6-Day Bohol, Siquijor & Dumaguete: Visayas Island Explorer

Tour Overview

Data source: asiaodysseytravel.com — AOT-PHG-009 6 Days Philippines Group Tour

Day 1: Arrive Bohol — Chocolate Hills & Tarsier Encounter

• Arrive at Tagbilaran Airport (TAG) on Bohol Island. Meet your guide and group
• Chocolate Hills — Bohol’s geological wonder: 1,268 near-identical conical hills spread across 50km². During the dry season (February–May), the grass-covered hills turn chocolate brown, hence the name. The viewing deck in Carmen offers a 360° panorama of this surreal landscape — like a giant’s spilled box of Hershey’s Kisses. Scientists debate their origin: coral limestone uplifted and weathered over millions of years, or perhaps (as local legend says) the tears of a giant grieving his lost love
• Tarsier Conservation Area — Meet the Philippine tarsier (Carlito syrichta), one of the world’s smallest primates (85-160g, fits in the palm of your hand). Their enormous eyes (each larger than their brain) are fixed in their sockets — they rotate their heads 180° like owls. They’re nocturnal, extremely sensitive to noise and light, and tragically suicidal in captivity (they bash their heads against cages). The conservation area protects them in their natural habitat. Watch a tarsier wake up, stretch its impossibly long fingers, and leap 5m between branches — a living fossil unchanged for 45 million years
• Bilar Man-Made Forest — A 2km stretch of mahogany trees planted in the 1960s forming a dense green tunnel. The temperature drops noticeably as you enter. Pull over for the iconic photograph — the road disappearing into a corridor of towering trees
• Loboc River Cruise — A floating restaurant on a bamboo raft cruising the emerald-green Loboc River. Lunch buffet of Filipino dishes, live acoustic music, and a stop at a local village performance (singing, dancing, and the tinikling — bamboo pole dance). The river is flanked by nipa palms and jungle — occasionally, locals swing from rope swings into the river as you pass

Overnight in Panglao (Bohol).

Day 2: Bohol Countryside & Panglao Beach

• Blood Compact Shrine — Monument commemorating the 1565 sandugo (blood compact) between Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi and Bohol chieftain Datu Sikatuna. The first treaty of friendship between Filipinos and Europeans. The bronze sculpture by National Artist Napoleon Abueva captures this historic moment
• Baclayon Church — One of the oldest stone churches in the Philippines (1727), built from coral stone with millions of egg whites used as binding material. The adjacent museum houses ecclesiastical artifacts from the Spanish colonial era, including a 16th-century ivory image of the crucified Christ
• Panglao Island Beaches — Afternoon at Alona Beach or the quieter Dumaluan Beach. White sand, clear water, beachfront bars. Optional: dolphin watching tour at sunrise (Panglao is one of the best places in the Philippines to see spinner dolphins)
• Hinagdanan Cave — A limestone cave with a natural underground pool illuminated by sunlight streaming through holes in the ceiling. Swim in the cool, clear water — locals believe it has healing properties

Overnight in Panglao.

Day 3: Ferry to Siquijor — The Mystic Island

• Morning ferry from Tagbilaran to Siquijor Island (approximately 2 hours). The island of faith healers, love potions, and white magic
• Cambugahay Falls — Three-tiered waterfall with the most Instagrammable feature in Siquijor: Tarzan rope swings over deep turquoise pools. Swing out over the water, let go, and plunge into the cool spring water. The falls are fed by natural springs — the water has a luminous blue-turquoise color that doesn’t look real
• Old Enchanted Balete Tree — A 400-year-old balete tree with a natural spring at its base. Dip your feet in the fish spa — dozens of small fish will nibble away dead skin (it tickles!). The tree is believed to be inhabited by engkantos (nature spirits) according to local folklore. The massive aerial roots create a cave-like grotto underneath — a place of ancient, mysterious energy
• Salagdoong Beach — A cliff-jumping paradise. Two platforms at 5m and 10m heights over crystal-clear water. Even if you don’t jump, the beach itself — white sand, dramatic rock formations, and a natural swimming pool carved into the rocks — is spectacular
• Sunset at Paliton Beach — often called the “Little Boracay” of Siquijor. Powdery white sand fringed with coconut palms, facing west for a perfect sunset

Overnight in Siquijor.

