HOW I TRAVELED BOHOL AND CEBU ON A LONG WEEKEND: ITINERARY PLUS BUDGET

I received a call from an old friend living overseas. He’s visiting Cebu with his family and asked me if I am up to catch up over dinner. My eyebrows met as I am confused with his thought that Baguio and Cebu is just two hours away. LOL! I mean, it is two hours away when I fly directly but given the limited schedule of flights, it can also be costly.

I gave it a thought for a minute and agreed in the end because I am a good friend. (Duh!) We checked our schedule and it happened to be a long weekend. However, he will be arriving on Sunday so it means I have two days free. So what am I going to do? Of course the typical me, make the most out of it and travel the neighboring island of Bohol and here’s how I did it.

Exploring Bohol

I personally think two days is not enough to travel this spectacular island. It has a lot of things offer from nature, historical sites, beaches to diving experience. You can never run out of things to do. If you have a limited time the best thing to do is to prioritize what you want. Bohol is famous for its tarsier and Chocolate Hills but it is also a diving haven for underwater enthusiasts.

In going around, there are many options that you can take. One is to book with a travel agency online. There are plenty of them on Facebook and they offer different packages depending on your interest. As for me I availed the “Countryside Tour” it is a day trip joiners package offered by MegaByahe Bohol Tours for ₱1,300. The tour consist of 6 sites with two optional activities. The highlight of this package is the Chocolate Hills and Tarsier Sanctuary with Loboc River Cruise as an option for lunch which I added. I just payed additional ₱ 850 and it ended up to be my favorite experience of the excursion. It is a must thing to do when visiting Bohol.

Another option you can do if you want to save money in doing the countryside tour is to arrange a van joiners transport in you accommodation. It only cost ₱500 and you will be put in a van with other tourists. This fee is only for the transport. Entrance fees and lunch are not included. This is cost efficient since you have the option if you want to skip some sites. It is also a good way to meet and bond with other travelers.

On the other hand if you opt to be more adventurous and travel on your own you can rent a scooter to go around the island for ₱300 a day or make use of the services of the tri cab drivers for ₱1,500 a day. This only includes transport and the driver. Entrance fees will be your own account however the catch is you can travel at your own pace. Most of them are offering this service and here’s one of them I can vouch. Clarito Camingay 0955 407 9081, 0918 543 1696.

Where to Stay in Bohol

The recommended place for accommodation is Panglao. It is not only near the airport but also walking distance to the beaches. The main road is also packed with establishments such as restaurants, stores and tour agencies. At night, the streets lit up for a lively nightlife. From budget hostels to fancy hotels, you can certainly find your preferred place to stay here.

Traveling to Cebu

One thing I love about Bohol is how close it is to Cebu. Going to Cebu can only take two hours via ferry as long as there’s no bad weather condition. Most travelers usually take the Tagbilaran City Tourist Port to Cebu City Port since it is closer to Panglao. The fare ranges from ₱850- ₱ 950. There’s also Tubigon Port to Cebu City path via Fast Cat and Starlite Ferries and they cost from ₱500- 1000 depending on the type of seat. Yes! Ferries in Bohol offer Economy, Business to First Class seat just like airlines. The latter route is mostly taken by locals as Tubigon is farther. It takes more that two hours bus ride from Tagbilaran. Another journey you can consider in going to Cebu is to take off from Momo Beach Panglao to Quartel Beach Oslob. The trip is once daily and costs ₱1,000. This is a convenient way if you are eyeing in going to South Cebu directly. However, according to one of the travelers I talked to, it took her 4 hours on a small boat to reach Oslob. She also added to be prepared with your motion sickness medicine and some advil.

Exploring Cebu

Upon arriving in Cebu you can start by checking out places in Cebu City. Again, you have to prioritize what you want to see or do. Cebu City changed a lot compared to what I saw in 2017. When I opened my GPS, I was surprised that all their public transports shown are buses. They don’t have the jeepneys I used to ride before. I installed “Maxim”, a motorbike ride app for my convenience. It is widely used in Cebu City and way cheaper than Grab or regular taxis. Moving on, here are some places to check out when you are in Cebu City, Magelan’s Cross, Fort San Pedro, Temple of Leah and Cebu Taoist Temple. You can end your day with a food trip in Sugbo Mercado in IT Park.

