Where to stay in Bohol: the 5 areas to know in 2026
On Bohol, almost everyone sleeps on Panglao, the beach island joined by two bridges, and goes up to see the Chocolate Hills by van for the day. That's the right call for three nights. For longer, a night by the Loboc river or on the Anda coast gives you back the mornings the road takes from you.
Count on $28* for a simple guesthouse, a resort with a pool on Panglao asks $84 to $180*, and the big hotels of Alona go well above that. Five areas, from the liveliest beach to the quietest coast.
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One base or several?
One base on Panglao is enough for three nights. For longer, a second base saves you driving the road inland every day.
- Three nights: One base, in Alona or Dumaluan: a day at sea, a day inland by van.
- Five nights: Two bases: three nights on Panglao, two in Loboc to see the hills and the tarsiers at opening time.
- A week: Three bases: Panglao, Loboc, then two nights in Anda to finish on a quiet beach.
How much driving between two bases?
By car, outside rush hour in Tagbilaran.
| Route | Driving time | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Aéroport de Panglao → Alona | 20 min | a few kilometres |
| Alona → Tagbilaran | 30 min | 20 km, over the bridges |
| Alona → Loboc | 50 min | 39 km |
| Loboc → Chocolate Hills | 1 hr | through the Bilar forest |
| Alona → Chocolate Hills | 1 hr 45 | 82 km |
| Alona → Anda | 2 hr 15 | 114 km |
At a glance: our picks by traveller type
Pick the profile that fits you and go straight to the recommended area.
Map of the areas in Bohol
See how the areas sit relative to one another before choosing your base. Click a name to jump to its description.
Alona Beach Panglao's main beach
for diving, boat trips and evenings out
A kilometre and a half of white sand in the south of Panglao, lined with restaurants, dive shops and bangkas that leave at dawn for Balicasag and Pamilacan. This is the hub of the island: everything is on foot, from the dive school to dinner with your feet in the sand. The catch is the numbers: the beach is narrow, and the tour boats anchor right in front of it.
Lots of dive shops and boats for island hopping tours to the Virgin Islands.
Where to stay in this area
Henann Resort Alona Beach Luxury
Right on Alona beach, with several pools, a spa and three restaurants.
Alona Vida Beach Resort Mid-range
On the seafront in the middle of Alona, with a pool and water sports on site.
Alona Guest House Budget
A simple guesthouse in Tawala, nine minutes' walk from the beach, with family rooms.
Pros
- Diving, boat trips and restaurants right outside the hotel
- The airport twenty minutes away by road
Cons
- A narrow, busy beach crowded with boats
- The highest prices on Bohol
Doljo, Dumaluan and the rest of Panglao The quiet beaches of Panglao and Dauis
for a quieter beach ten minutes from Alona
The rest of the island is calmer. In the east, Dumaluan beach stretches out white sand that sees fewer people than Alona; in the north-west, Doljo faces the sunset. On the Dauis side, there's Bikini Beach and the Hinagdanan cave, where you swim beneath the rock. In the evening, a tricycle takes you back to the restaurants of Alona.
Special mention for Dumaluan Beach, a beautiful white sand beach that is a little less crowded than the other beaches.
The towns in this area
What to see and do in this area
Where to stay in this area
The Bellevue Resort Luxury
An infinity pool and a private beach on the Doljo coast, far from the bustle of Alona.
Modala Beach Resort Mid-range
Right on the water at Doljo, with two pools, one of them an infinity pool, and a spa.
Pearl Resort Panglao Budget
Direct access to Bikini Beach, a quiet beach on the Dauis side; some rooms have a kitchenette.
Pros
- Quieter beaches and resorts by the water
- Sunset at Doljo, on the west side
Cons
- Few restaurants outside the hotels
- A tricycle for every evening out
Tagbilaran and Baclayon The port city and the south-west coast
for an early ferry or a small budget
Tagbilaran is Bohol's city: the port for the Cebu ferries, the Dao bus terminal, the shopping malls. No beach, but cheaper rooms and the boat a few minutes away. Further east, Baclayon keeps its coral-stone church from 1727, and the hills above look out over the strait.
Where to stay in this area
Marqis Sunrise Sunset Resort and Spa Luxury
On the heights of Baclayon, two pools and a spa with a panoramic view over the strait.
Ocean Suites Bohol Boutique Hotel Mid-range
Next to the Blood Compact monument in Bool, with an infinity pool facing the strait.
Bohol Coop Tourist Inn Budget
A simple inn in the centre of Tagbilaran, with air-conditioned rooms and balconies.
Pros
- The port and the island's buses close at hand
- The cheapest rooms on Bohol
Cons
- No beach in town
- The traffic and noise of a provincial city
Loboc and the interior The river, the hills, the forest
to see the hills and the tarsiers before the tour buses
Inland, the Loboc river runs green between the palm trees, and floating restaurants cruise up it at lunchtime. A night here puts you less than an hour from the Chocolate Hills and half an hour from the tarsiers of Corella: you're there at opening time, before the vans from Panglao. In the evening, you head out by kayak to see the fireflies.
Where to stay in this area
Loboc River Resort Luxury
On the banks of the Loboc river, with two freshwater pools, paddleboarding and trips to see the fireflies.
Casa Aguelo Chocolate Hills Mid-range
A few minutes from the hills viewpoint in Carmen, with rooms whose balconies face the mountain.
Fox & The Firefly Cottages Budget
Cottages in the forest by the Loboc river, with fan, mosquito net and a hammock on the patio.
Pros
- The hills and the tarsiers early in the morning, without the crowds
- The calm of the river and the fireflies at night
Cons
- Few restaurants outside the hotels
- No beach: the sea is an hour's drive away
Anda and the east coast Anda, Candijay, Guindulman
for a quiet beach at the far end of the island
Two hours' drive from Panglao, the Anda coast lines up near-empty white sand beaches and limestone cliffs hollowed out by cave pools, such as Cabagnow. The resorts are small, the evenings quiet, and the sea is good for snorkelling right in front of the rooms. You come here to stay, not for a day.
Where to stay in this area
Amun Ini Beach Resort & Spa Luxury
A small, secluded resort in Candabong, with a private beach, pool and spa.
Anda White Beach Resort Mid-range
Right on Anda beach, with a pool and snorkelling in front of the resort.
Bohol-Lahoy Dive Resort Budget
Fan-cooled cottages by the water in Guindulman, with a dive centre on site.
Pros
- Quiet beaches and freshwater cave pools
- Small resorts, far from the Alona crowds
Cons
- Two hours' drive from the airport
- Few restaurants and almost no nightlife
Our tips for booking the right place
- Leave a margin around your ferry: The fast boats between Cebu and Tagbilaran have seen many cancellations in 2026. If you have a flight to catch afterwards, sleep near the port or the airport the night before, and check the timetable on the day.
- A night inland changes the visit: Tours from Alona reach the Chocolate Hills mid-morning, all at the same time. Sleeping in Loboc or Carmen puts you at the viewpoint at opening time, in the morning light.
- Cash for everything that isn't the hotel: Outside Panglao and Tagbilaran, cards are often refused: tricycles, entrance fees and small restaurants are paid in pesos. Withdraw in Alona or in town before heading to Anda.
- A hotel on Tagbilaran's main road if you're coming for the beach: the sea is half an hour away.
- Anda for a three-night stay: four hours of driving there and back for a single beach day.
- The centre of Alona if you're after silence: the music and the boats start early and finish late.
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