How to get to Loboc

If you’re looking for how to get to Loboc because you want to discover one of the most beautiful parts to see in Bohol, we’re going to tell you everything here. Whether you’re planning a day trip from Panglao (Alona or nearby) or Tagbilaran or you’re going to stay there for one or several nights, we’ll describe in full detail the different options you have.

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Where is Loboc

Loboc is, so to speak, the heart of the island of Bohol, one of the largest islands in the Philippines, located in the Visayas region. Tagbilaran is Bohol’s capital and ferries from Cebu arrive here, so it will be the most convenient if you’re coming from here or from many other Philippine islands. Specifically, Loboc is about 30 kilometers from Tagbilaran.

Meanwhile, the only airport in the area is on the neighboring island of Panglao, connected to Bohol by a couple of bridges. This will serve you to reach Loboc if you decide to come by plane; it is about 40 kilometers away.

The island of Bohol also has several ports that may suit you: Tubigon, Getafe, Ubay and Jagna. The latter is increasingly frequented, as many travelers take the route between Camiguin and Bohol. On this map you can understand everything a bit better:

How to get to Loboc from Alona Beach (Panglao)

If you’re already in lively Panglao (from where you can do the fabulous snorkeling trip to Balicasag or, even better, go diving) it won’t be very difficult to get to Loboc. You have the following alternatives:

Hire a private transfer to get to Loboc: you can get a car with a driver or a tricycle and it will take about 45 minutes to do the route. The price will depend on the vehicle and your negotiation skills, but you should estimate between 1.000 and 1.600 pesos. If you want it for the whole day, returning to Alona and visiting waterfalls and the Chocolate Hills, consider around 2.500 pesos. In the Alona area you’ll find plenty of agencies and people offering it, but, if you want, we can also give you a trusted contact if you write us a comment. We even have a tricycle driver who recently did it for 1.000 pesos.
By public transport: next to the McDonald’s at Alona Beach there are buses to Tagbilaran’s DAO Terminal, the main bus station in Bohol. They cost around 80 pesos and the journey takes about 45 minutes. They operate roughly from 7h to 19h; we don’t know the exact timetable, but frequencies are roughly every 30–45 minutes. There are jeepneys that cost 25–30 pesos, but they are less comfortable and slower. Afterwards, you can take a jeepney, bus or van to Loboc. The trip takes between 45 minutes and an hour (more if it’s a jeepney) and prices range between 50 and 100 pesos.
Intermediate option: if you want to save some time, you can negotiate a tricycle to the DAO Terminal, something that should cost you about 300 pesos, and from there take public transport to Loboc.
On a motorbike: if you’re going to go to Loboc for the day and return or if you don’t have much luggage and you’re going to do a multi-day route by motorbike, you can do the scenic ride to Loboc on your own. This will take you between 45 minutes and an hour. Motorbikes can be rented in Alona for 300–350 pesos per day, depending on the time you take it for. We usually do it at this place. The road is completely paved and in good condition, but please wear a helmet and drive carefully as you don’t know if an animal or person is going to cross your path, especially when it gets dark. You have more information on this in our article Rent a motorbike in the Philippines.

How to get to Loboc from Tagbilaran

In the island’s capital you’ll find its main port, as well as the largest bus station: the DAO Terminal. If you’re looking for how to get to Loboc from Tagbilaran, you have these options:

By car with driver or tricycle: it will be the fastest or most comfortable. You should estimate between 700 and 1.000 pesos and roughly 45 minutes of travel. If you want, we can give you a tricycle contact for 600 pesos.
By public transport: if you’ve arrived at the port, take any tricycle to the DAO Terminal, something that shouldn’t cost you more than 30 pesos per person. Then take any bus, jeepney or van to Loboc. They cost between 50 and 100 pesos and the trip takes between 45 minutes and an hour.
On a motorbike: upon leaving the port you’ll see lots of places to rent a motorbike, something around 300–350 pesos per day. The road is paved and you’ll be able to get there without a problem in about 45 minutes.

