The 5 Best Beaches in Bohol, Philippines

While Bohol’s more popularly known as home to the smallest primates in the world and to the seemingly endless landscape of chocolatey brown hills, it’s also the home of Panglao Island where one will find pristine white sand beaches, stunning reefs, and crystal clear waters. If you’re a beach lover or sun-worshipper, don’t dare miss out on these five beaches.

Because of its long stretch of powdery-white sand surrounded by rocky cliffs, Alona Beach has become one of the most favorite tourist destinations in the province of Bohol. Compared with other beaches, its white sand beach spans only 800 meters. Nonetheless, it never fails to capture the hearts of tourists as a reputable destination for snorkeling, kayaking, jet skiing, kitesurfing and, more importantly, scuba diving. One of the first things you’ll notice on the beach is the presence of numerous dive boats, and that’s because Alona Beach has a stunning reef that’s full of Western clown-anemonefishes, Moorish idols, angelfishes and more! Apart from its tourist friendly activities and world-class restaurants, Alona Beach is the best place to catch the sunset on the island and is generally a quiet, romantic place at night.

While Alona Beach is most sought-after because of its popularity, some claim that it’s actually Dumaluan that is the best beach on Panglao Island. Because the water is usually calm and low, it’s perfect for families with younger ones traveling together. It’s also clean and spacious and there are plenty of places where you can get a good meal or rent out beach cottages. The public beach area is widely known to locals so expect that the beachfront can get crowded during weekends and holidays. While there’s a public area, visitors have the option to enter some resorts for a minimal fee to avoid the crowd for a day trip or consider staying overnight in a private resort for a more relaxing beach getaway.

Beach lovers and adventure junkies would also find paradise in the town of Jagna in Bohol. Apart from being well-known for its sweet native delicacy called calamay, Jagna is also a place where one will find beautiful mountains and a beach with crystal clear waters known as Can-uba Beach. This beach is in a secluded area and not overcrowded like Alona Beach. And while it doesn’t have fine white sand, it has nice little rocks (mostly gray and black pebbles and fine stones) that feel smooth and are therapeutic – like having a foot massage while walking on the beach! It’s a public beach area without an entrance fee but you’ll need to pay a small amount should you prefer to rent out a cottage. From Can-uba Beach, you can already catch sight of nearby island Camiguin, which is three hours away via fast craft.

Located 15 to 20 minutes away from the well-known Panglao Island, you’ll find the Virgin Island of Bohol. Also known as “hidden oasis”, here one gets the chance to see different kinds of sea creatures and a variety of fish species. It got such a moniker because no one lives there and tourists don’t usually visit the place. That’s because you can only see the entire island during low tide. A big area of the beach sinks during high tide and so it’s only the palm trees that are visible in the middle of the island. During low tide, however, its long stretch of white sand spans around a hectare. Shallow waters might be a problem too as boats won’t be able to dock, so make sure to ask tips from local guides.

Quinale Beach is often referred to as Bohol’s very own Boracay, and one of the best on the island. Some even say that it can surpass the White Beach of the world-famous island with its own three-kilometer long stretch of powdery white sand beach, beautiful turquoise waters, breathtaking sunset views, and the absence of rock formations. The sand is indeed fine – hold a handful and the wind easily blows it away. It feels so soft beneath the feet and toes as you walk along the beachfront as well. If you’re hoping to experience peace and tranquility on the beach, look no further and visit Quinale Beach in Anda, Bohol!