Bohol continues to beckon to tourists, even those already enjoying their time in Cebu. Those who stay for a few days in Cebu take time to take a Day Trip to Bohol to do the Bohol Countryside Tour. This LINK shows you the tour details as well as other tours in Bohol.
The Bohol Day Trip from Cebu is one of the most popular tours arranged by Cebu-based travel agency Green Earth Tours and Travel. The Bohol Day Trip starts with an early pick-up from one’s hotel within Cebu City. If one is staying in Mactan, the pick-up is moved around 45 minutes earlier, to ensure one does not miss the boat to Bohol. Green Earth also issues Ocean Jet tickets from Cebu to Bohol and back, as it is an accredited travel agency of Ocean Fast Ferries Corporation. For the latest Ocean Jet schedules (Cebu to Bohol and Bohol to Cebu), please refer to this PAGE.
TYPICAL TIMELINE FOR BOHOL DAY TRIP FROM CEBU
0630H Pick-up from hotel, drop-off to pier (If in Mactan, pick-up at 0600H)
0800H ETD Cebu via Ocean Jet
1000H ETA Tagbilaran. Pick-up from pier. Proceed to Bohol Countryside Tour inclusive of transportation, licensed tour guide, all entrance and parking fees, buffet lunch onboard river cruise. Spots to visit: Blood Compact Site, Baclayon Church and Museum, Bilar Manmade Forest, Tarsier Sanctuary, Loboc River Cruise, Chocolate Hills, Butterfly Sanctuary, Souvenir Shop)
1730H ETD Tagbilaran via Ocean Jet
1930H ETA Cebu. Pick-up from pier, drop-off to hotel
When at the pier in Cebu, one must pay terminal fee onsite. As of this writing, the fee is at Php25 per person. Pier 1 Terminal has been renovated and one feels comfortable waiting for his or her trip to Bohol because the terminal is air-conditioned and has ample seats for the passengers. There are also snack bars and one cafe in the terminal. When going to Bohol, it is best to be at the pier in Cebu at least 45 minutes earlier so that one’s seat in Ocean Jet won’t be given away to waitlisted travelers.
The trip to Bohol from Cebu takes 2 hours. One can choose to sleep the entire time, or enjoy the movies show onboard. Snacks are also available for purchase in the ferry. When traveling to Bohol, one can opt to go budget and get open-air tickets, go standard and get tourist class tickets or go big and get the business class tickets.
Upon arriving in Bohol, one takes the exit to the pier area, where, if the tour is arranged by Green Earth Tours and Travel, a DOT-licensed tour guide will be waiting to meet you. There will be a signage with the lead guest’s name on it. The tour guide will usher you to your transportation and commence the tour.
At the onset of the Bohol Countryside Tour, you will get a glimpse of Tagbilaran City, it’s people, mode of transport and all. You will also get to see the St. Joseph Cathedral before heading to Baclayon. Along the way, you will make a stop at the Blood Compact Site, which is a commemoration of the first treaty between Philippines and Spain. The blood compact was between Miguel Lopez de Legaspi of Spain and Rajah Sikatuna of Bohol. It was a friendship treat of sorts, and a nod to the Filipino trait of friendliness and hospitality.
The Bohol Day Trip from Cebu takes you back in time when you visit one of the Philippines’ oldest Churches, the Baclayon Church. It was a bit damaged by the strong earthquake that hit Bohol last 2013, but thankfuly the structure withstood the tremors, and the government and private sector have both been at work in restoring portions which were affected. The Baclayon Church is charming, as it stands proud overlooking the Bohol sea, typical of centuries-old churches in the various towns in the country.
After the Baclayon Church, the Bohol Countryside Tour takes you to the tarsier sanctuary but before that, you also get to pas through the manmade forest in Bilar. It is the same route that leads you to the world-famous Chocolate Hills. 2000 plus mounds of hills for you to enjoy. What a lovely backdrop it makes!
One of the tour’s highlights is the cruise along the meandering Loboc River. The floating restaurant takes you upstream and while eating, you get serenaded by a singer. You may request for particular songs to be sung, but generally, the singer would have his or her ready repertoire. Never miss the lines in the song “balik sa Bohol, balik, balik-balik” which means return to Bohol. And why not? Even if one has done the Bohol Countryside Tour or the Bohol Day Trip to Cebu, one can still go back to enjoy the azure beaches in Panglao and Anda if one has more time.
The day trip ends with the tour guide dropping you off back to the pier. Again, there is a terminal fee of Php20 per pax to be paid onsite. When you get back to Cebu from your Day Tour, our travel agency’s driver will meet you at the pier and bring you safe and sound to your hotel or resort.
The Bohol Day Tour from Cebu is best booked at least 2 weeks prior, to enjoy the best rates possible. Ocean Jet has a Libre Balik Promo, which is at Php800 per person only roundtrip. Otherwise, rates will go higher at Php500 per way roundtrip, which translates to Php1000 per person, roundtrip. When considering which agency to book your Day Trip with, consider the quality of the agency, and always ask whether the agency is DOT-accredited. There are many colorum or fly-by-night operators, and you have to be wary or else they will run with your money. Sometimes, you are given substandard arrangements and other times, you realize that doing DIY turns out to be more costly than going for professionally arranged trips to Bohol from Cebu.
Green Earth Tours and Travel may be reached at gett.inc@gmail.com for inquiries and bookings. Do provide your complete details: number of persons, when you want to take the Day Tour to Bohol and which hotel you have already booked at. Otherwise, our travel agency has a host of various hotels and resorts for you to book at discounted rates. We’d love to hear from you soon!