Since I already traveled most tourists’ spots in Cebu before I chose the place I haven’t been which is Moalboal. I am on time crunch so I seek assistance from travel agency I found on Facebook. I booked with RNL Cebu Travel and Tours and went with their day trip package tour in Moalboal. The itinerary includes traveling to Moalboal for sardines run, sea turtle activity and coral viewing. Then chilling in Lambug beach in Badian and finally going to Mantayupan Falls, the tallest waterfalls in Cebu located in Baliri. This package cost ₱1,599. It includes entrance fees and snorkeling gears but breakfast and lunch are my own account. Another day tour they are offering is Moalboal snorkeling activity then Kawasan canyoneering and Mantayupan Waterfalls. This cost ₱2,800 with inclusion of lunch. They have free hotel pick up in Cebu City and Mandaue and drop off in SM Seaside Cebu City after the trip.

You can also check out this blog for more places to visit in Cebu.

CEBU TRAVEL ADVENTURE: THINGS TO DO IN CEBU

Where to Stay in Cebu

There are abundant accommodations in Cebu catering to all types of travelers. If most of your activities are in the South, it is best to book your accommodation in Oslob or Moalboal for convenience because the traffic going to and from Cebu City is no joke. If you are up for exploring Cebu City better choose your accommodation in Lahug area where it is near visiting sites and transportation. It is also near the airport so it is agreeable on your last day to make sure you will make it to your flight.

Itinerary

*This itinerary is only a sample one for your reference.

Day 1:

Day 2:

Option 1: Countryside Tour (Chocolate Hills, Tarsier Sanctuary, Man made Forest, Loboc River Cruise, Butterfly Sanctuary, Baclayon Church, Blood Compact Site)

Option 2: Island Hoping Tour

Option 3: Scuba Diving Activity

Day 3:

Travel to Cebu from Tagbilaran City Port

Arrival in Cebu City Port

Cebu City Tour (Magellan’s Cross, Fort San Pedro, Cebu Taoist Temple, Temple of Leah, Sugbo Mercado)

Day 4:

South Cebu Day Trip Tour

Option 1: Moalboal Sardines Run, Swimming with Sea Turtle,and Coral Reef Viewing

  Badian Lambug Beach

  Baliri Mantayupan Falls

Option 2: Moalboal Sardines Run, Swimming with Sea Turtle,and Coral Reef Viewing

   Kawasan Canyoneering and Kawasan Falls

  Baliri Mantayupan Falls

Option 3: Oslob Whale Watching

  Sumilon Island

Option 4: Osmena Peak Hiking

Budget

*Here’s the breakdown of expenses for your reference.

Transportation:

 Manila to Pangalo: ₱1,459 (via Airsia no check in luggage)

Bus from Panglao to Tagbilaran Dau Terminal: ₱ 80

Bus from Tagbilaran to Tubigon Plaza: ₱110

Ferry from Tubigon to Cebu Port: ₱500 (Economy Class via Fast Cat)

Cebu to Manila:     ₱1,459 (via Airasia no check in luggage)

*Tri Cab from airport to Alona: ₱200

*Tric Cab from Panglao to Tagbilaran: ₱400

*Habal-habal less than 4 kilometers: ₱50-70 (depending on your haggling skills)

*Habal-habal from Pangalao-Tagbilaran: ₱250

Accommodation:

Moon Fools Hotel: ₱954 (2 nights at an 8 bed mixed dorm room)

The Teepee Place Hostel and Residence: ₱1,245 (2 nights at 6 bed female dorm room)

Tours:

Bohol Countryside Tour: ₱1,300

Loboc River Cruise: ₱850

South Cebu Day Trip Tour: ₱1,599