If you’re eager to greet the tiny tarsiers, gaze at the famous Chocolate Hills, or dive with the beautiful turtles of Balicasag, you need to go to Bohol urgently. This island in the Philippine Visayas offers plenty of options you’ll fall in love with and is easily reached from many corners of the country. To make your life easier, we want to tell you how to get to Bohol from places like Cebú, Manila, Siquijor, or Moalboal.
If you have doubts or need us to explain how to get to Bohol from other places in the Philippines, ask us in the comments and we’ll be more than happy to help.
Where is Bohol
Bohol is in the Visayas, the central region of the Philippines. To the west (separated by a strait) lies the island of Cebú, to the northeast Leyte, and to the south you’ll find Siquijor, Camiguin, and Mindanao. Because of this, there are many points from which you can reach Bohol.
In addition, the island has an airport on the adjoining island (Panglao) and several ports. The best-known port is Tagbilaran, which receives most of the boats coming from Cebú. However, there are others such as Tubigon, Jagna, or Ubay, which receive ferries or bangkas from Cebú, Camiguin, or Leyte.
Getting to Bohol by plane
The easiest way to reach Bohol is by plane. There are direct flights from Philippine destinations such as Manila, Clark, Davao, or Cagayán de Oro.
Since late 2018, Tagbilaran Airport has been closed and all flights are redirected to Panglao International Airport. Even so, flight search engines still use the IATA code TAG (Tagbilaran’s), which can be confusing. Rest assured that any flight you search for to Bohol will take you to Panglao.
How to get from Manila to Bohol
So, if you want to know how to get from Manila to Bohol, it’s very simple: search for flights from Ninoy Aquino Airport in Manila to Panglao Airport, Bohol’s new aerodrome.
Air Asia, Philippines Airlines, and Cebu Pacific Air operate between 8 and 10 daily flights from Manila to Bohol. They take approximately 90 minutes and, if you book in advance, you can find them from 20$. Don’t leave it to the last minute, prices tend to rise considerably.
Book flights from Manila to Bohol
You can find information about the opposite route in How to get to Manila.
How to get from El Nido to Bohol
We’re in luck! Since March 2019 there have been nonstop flights from El Nido to Bohol with Air Swift (now owned by Cebu Pacific). If you search in advance, prices are around 3.000–4.000 pesos (55$–65$), but if you wait until shortly before, they cost almost double.
Keep in mind that these are small planes, so it’s advisable to book as soon as possible to secure your seat. At the moment there still aren’t as many frequencies as before, but we hope they’ll gradually be restored.
Book flights from El Nido to Bohol
In How to get to Bohol from El Nido we tell you other ways to reach Bohol from this paradise in Palawan.
How to get from Coron to Bohol
If you’re in Busuanga (Coron) and want to reach Bohol by plane, there still aren’t direct flights. All flights from Busuanga to Bohol connect in Manila. Therefore, we recommend allowing at least a 3‑hour layover or spending the night in the capital.
Flights from Coron to Bohol here
Another possibility is to take a flight from Coron to Cebú, which are direct, and from there a ferry from Cebú to Tagbilaran (Bohol).
Flights from Coron to Cebú here
Everything is detailed in How to get from Bohol to Coron.
How to get from Clark to Bohol
Clark is Luzon’s secondary airport and it also offers flights to Bohol. Keep in mind that this airport is about 4 hours from Manila due to traffic, so it only makes sense to go to Bohol from Clark if you’re exploring places in northern Luzon such as Banaue, Baguio, or San Juan. There’s a bus called P2P that links Clark and Manila airports for just under 400 pesos per person.
The airline you can use to get to Bohol from Clark is Philippine Airlines. Note that the flight takes 1 hour and 20 minutes and it isn’t daily.
Book flights from Clark to Bohol
How to get from Davao to Bohol
Davao is the largest city in Mindanao and has an airport with flights to Bohol.
To go from Davao to Bohol you should keep in mind that flights aren’t daily. They take 1 hour and are operated by Philippine Airlines.
Book flights from Davao to Bohol
How to get from Cagayan de Oro to Bohol
If you’re traveling around Mindanao, you might be interested in going from Cagayán de Oro to Bohol directly without having to pass through Camiguin. Flights are occasional, so it’s not a very practical option for your trip around the Philippines.
