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The Chocolate Hills near Carmen, Bohol

No. 16 25 Great Islands to Visit 2026

Bohol

Central Visayas, Philippines

The Chocolate Hills, tiny tarsiers and white-sand beaches in the central Philippines.

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Photo: Wolfgang Hägele, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Bohol is an island province in the Central Visayas. It is best known for the Chocolate Hills, more than 1,200 grass-covered mounds that turn brown in the dry season, and for the Philippine tarsier, one of the world's smallest primates.

Panglao Island, linked by bridge, has the main beaches, dive sites and resorts.

Carmen, Fields in Bohol, Nature of Bohol Island, Philippines
Carmen, Fields in Bohol, Nature of Bohol Island, Philippines. Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0, source
Philippine tarsier (Carlito syrichta fraterculus) Bohol
Philippine tarsier (Carlito syrichta fraterculus) Bohol. Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Forest road in Bohol, Philippines
Forest road in Bohol, Philippines. Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0, source

Best time to visit

December to May is the drier season. June to November is wetter, with typhoons possible.

Highlights

  • 1

    Chocolate Hills

    Viewing decks over the mounds near Carmen.

  • 2

    Tarsier sanctuary

    See tarsiers in a protected sanctuary; keep quiet and do not use flash.

  • 3

    Loboc River

    River cruises through jungle.

  • 4

    Panglao beaches

    Alona Beach and quieter beaches nearby.

  • 5

    Balicasag Island

    Snorkelling and diving with turtles off Panglao.

Getting there

Bohol–Panglao International Airport has flights from Manila and some international routes. Fast ferries from Cebu City take about 2 hours.

Practical tips

Opening & tickets
Opening times, ticket rules and transport timetables change, so check official information before you go.
Time needed
Three to four days.

Official information: Department of Tourism Philippines (official website). Check opening hours, prices and entry rules there before you go.

Map

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