17 Best Things to Do in Panglao, Bohol (Epic Beaches, Diving & Hidden Gems!)
- Kate Colliety
- Apr 2
- 8 min read
Updated: 7 hours ago
Why visit Panglao? Well.. picture this, turquoise water, soft white sand, incredible marine life and a backpacker scene perfect for travellers in the Philippines. In fact Panglao island is the most popular destination in Bohol and it doesn't have a shortage of things to do.
Panglao island offers tropical beaches, hidden caves and off-shore islets that are picture perfect.
If you’re planning a trip to Panglao, the best months to visit are between November and May when the dry season is in full force. Although Panglao has an international airport the most popular way for backpackers to get there is via a ferry from Cebu.
Below we share with you the top things to do in Panglao island. From our personal experiences and in-depth research, we’ve put together the best things to do in Panglao and created a bucket list of activities for your Panglao Island itinerary!
Contents
What To Do In Panglao Map
What To Do In Panglao? Best Beaches
1. Visit & Relax On Alona Beach: The Top Thing To Do In Panglao
Alona beach is the hub of Panglao island and where most travellers opt to stay. This area is the best for nightlife, restaurants and bars and you’ll even find some big chain names here.
The beach itself is tropical, sandy and the perfect place to relax or grab a cocktail. As a popular hotspot, it can get crowded, so our top tip is to visit early in the morning to enjoy the tranquillity before the crowds arrive. Alternatively, head over in the evening for a lively atmosphere, where you can meet fellow travellers and enjoy the vibrant nightlife. Location 📌
2. Watch The Sunset At Panglao Beach
Panglao beach is one of the best sunset spots on the island. The west-facing shoreline means you’ll have the perfect view of the spectacular display the sun puts on over the Philippines. Out of everywhere we’ve travelled, the Philippines has the best sunsets and we’d recommend trying to catch them each evening that you stay on Panglao Island.
During our stay, one of our favourite things to do was grab a takeaway pizza and enjoy it on the sand while the sky turns orange, yellow, pink & purple - a perfect way to end the day. Location 📌
3. Balicasag Island: Island-hopping from Panglao
One of the top things to do on Panglao island is to go on an island hopping tour to the Balicasag and Virgin Islands.
Balicasag is a prominent island south of Panglao famous for its turtles and coral reefs. Swimming with turtles never gets old but remember to be mindful and never pet them! The crystal-clear waters aren’t short of colourful fish and we fell in love with snorkelling around Panglao.
Due to Balicasag being a marine sanctuary the biodiversity is protected keeping the area around the island full of different species. Lucky snorkelling might spot a school of jackfish or even a blacktip reef shark. Location 📌
Tip: The best time to snorkel in Pangalo is during the morning when there is better visibility and calmer seas.
We recommend booking your day trip in advance as during high season this is one of the best things to do in Panglao making it a super popular excursion. The tour departs from Alona Beach and includes snorkelling gear which will save space in your backpack! You can check tour rates here!
4.Virgin Island - Often Included In Island-Hopping Tours From Panglao
The other stop on your day trip is the Virgin Island Sandbar, a small stretch of sand that looks like it belongs in the Maldives.
The island itself is tiny, at low tide, a long stretch of powdery white sand emerges and at high tide, much of the sandbar gets submerged.
There isn’t much to do here, it’s the perfect place to snap a photo or fly your drone plus there is a unique floating market with vendors selling seafood, coconuts, grilled skewers and cold drinks.
For us this is one of the best things to do in Panglao and not to be missed! Location 📌
5. Napaling Reef
Napaling Reef is one of Panglao’s best kept secrets. Off the island's north coast there is a vibrant reef thriving with marine life. Napaling Reef is accessed via a boat tour from Alona Beach or Doljo Beach. Location 📌
6. Damaluan Beach
To us, Damaluan Beach has much more draw than Alona. It is less crowded, more charming and one of the most beautiful beaches on Panglao.
There is an entrance fee of ₱50 if you enter the beach via Damaluan Beach Resort. Our top tip is to walk down the beach away from the resorts to find the most secluded spot and whitest sand. Location 📌
7. Doljo Beach
If you want to experience Panglao away from the crowds of Alona Beach head northwest and explore Doljo Beach. The beach has shallow waters perfect for swimming, a great snorkelling spot and because the beach faces west some of the best sunsets!
Doljo Beach has a more local feel, traditional boats litter the shore, palm trees line the sand and there are few amenities around… the perfect island paradise. Location 📌
8. Momo Beach
Another beach that remains relatively untouched and has a more local off-the-beaten path feel is Momo Beach. This is one of the least crowded beaches in Panglao, perfect for travellers who want to explore and discover the natural beauty of the Philippines. Location 📌
Want to stay here? Check out Momo Beach House, an eco-friendly beachfront resort.
Discover The Top Things To Do In Bohol & Panglao!
On our way, we created a Google Pinned Map with all the places we visited in Bohol & Panglao. Grab your Pinned Map today and start planning your adventure! Don’t miss out...click here to view for free!