Book flights from Cagayán to Bohol
How to get from Panglao Airport to any corner of Panglao or Bohol
If you want to go from the airport to Tagbilaran (the capital of Bohol island), there’s a bus that runs from 4:00 to 18:00 every 30–45 minutes. It costs 70 pesos per person from the airport and goes to the Integrated Bus Terminal in Dao. The journey takes about 30–45 minutes. From there you can take a bus or taxi to Loboc, Jagna, or Anda.
For a more comfortable trip to the Anda area, which is the farthest from Panglao (a little over 3 hours), we have a trusted car to get you there. Same for Loboc. Leave us a comment and we’ll send you more info with no problem.
If you want to go from the airport to any corner of Panglao, you’ll need to negotiate the price with a tricycle or taxi (they’ll quote you much more, but it really is a very short ride). A tricycle shouldn’t cost you more than 100 pesos if you’re around Alona Beach. You can easily get taxis for under 200 pesos to this area as well. If you prefer to be at ease and not negotiate anything, you can also book a transfer through the KLOOK agency (widely used in the Philippines and totally reliable, similar to Civitatis).
Getting to Bohol by ferry
If you’re in the Visayas region, the fastest and most economical way to get to Bohol is by ferry or boat.
From traveler to traveler: remember to bring something warm because these air‑conditioned ferries can be quite chilly.
How to get from Cebú to Bohol
Cebú is the main island of the Visayas and has a major port from which boats from Cebú to Bohol (Tagbilaran) depart frequently from 6:00 to 17:40. So, if you’re on other islands such as Malapascua, Bantayan, or Siargao and want to go to Bohol, you’ll first have to pass through Cebú’s port.
✈️ If you don’t find flights to Bohol that interest you, an alternative is to fly to Cebú and, once there, take one of the boats we’re going to talk about below. You can find more information and the reverse route in How to get to Cebú.
As we mentioned above, Bohol has several ports. We can “boast” of having passed through all of them. Boats from Cebú’s Pier 1 go to 2 ports: Tagbilaran (Bohol’s capital) and Tubigon. Each has its pros and cons and here we tell you more.
Going from Cebú to Tagbilaran
Tagbilaran is the port that’s most convenient to arrive at if you’re staying in Panglao (Alona Beach or the surrounding area) or Loboc. The crossing takes a couple of hours and there are several companies operating the route roughly from 6:00 to 17:40. The one with the most schedules is Oceanjet and you can book your ticket from here or here . Lite Shipping also operates (with a boat at 22:00 that takes 4 hours every day and another at 12:30 noon on Fridays), which can also be booked here.
The prices for this route range between 400 and 1.000 pesos.
If you’re traveling during very high‑demand periods (Christmas, Chinese New Year, Holy Week, and Philippine holidays), we recommend booking this ferry well in advance. Not only do long queues form to buy tickets, but they often sell out. The same applies if you want the first Oceanjet in the morning or the last one. For your safety, avoid any broker who approaches you at Cebú port. Unfortunately, some travelers have told us there are scams by people who have nothing to do with the shipping companies.
Book tickets from Cebú to Bohol with 12go
Check prices with KLOOK (often cheaper)
In How to get from Cebú Airport to Panglao you’ll find more detailed information about this journey.
Going from Cebú to Tubigon
We only recommend going from Cebú to Bohol via Tubigon if you want to go straight to Carmen, where the Chocolate Hills are; if the boats to Tagbilaran are canceled or full (something that happens occasionally), or if you’ve arrived after 17:40 in Bohol. The last Lite Shipping ferry from Cebú to Tubigon at the moment is at 1:00 a.m.
It’s also a more economical way to reach Bohol, since tickets are a little cheaper (around 400 pesos). You can reserve your seat here.
While it’s true that the boat ride from Cebú to Tubigon is usually shorter (between 1 hour and 90 minutes), to reach Tagbilaran you’ll need to take a bus that takes a couple of hours (about 60 pesos). Keep in mind that RO‑RO transports, that is, those that carry vehicles inside, take about 3 hours.
How to get from Siquijor to Bohol
If you want to go from Siquijor to Bohol it’s very easy; you just need to take one of the two daily ferries between the islands operated by Oceanjet.
