Abatan River Community Life Tour
The Abatan River Community Life Tour highlights the community and life of the Boholanos, taking you to the sceneries of the river and its lush surroundings. In 2008, the Abatan River Development Management Council started The Abatan River Community Life Tour as a job- and income-generating program for the poor people in various municipalities.
Abatan River is located minutes away from Tagbilaran City and is one of the major rivers of Bohol, the others being Loboc River and Inabanga River. Abatan River stretches approximately 20 kilometers of water that passes through the towns of Catigbian, Antequera, Balilihan, and Maribojoc up to its mouth at the town of Cortes.
The Abatan River Community Life Tour starts from its jump-off point at the Abatan River Visitor Center in Cortes. The tour takes about an hour of gentle sailing on the Abatan River that will take you to villages to engage and learn about the locals. You’ll be riding in a kayak or a traditional boat called bandong that has nipa roofs above it and is fitted with rows of wooden chairs.
How to get there
To get to the Abatan River Visitor Center in Cortes, Bohol, you can take any vehicle from the city, and the ride will take about 15 minutes. You also have the option to rent a private car or ride a taxi or tricycle going to Tagbilaran North Road.
Getting there, you'll pass a bridge and will see the Abatan River Visitor Center on the left side. For a hassle-free journey, you can book a guided tour with included Abatan River Community Life tour in the itinerary.
The center will be your jump-off point to the Abatan River, where you will ride a traditional boat that will sail around the village.
Tickets and entry
There are two available tours for the Abatan River Community Life tour, which you can avail of at the Abatan River Visitor Center. These two tours are the flexi tour and the night tour, which are both available everyday at 6:30 PM, 7:30 PM, and 8:30 PM.
For the Flexi Tour, you can opt to ride a bandong good for 10 pax that you can avail for either 1 hour or 2 hours. Another ride is via kayaking, which is available for 1 or 2 pax.
For the Night Tour, you may also opt for bandong with a minimum of 1 pax. Kayaking is also available for single and double.
It is best to go for a night tour if you want to witness the fireflies dancing on the surface and light up the river. Inquire at the center to know about the tour fees. For a hassle-free trip, you may avail a package that includes an Abatan River Community Life tour so you can also explore other destinations of Bohol.
Best time to visit
The Abatan River Community Life Tour usually begins at around 6:30 PM. It is highly recommended to avail of the night tour so you can have a chance to see some fireflies on the surface of the water as you cruise along the river.
The best months to visit Abatan River, or Bohol specifically, is around December to March, when rainfall is less likely to occur.