9. White Beach
Close to Alona Beach you can find White Beach, a great alternative if you want somewhere nearby but less crowded.
Again, at White Beach you can swim, snorkel, sunbathe and relax all while soaking up the island vibe that makes the Philippines one of our favourite destinations. Location 📌
10. Beach Clean Up: Eco-Friendly Things To Do In Panglao
We all love pristine white sand beaches, but without care they may be lost. One of the most rewarding things to do in Panglao is take part in a beach clean up. Some hostels & dive resorts organise regular clean up, check with your accommodation to find upcoming events.
If you can’t find an official event simply take a bag out and collect what you can! Every small action helps.
Other Things To Do In Panglao
11. Scuba Diving: Explore The Underwater World Of Panglao
Panglao offers some of the best diving in the Philippines. The visibility can be up to 30m plus you can enjoy warm tropical waters. While diving in Panglao you’ll have the chance to spot turtles, barracudas, schools of jackfish, colourful reef fish, and vibrant corals.
What to do in Panglao if you can’t dive? Do not worry if you don’t know how to dive, many dive schools offer PADi courses for beginners.
Dive Spots Around Panglao
Balicasag Island
Napaling Reef
Arco Point
Doljo Point
Danao Beach
12. Ostrich Farm: Panglao Top Thing To Do For Families
Panglao may be best known for its marine life however on land you can find a fun and unexpected experience. Panglao Ostrich Farm is home to several of the large birds and here you can feed & learn about them all from the small local farmer.
Although this may not be the best thing to do in Panglao, we still think this would make a great quick stop for families with children.
13. Dauis Church: Historical Building On Panglao
Just ten-minutes from Alona beach you can find one of Bohol’s oldest and most beautiful churches.
As well as admiring the 18th century architecture, beautiful seaside location, detailed ceiling and Dauis watchtower there is a Café and Souvenir shop. Location 📌
14. Pub Crawl: Panglao Island What To Do At Night
Perhaps churches aren’t your thing… They’re not really ours so instead number 14 on our list is a good old pub crawl.
Alona Beach is a hotspot for backpackers and there’s no shortage of bars or alcohol in the area. Often bar crawls will include 4-5 venues, have drink deals and end up at a beach club for you to enjoy the rest of the night.
If you don’t want a full crawl we recommend just heading to a reggae bar for a more chill vibe. We liked Aliahailey Reggae Bar.
15. Hinagdanan Cave: Our Top Thing To Do In Panglao
Perhaps you fancy some spelunking… erm what is that? Don’t worry we had no idea what Spelunking was before we came to the Philippines. It’s actually the exploration of caves and it soon became one of our favourite things to do in Panglao!
Hinagdanan Cave is a limestone formation under Panglao. Below the surface you can discover a crystal-clear lagoon, dramatic rock formations and loads of stalactites and stalagmites. Hinagdanan is one of the most accessible caves in the Philippines with a few stone steps down into the cavern making it one of the top Panglao things to do. Location 📌
16. Bohol Bee Farm: Sustainable Tourism In Panglao
If you’re looking for a unique attraction on Panglao Island, Bohol Bee Farm is just that! The farm, known for its organic products, honey-making processes, and farm-to-table dining is a great day out for everyone.
At the farm you can learn about beekeeping with tours, taste the freshest raw honey and eat at the onsite farm to table restaurant. Location 📌
17. Venture Out To Bohol: What To Do After Panglao
Finally, we can’t leave this blog without mentioning Bohol. The larger islands attract fewer visitors than Panglao but we don't know why! There are multiple day tours you can do to see the famous chocolate hills, man made forest and Tarsier Sanctuary but we think Bohol deserves its own itinerary, so we've created a full Bohol Itinerary for you!
Head over to the top things to do in Bohol to discover the magic of Nuts Huts, the Loboc River and the adrenaline pumping Danao Adventure park.
Best Bohol & Panglao Tours
Top Tips For Travelling Bohol & Panglao
The Alona Beach area is the busiest tourist spot with beautiful beaches and plenty of bars and restaurants, however expect a lot of people.
Nuts Huts on the banks of the Loboc River is a paradise in nature! A much more authentic place to stay than Alona Beach. Book here.
Use an E-sim like Airalo to stay connected all over the island, don’t rely on homestay’s WiFi.
Bohol is actually a huge island unlike its neighbour Siquijor, so a Land Tour is more suitable than using public transport between the attractions.
The marine ecosystem around Bohol is exceptional, there are plenty of Island Hopping Tours and Dolphin Spotting experiences you can join.
Danao Adventure Park in the north is a great family & backpacker activity!
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Thank you for reading and enjoy your Philippine adventure. Reach out to us over on Instagram @KateandMikesTravels. We always love to hear from people who read our blogs!
For our Filipino friends: Maraming salamat sa pag babasa, hangang sa susunod nating pag kikita, mamimiss namin kayo, mabuhay ang pilipinas! Salamat
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