They depart from Siquijor port to Tagbilaran in Bohol every day at 8:20, 14:30, and 18:30. The trip takes about 1 hour and three quarters. You can book from here:
Book your ticket from Siquijor to Bohol
SuperCat also offers a daily boat from Siquijor to Bohol at 7:30, but it takes a couple of hours to reach Tagbilaran and it departs from Larena Port, which is farther than the one in Población, in the San Juan area (about 45′ by road). The ticket price is the same, but we personally prefer Oceanjet because you’ll save a bit on transport and it’s faster. Also, be careful because (we don’t know why) they tend to cancel ferries suddenly, even when the sea is fine. In any case, if you’re interested, you can book from this link.
Recently another ferry company called Apekoptravel has also started operating. It departs daily at 13:00, but note that it leaves from Larena port. It takes roughly a couple of hours and you can book here.
Heads up because Apekoptravel often has many problems with its boats and sometimes they don’t operate, even because they don’t fill them. For now we recommend not relying too much on this company.
⭐ You can also take the Lite Ferries night ferry that departs at 19:00 on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays from Siquijor (Larena) to Cebú and stops in Tagbilaran, arriving at 22:00 in Bohol and at 4:00 in Cebu. You can book it here.
You can read more about this transfer in How to get from Siquijor to Bohol.
How to get from Camiguin to Bohol
If you’re visiting the beautiful “Island Born of Fire”, there’s only one way to reach Bohol from Camiguin, which is via the port of Jagnal. The company Super Shuttle operates one daily ferry from Camiguin (Balbagon port) to Bohol (Jagna) at 9:30 in the morning. The crossing takes 4–5 hours, arriving in Bohol around 13:30. The ticket costs around 800 pesos, depending on the class.
Although it wasn’t possible before, the good news is you can now buy tickets for this ferry online from this link or from this one (compare both and check availability, as 12go sometimes doesn’t sell them). This way you won’t have to go to the port in advance. Keep in mind that if there’s still a long time before your trip, they’re usually not on sale yet; they tend to appear about 2 weeks beforehand. Buying through KLOOK is a bit cheaper than buying at the port.
If you don’t buy online, it’s best to go to the ticket office 1 or 2 hours beforehand. During peak periods such as Holy Week or Christmas, we recommend going even earlier.
From Jagna you have buses and vans to Tagbilaran for about 120–200 pesos (depending on the type). Once there, you can take a jeepney or bus to Panglao. Of course, you can also negotiate private transport.
How to get from Moalboal to Bohol
If you’ve decided to include Moalboal and its impressive sardine run in your trip to the Philippines, you can also reach Bohol in a relatively simple way. In this case, you can choose 3 routes:
- How to get from Moalboal to Bohol via Oslob: there are boats that depart from Oslob to Momo Beach in Panglao. The company is Apekop (we’re not fans because the boats aren’t very comfortable and they keep changing dates and schedules), but it’s a convenient way to reach Bohol. Reconfirm schedules and buy your ticket at this link. The boat trip takes about 90 minutes. To go from Moalboal to Oslob you’ll need to take a bus to Bato (about 2 hours) and then another to Oslob (1 hour). Remember that Oslob is one of the worst places in the world to see an endangered animal, the whale shark. You can see it respectfully in other places in the Philippines that we talk about in Where to swim with the whale shark in the Philippines.
- How to get from Moalboal to Bohol via Cebú: this is the safe option if the Argao ferry is operating and you don’t want to do the Oslob route. Take the bus from Moalboal to Cebú (frequent, 3 hours, 130 pesos), which will drop you at Cebú’s South Terminal. You’ll need to head to Cebú Port’s Pier 1; we usually do it by white taxi (about 150 pesos, depending on traffic). The last step is to take one of the boats from Cebú to Tagbilaran that we mentioned above.
- How to get from Moalboal to Bohol via Argao: this route combines several transports but it’s feasible. You’ll need to take a bus from Moalboal to Carcar (30 pesos) and then another to Argao (56 pesos). Keep in mind that the journey can take about 2.5 to 3 hours, so you should set off early. At the moment there are 2 Argao–Bohol (Tagbilaran) ferries at 3:00 AM and 12:00 PM from Lite Shipping operating. The boat takes about 3 hours and costs 257 pesos per person. This trip is currently suspended.
