Beach Resort & Spa.

Dapdap Beach

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