Of all the islands in the Philippines, Bohol is known to be one of the most diverse and adventure-packed destinations. With pretty beaches, jungle-fringed river adventures, waterfalls, caves, rolling hills, and top-notch dive spots all in one place, Bohol is a showcase of what you can find in the whole of over 7000 islands, meaning there is no shortage of awesome things to do in Bohol and see both on land and (under)water.
As you might know, I’ve previously covered two of the most unique experiences in Bohol, namely encountering the Philippine Tarsiers, and kayaking with synchronous fireflies. While these activities alone are a reason to visit, there is more to Bohol than just that.
Bohol is a place where you can literally immerse yourself in myriads of epic adventures to discover your wild side. From sky rides to deep dives, here are the best adventure activities and things to do in Bohol to pedal off your fears and feel the adrenaline rush.
Top Things to do in Bohol Philippines
Surf ‘n Ride at Bohol Chocolate Hills Adventure Park (CHAP)
Chocolate Hills is undoubtedly the biggest tourist attraction in Bohol. You’ll presumably climb up the steps to the viewpoint to take in the sweeping views of somewhere around 1500 hills with varying heights from 30 to 120 meters. When the lush green grass blanketing the hills turns brown in the dry season, the hills look like round chocolate balls, hence the name Chocolate Hills.
Albeit not bad, I wasn’t really blown away by the scenery from the highly commercialized viewpoint. So, the next day I took a local jeepney to Tagbilaran City and went to Chocolate Hills Adventure Park (CHAP) to surf ‘n ride alongside the famous Chocolate Hills. So-called Sky Bike and Surf Runner are their signature rides, but there are far more activities on offer that you could spend easily a half-day here at CHAP (that’s why it’s not part of the package tours).
If you’re looking for a place where you can experience the most fun and thrilling things to do in Bohol, make sure to visit CHAP and try sky biking and sky surfing for the least (see in motion: https://youtu.be/i6NV6YJ4CBs).
Super(wo)man Zipline over Loboc River
The zipline in Loboc is definitely something to try out on your trip to Bohol. The vast view of the forest and the Loboc River from a 120 meters height is breathtaking. The zipline takes you 520 meters across the river straight into the jungle on the other side. You can opt to return in a cable car or zipline both ways. To experience both activities, I took the cable car back but would probably pick the zipline return ticket option next time. Loboc Ecotourism Adventure Park is a stop hit by daily van tours around the island, and here you can watch a tiny bit of my superwoman ride.
Cruise on Loboc River by a Waterbike
Lunch on a floating boat restaurant on the Loboc River is another stop of the daily van tours around the island. The van tours are typically transport-only, thus you can decide at the venue whether you want to participate in a particular activity or not. While everyone else got on board the boat for a relaxing lunch, I headed to the Loboc Waterbike Adventure next door and had loads of fun pedaling hard on a water bike. Yeah, no pain no gain!
Scuba Diving or Snorkeling at Balicasag Island
Pedaling hard on the water wasn’t enough of an adventure, so I dove along the Balicasag Island’s deep walls fringed with black coral and myriads of fish. In fact, I got super lucky to encounter a huge school of jackfish, which was one of the highlights of my time not only in Bohol but in the Philippines, reminding me why I love scuba diving (and made me wonder why I ate one of their friends the night before).
Snorkeling and diving tours to Balicasag can be organized in Panglao, the tourist hub in Bohol, and a must-do activity if you are an ocean lover (watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/eXCTvroZbzs).
It was hard to stop, but I managed to settle for THIS much fun without breaking the bank. Sure, Bohol tourist attractions are a lot more than aforementioned ones, but along with firefly kayaking, and vising the tarsiers covered in previous posts, these are the best of the best.
Depending on your time and budget constraints, be sure to try at least one or two of Maho’s select adventure activities. After all, Bohol is not only about seeing the famous Chocolate Hills.
