5-Day Bohol to Dumaguete Itinerary: Chocolate Hills, Island Hopping, Apo Island

Off the coast of the Bohol Sea lies Dumaguete, the City of Gentle People, in southeastern Negros Island, which boasts some of the must-visit underrated tourist spots in the Philippines. For starters, it is home to Apo Island, an underwater sanctuary with rich marine life best for snorkeling and diving in Dumaguete.

• Book this Philippines 1-month itinerary tour package

The best time to visit the Philippines if you’re going to Bohol and Dumaguete is during the dry season from December to May since yuo’ll be exploring islands, beaches, and diving spots. To help you plan your itinerary to these top Philippine destinations, bookmark this 5-day tour to Bohol and Dumaguete, that includes the best Bohol activities and Dumaguete tours, including a Bohol Chocolate Hills tour. 

Day 1: Bohol Countryside Tour

To start your Bohol itinerary, you can take an early morning flight to Bohol from Manila Airport or other Philippine airports. For those with Cebu to Bohol itinerary or Cebu Bohol Dumaguete itinerary, you can take daily ferry trips from Cebu to the Tagbilaran port in Bohol.

Check in one of the luxury resorts in Bohol. You may also stay in cheap hotels in Bohol or book our Bohol hotel and tour package. If you’re a couple spending your anniversary, we recommend booking Philippines honeymoon packages and staying in Bohol beachfront resorts, which are some of the best 5-star hotels in the Philippines. See the current.

Some of our highly recommended luxurious resorts in the Philippines found in Bohol that you can book include: 

• Mithi Resort and Spa

• Amorita Resort

• Bohol Beach Club

• Modala Beach Resort

• Bluewater Panglao

Here are the top tourist spots in Bohol that you can explore during the Bohol countryside tour:

Chocolate Hills

First on your list is the famous Chocolate Hills in Bohol located across the towns of Carmen, Batuan, and Sagbayan. On your Chocolate Hills tour, you can either see the conical hills in green during the rainy season from June to November or brownish in color if you happen to visit in the summer or dry season from December to May. 

How to Go to Chocolate Hills

Tagbilaran City and Panglao Island in Bohol are your jump-off points to get there. You can either fly from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila, Clark International Airport in Angeles City, or Davao International Airport in Mindanao to Bohol-Panglao Airport. Then, book Bohol transfers to reach the Chocolate Hills.

Loboc River Cruise

Enjoy serene nature views onboard the Loboc river cruise at Loboc town. It comes with a buffet lunch on the floating restaurant while local musicians serenade you with classic love songs and folk dance.

Bilar Man-made Forest

Tucked between the towns of Bilar and Loboc, the Bilar Man-made Forest is full of mahogany trees. The two-kilometer lineup of trees makes a picture-perfect backdrop for your photos.

Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary

Bohol is widely known for being home to one of the smallest primates in the world, the tarsiers. If you want to have an up-close encounter with tarsiers, head to the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary in the municipality of Corella, just 48km from Chocolate Hills.

Baclayon Church

Many of the Bohol tours stop by the historical churches in the province, including the Baclayon Church, a National Historical Landmark built in 1596 and is the oldest church in Bohol.

Blood Compact Shrine

This iconic monument honors the first international treaty between the Philippines and Spain. It stands along the Tagbilaran East Road, where Miguel Lopez de Legaspi and Rajah Sikatuna performed a blood compact on March 16, 1565.

After your tour, you will return to your hotel to prepare for the Bohol island hopping tour the next day. 

Day 2: Panglao Island Hopping Tour

Aside from its beautiful countryside attractions, Bohol is also famed for its charming beaches in Panglao, one of the most beautiful islands in the Philippines. To get there, your tour transfer will pick you up early at your hotel.

Balicasag Island

Balicasag marine sanctuary is home to sea turtles. This symmetrically round-shaped island is one of the best diving spots in the Philippines.

Virgin Island

A long white sandbar welcomes you on Virgin Island, also known as Pontod Island. It boasts turquoise-colored waters and stunning white sand.

Alternative: Pamilacan Island Tour

If you want to maximize your Bohol island hopping tour or  Bohol diving package and snorkeling tour, go ahead and book a separate tour to Pamilacan Island. It can be an alternative to the Balicasag Island & Virgin Island Tour.