How to get to Loboc from Anda

With plenty of things to do in Anda and very untouristy corners, more and more travelers decide to head to this side of the island. You can get to Loboc from Anda in the following ways:

By car with driver: it’s the fastest and most comfortable, but also the priciest. Those who don’t have much time can go from Anda to Panglao via Loboc and the Chocolate Hills in a day and thus get a more complete overview of Bohol. Calculate that, without visiting anything extra, going from Anda to Loboc will cost about 2.500; if the second option sounds good, estimate 3.500. By tricycle, the route is around 1.500 pesos. You can leave us a comment and we’ll give you a contact we trust.
By public transport: you can take any bus or van from Anda market to Loay and then any that passes at that intersection toward Loboc (2 hours, about 150 pesos). The schedules of the former are a bit erratic, so it’s a good idea to stop by the day before to ask so you don’t spend a long time waiting. If you get desperate, you can also take a motorela to the junction of the Anda road with the main road (around 200 pesos) and then wait for any bus to Loay and then another to get to Loboc.
On a motorbike: it seems like a real slog to us, but many travelers choose this and take the opportunity to visit some of Bohol’s most beautiful waterfalls (Pahangog falls). Estimate roughly 2.5 hours and that the rental cost is around 350 pesos per day. We also have a contact to give you.

How to get to Loboc from Panglao Airport

Located in Panglao and receiving direct flights mainly from Manila and El Nido and with a layover from many other places, you can get to Loboc from Bohol-Panglao Airport (IATA code: TAG) as follows:

Take a tricycle or car with a driver: it will be the fastest and most comfortable, but also the most expensive. Estimate between 800 and 1.500 pesos per journey. At the airport you’ll find plenty of people offering it, but we can also give you a contact.
By public transport: take the bus that goes to the DAO Terminal in Tagbilaran (80 pesos/45 minutes) and then any bus, van or jeepney to Loboc.

How to get to Loboc from other parts of Bohol

If you’re coming from Leyte because you went to visit Pintuyan or Padre Burgos, you can take in Ubay a bus heading toward Tagbilaran and get off at Loay (about 3 hours) and then take any bus toward Loboc.

If you’re considering arriving at the port of Tubigon, which is closer to the Carmen (Chocolate Hills) area, you can take a bus or van toward Carmen (about an hour/100–150 pesos) and then connect with any other that drops you in Loboc (a little over an hour). You could also negotiate a car with driver to Loboc, something that should be around 800 pesos.

How to get to Loboc from Cebu

Having explained the different options for getting to Loboc from the main points on the island of Bohol, let’s expand to other destinations that are common in itineraries around the Philippines. Perhaps the most common due to its proximity is Cebu, the country’s second most important city after Manila.

Getting to Loboc from Cebu is as easy as:

Take a ferry from Cebu to Tagbilaran: the main company operating the route is Oceanjet, which runs from 6:00 to 17:40 from Cebu’s Pier 1. The ticket is around 800–1.000 pesos per person and takes a couple of hours. You can see schedules and book from this link or from this other one (which sometimes have discounts). Afterwards, follow the steps we indicated above, in How to get to Loboc from Tagbilaran.
Take a ferry from Cebu to Tubigon: it’s a bit more economical, since this port is closer to Bohol. In addition, the port of Tubigon receives later ferries. You can see schedules and book from this link. Once in Tubigon, you can negotiate a car with driver or a tricycle to get to Loboc, or otherwise take a bus or van toward Carmen and then another toward Loboc.

How to get to Loboc from Manila

The most convenient way to get to Loboc from Manila is to search for a flight to Bohol, which land at the modern airport located on the island of Panglao (IATA code: TAG). These are operated by several airlines and, if booked in advance, can be found from 25€.

When you arrive at the airport, follow the steps we gave you above.

How to get to Loboc from Siquijor

Magical Siquijor is very close to Bohol, so many travelers visit both islands. To go to Loboc from Siquijor, you must first head to Tagbilaran. For that, you have 3 ferries:

Oceanjet: leaves every day from Siquijor Población port toward Tagbilaran at 8:20. It takes about two hours and the ticket is around 800 pesos, depending on the class. You can book the ticket from this link.
Apekoptravel: not our favorite option because they change schedules all the time and cancel if they charter the boat or it doesn’t suit them. In any case, you can check schedules and book here. These boats depart from the port of Larena, so keep in mind it will take you longer (and more money) to get there from the San Juan area, where most accommodation in Siquijor are.
Lite Ferries: operates a ro-ro ferry on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays that departs Siquijor at 19:00 and arrives in Tagbilaran at 22:00 (approximately). The ticket costs from 750 pesos and can be booked from this link.

