The Sea Of Clouds, Bohol: A Natural Phenomenon & Top Thing To Do on Bohol 2024
If you’re looking for one of the worlds best cloud inversions then look no further than Bohol and its famous sea of clouds in Danao. Standing up high on a chocolate hill, you can experience towering over a perfect sheet of white fluffy clouds as the sun rises before you.
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Where Can You See The Sea Of Clouds On Bohol?
Bohol lies in the Central Visayas Region of The Philippines, most commonly known for its coral reefs and Chocolate Hills; it is commonly visited by tourists and backpackers every year, most of whom don’t usually visit the region of Danao.
Unarguably the best place to view the Sea Of Clouds on Bohol is in the town of Danao. A region located in the centre of the island, not always visited by tourists, it is slightly off the beaten track and not the easiest to get to - but that's what makes the adventure! We booked our tour with Danao Adventure Park which was our accommodation while staying in Danao.
The first place on the list to see them and stay the night is Danao Adventure Park, full of adrenaline, this place is full of rides and activities not for the faint hearted!
Kape Sky
You can also book a much more chill stay in Kape Sky to witness the phenomenon directly from your accommodation. Kape Sky is a café perched on the edge of a fantastic viewpoint, meaning at 4-5am you won’t need to drive anywhere, just a short walk and you’ll be at the sea of clouds.
How To Get To Danao?
The first and more expensive way of getting to Danao is by hiring a private car which ranges from ₱3000-₱5000, if you’re on a budget like us this is a crazy price tag.
If you would like to visit Danao by public transport then follow these steps:
Catch the bus (₱75) or van (₱140) with the route Tagbilaran-Danao from the Dao bus terminal in Tagbilaran City centre. Vans run more frequently however below is the schedule for the busses:
Morning 5:00am, 6:00am, 8:00am
Afternoon: 12:00 noon, 1:00pm, 2:00pm, 3:00pm, 4:30pm and 6:30pm as the last trip
The bus and van will only take you to Poblacion in Danao centre, from here a motor for hire will be available to bring you to the Danao Adventure Park for ₱50-₱100 or to Kape Sky for roughly ₽80 per person. Drivers with an Adventure Park sticker are known to have friendlier prices.
How Much Is The Sea Of Cloud Tour?
From Danao Adventure Park, the current cost is ₽300 per person (£4.15) which pays for the early morning drive to the start of the trail head as well as a local guide. Although the guide isn’t necessary as the trail is easy, it helps the locals out.
From Kape Sky it's free! You can simply walk up the road and you are at the start of the trail head to the top of a Chocolate Hill.
Experiencing The Bohol Sea Of Clouds
The morning wake up call was at 3:30am from the park, we opted to stay in their accommodation overnight. Your tour guide will drive you to the start of the hike which takes around 30/40 minutes and along the way you stop off at different viewpoints to see the clouds and take in the sunrise.
Top Tip: For the clouds to have formed there needs to be rainfall. If you visit during the middle of the dry season, you may not experience any clouds at all! Even so, the sunrise is worth it in our opinion but something to be aware of.
What Is The Sea Of Clouds?
Often seen from the peaks of mountains, cloud inversions create an illusion of an ocean of fluffy white clouds. They occur when a cold layer of air is trapped at lower ground to form a perfect sheet nestled between surrounding mountains, it truly is one of nature's bucket list adventures.
What Else Is There To Do Nearby?
As you’ll be waking up at 3-4am, you’ll need to stay the night in Danao. After the journey north from Tagbilaran, you have a choice to stay in the Adventure Park or Kape Sky, either way you could still visit the Park and do some of the activities. We recommend The Plunge, one of the world’s highest canyon swings throwing you 75 meters into a stunning jungle canyon, or the Sky Ride for a more relaxed adventure.
Best Places To Stay On Bohol
Bohol island is great to explore, you can see tiny tarsiers, party on Panglao or relax on the Loboc River. For a true hidden gem nestled in the Loboc River, checkout this blog on Nuts Huts, The Best Place To Stay On Bohol.
We use Booking.com and HostelWorld for all of our stays around the world!
Below is a list of top accommodations we recommend for Bohol and Panglao:
Top Things To Do On Bohol
We stayed 5 nights on Bohol and wished we had more. It is a bigger island compared to Siargao and Siquijor so if you want to explore it all, a week would do it justice or you could just party on the famous Panglao island.
Top Pick: Tarsier Sanctuary
A unique sanctuary where the Tarsiers choose to return themselves. You're not allowed to touch the tarsier but instead a guide will take your photos while you observe from a distance. A great way to learn about and experience such a unique species.
Best Adventure: Sea Of Clouds
Standing up high on a chocolate hill before sunrise, you can experience the sea of clouds, a perfect sheet of white fluffy clouds sitting neatly above the town surrounded by mountains.
Off The Beaten Track: Danao Adventure Park
Looking for an adrenaline rush, head to Danao Adventure Park and try The Plunge, one of the world's largest canyon swings.
Essential Travel Items You Need
Lifestraw - Filtered Water Bottle Allowing you to fill up water whenever and wherever with peace of mind plus you’re helping the environment! | |
Jungle Formula - High Deet Mosquito Spray The weak sprays will not work! Make sure to bring a high deet percentage spray made for the tropics. We also use Mosquito Wipes. | |
Water Shoes - Lightweight with Protection Stay protected from Sea Urchins with these, also useful for snorkelling, waterfall hikes and more. We also love our Microfibre Towels and Dry Bag. | |
Universal Travel Adaptor With Multiple USBs Life while travelling will never be the same again! Charge multiple devices all at once in any country... game changer. |
Top Tips For Travelling The Philippines
If you’re visiting the Philippines here are our top travel tips:
Book flights in advance - they can become expensive if you leave it last minute… oh and check your luggage allowance to skip expensive check in fees at the airport. Don't forget your Apple Airtags to track your bags
Agree on taxi prices upfront - when getting into a tuk-tuk, tricycle or taxi, make sure you agree on a price or they have a meter, so many tourists get ripped off with a huge price tag at the end of the ride.
Take it slow - don't feel the need to see all the islands, we recommend picking a few and doing them properly. See the island in full, find some locals and sing Karaoke..
Embrace the chaos and get stuck in, the locals are friendly and love to help and share information about their home!
For a checklist of what's needed to pack for your trip, read: How to Pack for Backpacking to South East Asia: Backpacking Essentials and Accessories
We love our DJI Mini for all of our drone shots!
Final Thoughts on The Sea Of Clouds Bohol
Danao is quite far out of the way from the standard tourist attractions on Bohol, but we found it surprisingly easy to get to from Tagbilaran. In our opinion it’s worth two nights up in Danao, one at the adventure park and the other at Kape Sky with a visit to the Sea Of Clouds the next morning. Combined with the plunge which is the highest canyon swing in the world you will have an amazing time in a slightly quieter section of Bohol compared to the hustle and bustle of Alona Beach.
Travel Tools To Help You Plan
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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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