Bonus: Firefly-watching Night Cruise Tour at Abatan River

Before returning to your hotel, spend your evening on a Loay firefly-watching tour at Loboc River or Abatan River. Be in awe of fireflies as they twinkle and flicker in the night sky. You can also have a gourmet dinner when you book the Bohol Bee farm tour as an add-on.

Day 3: Travel to Dumaguete + City Tour, Forest Camp, Hot Spring

How to get to Dumaguete from Bohol?

To reach Dumaguete from Bohol, you can take a Philippine Airlines flight to Sibulan Airport and vice versa. There are no direct Dumaguete to Bohol flights which is why Dumaguete to Bohol travel time takes more than 2 hours since it also stops in Cebu or Manila.

If you opt for land travel, you must travel first to Cebu and take a Bohol to Dumaguete trip via Ceres Bus on board a ferry and ride from Dumaguete to Bohol if you want to head back. 

Is there a RoRo from Dumaguete to Bohol?

From Tagbilaran port, you can take an OceanJet fast craft from Bohol to Dumaguete, which is 137.3km away and takes 2 hours of travel time. Both the RoRo Dumaguete to Bohol and Dumaguete to Bohol ferry has trips that depart daily.

Here are the top tourist spots in Dumaguete that are included in your Bohol-Dumaguete itinerary.

Siliman University

First up on your Dumaguete day tour is Siliman University, the first-ever American school in the Philippines built in the early 1900s. It houses an anthropology museum, a university zoo, and a marine laboratory.

Rizal Boulevard

Stroll along Rizal Boulevard, which was named after the Philippine national hero Jose Rizal. Don’t miss out on taking a selfie at the #DumaGetMe signage on the sea deck.

Dumaguete Cathedral and Belfry Tower

Also known as Campanario de Dumaguete, the belfry tower is the oldest coral-stone watchtower in Visayas back in the 1760s.

Forest Camp

Less than 10km away from Dumaguete City, the Forest Camp is a nature resort in Valencia, province of Negros Oriental. You can dip in its cold spring pools that look like natural lagoons.

Red Rock Hot Spring

Photo by Red Rock Hot Spring

The Pulangbato (Red Rock) Hot Spring is a natural attraction in the mountainous town of Valencia. It is surrounded by rust-colored rocks and warm spring waters ranging from 37.5 to 39.5 degrees Celsius.

Day 4: Apo Island Tour

Experience diving in Dumaguete at one of the world’s best underwater sanctuaries, Apo Island, which is located on the southeastern tip of Negros Island. It is home to more than 650 fish species and over 400 corals.

Here are the must-try activities on Apo Island:

Snorkeling and Diving

Swim with sea turtles at Turtle Point. You’ll discover Apo Island’s thriving marine life underneath, but you’re not allowed to touch or feed the turtles.

Go trekking

After lounging on the white sandy beaches of Apo Island, you can go on a short trek to Habagat Eco-Trail to catch panoramic views of the 74-hectare volcanic island.

Sunset Watching

Apo Island stands on a hilly cliffside with a lighthouse overlooking the vast seascape. Follow the steep staircase to the lighthouse, where you can catch magical sunset views.

Day 5: Departure from Dumaguete

After taking a hearty breakfast meal, you can buy souvenirs before heading to the Dumaguete port or Sibulan airport to get to your next destination. From Dumaguete, you can board a direct flight heading back to Manila.

Make the Most of Your Bohol-Dumaguete Trip

Have a splendid trip across the best tourist spots in the Philippines, such as the beautiful beaches of Bohol and historic spots and diving spots of Dumaguete. If you have more time to spare, you may add more days to your itinerary. Don’t forget to book Bohol tour packages and refer to our Bohol itinerary and Dumaguete tourist spots article for more list of attractions.

• Book Dumaguete tour packages
• Check out this Philippines 10-day island-hopping & whaleshark package
• Try this 10-Day Philippines Itinerary: Siargao-Cebu-Bohol Tour Package

On your next island-hopping in the Philippines, make sure to book Philippine tour packages at Guide to the Philippines, an accredited Philippine online travel agency. If you’re planning to explore the best beaches in the Philippines, it’s best to book a hotel in the Philippines alongside your long-stay package.