In any case, you can read more about this route in How to get from Siquijor to Bohol.

Then follow the steps in the section How to go from Tagbilaran to Loboc.

How to get to Loboc from Camiguin

After a few days in beautiful Camiguin, you can get to Loboc like this:

Take the ferry to Jagna (Bohol): it is daily (even though their website says otherwise; it’s outdated) and it is operated by Super Shuttle from Balbagon port at 9:30. The journey takes between 3.5 and 4 hours and costs around 800 pesos. It can be booked from this link, although they put tickets on sale about 10 days in advance.
In Jagna take any bus that goes to Loay (about 1 hour/about 80 pesos) and then any other that goes to Loboc. You could also negotiate a car or tricycle, which will be around 600–800 pesos.

How to get to Loboc from other places in the Philippines

Since the possibilities for getting to Loboc from the more than 7,100 islands of the Philippines are endless, here’s a summary of what you can do from the most visited destinations:

From Malapascua: take the boat from Malapascua to Maya (45’/200 pesos) and then the bus or van to Cebu City’s North Bus Terminal (4–5 hours/250–350 pesos). You can also take a car or van that you can negotiate at the port itself or arrange in advance with our contacts (estimate 2.500–3.000 pesos). Then you can take a bus or taxi to Cebu’s port (depending on the company it will be one pier or another, but it’s usually Pier 1) and take a ferry to Tagbilaran or Tubigon. We detail this route further in How to get from Malapascua to Bohol. Follow the directions we gave you above depending on the port you arrive at.
From Bantayan: take the ferry from Santa Fe to Hagnaya (1.5–2 hours/450–600 pesos/book here) and then bus, van or private transfer toward Cebu City (4–5 hours/200–250 pesos. Afterwards, follow the steps we explain in How to get to Loboc from Cebu.
From El Nido: you can take one of the Air Swift flights from El Nido to Bohol (only some days a week and expensive if not booked well in advance) and then follow the indications in the section How to get to Loboc from the airport. It will be cheaper if you go from El Nido to Puerto Princesa by van (about 5 hours, can be booked here) and then a flight from Puerto Princesa to Bohol (with a layover) or one from Puerto Princesa to Cebu (direct) and a ferry from Cebu to Bohol. There’s also the intermediate option of taking a flight from El Nido to Cebu (operated only by Air Swift, usually one per day) and going from Cebu to Loboc. All of this is explained in much more detail in How to get from El Nido to Bohol.
From Coron: you have the alternative of flying from Busuanga to Bohol with a layover or from Busuanga to Cebu and then taking a ferry to Bohol.
From Port Barton: take a bus or van to Puerto Princesa (3 hours, about 500 pesos, can be booked here) and then a flight from Puerto Princesa to Cebu (direct) or from Puerto Princesa to Bohol (with a layover).
From Siargao: the usual is to take a flight from Siargao to Cebu and then a ferry from Cebu to Bohol. If you want to save money, you can take a ferry from Siargao to Surigao (2–3 hours), a ferry from Surigao to Cebu (about 12 hours) and then another to Bohol. You can also try to find combinations of flights from Siargao to Bohol, but they will have a layover in Manila. Everything is detailed in How to get from Siargao to Bohol.
From Boracay: the common thing is to fly from Caticlan to Cebu and then ferry to Bohol. Still, you can also look at combinations from Caticlan to Bohol by plane (with a layover) or from Kalibo (a couple of hours from Boracay) to Cebu or to Bohol.

We hope we’ve helped you figure out how to get to Loboc so you can choose the option that suits you best in time and price depending on where you are. However, you can ask us any questions you have in the comments.

This is just a small part of our big Bohol Guide, one of the islands we’ve visited the most since we first set foot there in 2010. Take a look at these articles to keep planning your trip: