How to Get to Bohol 2025: All Routes To Get There

Getting around the Philippines can be complicated at times, but most of the routes to Bohol are pretty straight-forward. In this post, I’ll cover all the routes you’ll need to know, whether you are flying from Manila or traveling from Moalboal, like I did, which had several transfers.

Is Bohol Worth Visiting

Bohol is definitely worth visiting, and deserves a spot in your Philippines Itinerary. There are many unique things to do in Bohol, from spotting the tiny wide-eyed tarsier — often called the smallest monkey in the world — to being awed by the iconic Chocolate Hills, and hiking through the green, rolling hills of Alicia Panoramic Park.

Beyond these highlights, you’ll also find beaches, waterfalls, cliff jumping, vibrant snorkeling sites, and the scenic Loboc River Cruise.

Bohol By Ferry

Ferries are the number one choice for transport from Oslob, Siquijor, Cebu City, and Dumaguete. Be sure to bring a sweater or light jacket, as the air conditioning on board is often set quite high and can get chilly.

Oslob to Bohol by Ferry

Oslob offers a direct ferry to Bohol, but note that there’s only one departure per day at 11:30 from Quartel Beach. The journey takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes, arriving at Loon Port on Bohol’s western side rather than the main dock in Tagbilaran. From here you can continue to your hotel by take a taxi or by riding a Habal-habal — the motorbike taxi with sidecar.

Siquijor to Bohol by Ferry

Getting from Siquijor to Bohol is pretty straightforward, there are several ferries leaving daily from the main port in Siquijor. It’s recommended to buy tickets in advance, either at the port or online. The journey takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes, and the ticket price is about $14 USD.

You can book your boat tickets with Oceanjet, which offers departures in both the morning and afternoon, or through 12Go.

Anecdote

At times, I do not book in advance — and I wished I had when I traveled between Siquijor and Bohol. I had spent many days in Bohol riding a motorbike around the island, and my next stop was Siquijor, and luckily there were still seats available that morning. At the docks, the man at the gate told me to buy the ticket from one of the offices. I walked over and compared the prices, all seemed to be roughly the same with only the departure times differing, and bought a ticket for the next boat.

When I reached the boat, they told me that I had bought a ticket for the wrong date! With 20 kg on my back and 10 kg on the front, I ran back to the office to change it. Thankfully, they agreed, and I rushed back to the boat, worried that they would leave without me. Luckily they waited, and I was able to board.

Several operators sell tickets in offices near the docks, and the prices are more or less the same. The only difference is the departure time. The easiest way to skip the hassle of comparing the operators is to buy a ticket online. Using 12Go usually gives you the same price without the headache.

Dumaguete to Bohol by Ferry

From Dumaguete, there are a couple of ferries departing each day. The ones shown in the image above can be booked directly at the docks. If you prefer to secure your ticket in advance, you can book through Klook for the ferry that departs at 1:00 PM to Bohol, with tickets costing about $17 USD.

Cebu City to Bohol by Ferry

From Cebu City, getting to Bohol is very easy- There are more than a dozen departures daily, with ferries running every hour between 5:00 AM and 6:00 PM, making the crossing simple to plan. Tickets can be booked online through Klook, with prices at around $15 USD.

Bohol By Air

If you are not coming from Cebu city or any nearby island, the easiest option is to fly directly to Bohol. Regional flights are usually quite affordable, especially when booked in advance.

You can reach Bohol from most larger cities, including Manila, Davao, Puerto Princesa and Siargao. The island’s airport is located on Panglao, which is the small peninsula on the southwestern side of Bohol that also happens to be the most touristic part of the island.

How to Get to Bohol from Moalboal – My Experience

I was in Moalboal when I decided to travel next to Bohol.

My plan was to catch the 8:00 AM bus bound for Bato and then transfer at the Samboan–Bato Bus Terminal for Oslob, before hopping on the only boat to Bohol, which departs at 11:30 AM from Quartel Beach. However, I was a bit slow in the morning and missed the bus, so instead I had to reroute through Dumaguete to reach Bohol.

So I took the bus to Liloan Port on the Cebu island, located on the on the southern tip, and from there I hopped on a boat to Dumaguete. While in Dumaguete, I decided to stay a day to explore what it had to offer before catching a boat the following morning to Bohol from the Port of Dumaguete.

If you are not planning to check out Dumaguete, it’s a time-consuming route. However, Dumaguete has its own charm — it’s less touristy, the traffic feels calmer, and the atmosphere gives you a glimpse of the more genuine Philippines, away from the crowds.

One-way trip from Moalboal to Bohol through Dumaguete will take around 7-10 hours depending on traffic and transfers.

Summary: Getting To Bohol

Getting to Bohol is quite easy, with multiple ferry routes available from Cebu, Siquijor, Dumaguete, and even Oslob. In addition, the island has an airport conveniently located in Panglao — the peninsula with most tourist infrastructure.

Booking ferry tickets in advance is recommended, as prices tend to be similar across operators, with departure times being the main difference. Booking through platforms like Klook or 12Go costs roughly the same as purchasing directly from the operator.

I hope this guide answered the question about how to get to Bohol. Any questions, feel free to ask and I’ll do my best to answer.

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