Day 4: Siquijor Circumnavigation & Ferry to Dumaguete

• Lazi Church & Convent — The San Isidro Labrador Church (1884) and its massive convent (reportedly the largest in Asia built during the Spanish era), constructed from coral stones and hardwood. The convent’s wooden floorboards are each a single piece of balayong timber — 45m long planks, impossible to replicate today
• St. Francis of Assisi Church (Siquijor Town) — Built under the supervision of Filipino priests in 1794. The bell tower served as a watchtower against Moro pirates
• Herbalists’ Shops — Siquijor is famous for its traditional healers (mananambal). Visit a herbalist to learn about traditional medicine: preparations from tree barks, roots, herbs, and oils. The bolo-bolo ritual — a diagnostic healing technique using a glass of water, a black stone, and a straw — is practiced here during Holy Week
• Afternoon ferry to Dumaguete City on Negros Island (approximately 1 hour). Dumaguete is known as the “City of Gentle People” and a major university town (Silliman University, founded 1901, is one of the Philippines’ top universities)
• Evening: Stroll the Rizal Boulevard — a seaside promenade lined with century-old acacia trees, street food stalls, and restaurants. Try the famous silvanas (frozen buttercream sandwich cookies — a Dumaguete specialty from Sans Rival) and budbud kabog (a sweet millet cake steamed in banana leaves)

Overnight in Dumaguete.

Day 5: Apo Island — Turtle Sanctuary & World-Class Snorkeling

• Early morning boat trip to Apo Island (45 minutes from Dumaguete). Apo Island is a 74-hectare volcanic island and one of the world’s most successful community-managed marine sanctuaries (established 1982 by Dr. Angel Alcala, a Silliman University marine biologist)
• Snorkeling at Apo Island Marine Sanctuary — This is one of the best snorkeling sites in the Philippines, consistently rated among the top 10 in the world. The sanctuary spans 106 hectares of protected reef. What you’ll see: green sea turtles (almost guaranteed — they’re completely habituated and will swim alongside you), hawksbill turtles, massive schools of jacks and barracuda, 400+ species of coral, 650+ species of fish. The reef drops from 3m to 70m just offshore — a wall dive accessible even to snorkelers
• Turtle Point — A specific area where sea turtles come to feed on seagrass. You can float in 2m of water and watch turtles grazing, surfacing to breathe every 5-10 minutes. Maintain distance (2m minimum) — these are wild animals protected by law
• Apo Island Village — Lunch at the island’s small fishing village. The community directly benefits from the marine sanctuary fees — a model of sustainable eco-tourism. Walk the 15-minute trail to the lighthouse for panoramic views of the island and the Negros coastline
• Return to Dumaguete in the afternoon. Optional: Visit the Silliman University Anthropology Museum with its collection of artifacts from Negros Island’s indigenous cultures

Overnight in Dumaguete.

Day 6: Dumaguete Departure

• Morning at leisure. Visit the Dumaguete Public Market for local specialties: silvanas, budbud, piaya (flatbread filled with muscovado sugar), and dried fish. The Dumaguete Bell Tower (built 1811) — a landmark that once warned of pirate raids. Silliman University campus walk — the century-old acacia trees, the amphitheater, and the Anthropology Museum
• Transfer to Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport (DGT) for departure

Bohol’s geological wonders, Siquijor’s mystical charm, and Apo Island’s turtles — the Central Visayas isn’t just a trip, it’s a journey through the soul of the Philippines.

What’s Included

• 5 nights twin-share, all tours and activities, English-speaking guide, B=5, L=3, snorkeling gear, all entrance fees, environmental fees, port fees, Tagbilaran-Siquijor and Siquijor-Dumaguete ferries, Apo Island boat trip, airport transfers