How to get from Siargao to Bohol
In How to get from Siargao to Bohol we explain all the combinations to connect the two islands, but we can already tell you that you’ll have to connect in Cebú and then take a boat to Bohol.
How to get from Leyte to Bohol (Padre Burgos, Pintuyan…)
If you’ve decided to go to Leyte to swim with whale sharks in Padre Burgos or to explore the Four Islands, you can also reach Bohol from the port of Ubay. From Leyte you can choose the ports of Hilongos and Bato. Medallion Transport leaves daily from Bato to Ubay at 7:00, 10:00, and 18:00, the ticket costs 420 pesos and the journey takes about 3.5 hours. The company Leopard usually has a bangka daily at 12:00 from Hilongos. The trip takes about 2 hours. They can’t be booked online and, as always, we encourage you to reconfirm schedules with them because in the Philippines you never know.
Once in Ubay, depending on where you’re staying, you’ll have several transport options. The most common is the bus. You’ll need to take a tricycle (about 40 pesos) to Ubay terminal and there take a bus to Tagbilaran, which stop in Jagna, at the junction that leads to Anda, and at the one that leads to Loboc.
How to get from Malapascua to Bohol
If you’ve decided to greet the thresher shark and now want to hop to Bohol, you’ll have to pass through Cebú on a long route. Everything is detailed in How to get from Malapascua to Bohol and vice versa.
How to get from Boracay to Bohol
Are you in beautiful Boracay enjoying its beaches and want to come here? Then follow the reverse steps of those we indicate in How to get from Bohol to Boracay.
How to get from Tagbilaran (Bohol) to Alona Beach and other places in Bohol
Since Alona Beach is the most popular area to stay in Bohol, here’s how to get from Tagbilaran to Panglao. You have 3 options:
- By van or taxi: on the main street and its surroundings there are vans and taxis to get to Alona Beach and nearby areas. They depart at set times, the price is 500/600 pesos, and it takes about 40 minutes to complete the trip.
- By tricycle: if you want to go from Tagbilaran to Alona by tricycle, it’s normal to be charged around 300/350 pesos for the full service. It takes just over 45 minutes.
- By Grab: Southeast Asia’s Uber started operating in certain areas of Bohol recently and, although it’s a bit more expensive than negotiating directly with the driver, it’s a convenient option and you don’t need to haggle.
- By jeepney: if you want to save money and don’t mind taking a bit longer, you can go from Tagbilaran to Alona by jeepney. The price is around 25 pesos per person, but keep in mind you’ll be a bit cramped. The trip takes about an hour.
- By air‑conditioned buses: from Dao Terminal in Tagbilaran there are buses to Alona Beach, passing by Panglao Airport. The ticket costs 70 pesos.
In How to get from Cebú Airport to Panglao you’ll also find this information in more detail.
How to get from Tagbilaran to Loboc? If you plan to go to Loboc, the most comfortable way is to take a tricycle from the port to the Integrated Bus Terminal (Dao Terminal). It shouldn’t cost you more than 20 pesos per person. Once there, you can take any bus, van, or jeepney heading to Loboc. The trip usually doesn’t take much more than 1 hour and usually doesn’t cost more than 50 pesos, although it depends on the type of transport you choose. You can read more about it in How to get to Loboc.
How to get from Tagbilaran to Anda? If, like us, you want something less touristy, do as in the previous case and take a tricycle to Dao Terminal. From there, take any bus or van going to Anda. The trip usually takes about 2.5–3 hours and costs about 150 pesos. If you go by van, it’s normal to pay more, as they’re faster. These usually don’t have a fixed schedule; they leave when they’re full. Buses run roughly every hour from 4:00 to 16:00. You can read more about this in How to get to Anda.
How to get from Tagbilaran to Jagna? If you plan to go to Camiguin or explore Dimiao’s waterfalls, you can go to Dao Terminal and from there take any bus that goes directly to Jagna or one heading to the Alicia area, since they stop in Jagna. You can also opt for the vans to Anda and get off in Jagna. Bus prices are around 100 pesos, depending on whether they have air‑conditioning or not. They usually take a couple of hours.
Bohol Guide
You’ll find much more information in our Bohol Guide: what to do, where to stay, and other useful details.
Do you have any questions about how to get to Bohol from other places in the country? We look forward to your comments!
