Bohol
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Scuba Dive Sites
There are three general diving sites near Bohol: around Cabilao, Panglao, and Balicasag islands.
Cabilao Island is an 8sqkm island that juts out at the interface of the Cebu Strait and Bohol Sea. It is about 2:45hrs from Cebu City, using overland transport and bangka. Tuna, groupers, dolphins, hammerhead sharks and mackerel can be seen.
Around Panglao Island (see above) the northern and western sections of the surrounding narrow and shallow (15-20 ft) reef platform are most interesting for divers. In the crystal clear water, underwater cliffs drop off to 100-170ft. There are schools of mackerel, surgeon fish and tuna near the cliffs and at depths of 100ft, snappers and groupers may be viewed.
Balicasag Island is a land mass of about 30 hectares located 4km southwest of Duljo Point just off Panglao Reef and accessible by bangka from Tagbilaran City.. The low flat island is surrounded by a sandy shell-coral beach fringed by a narrow (30-165ft) reef shelf with depths of around 15ft which ends in a sheer underwater cliff with depths exceeding 250ft on the north and northwest faces of the reef. Near the surface is hard coral and further down are sponges and Gorgonians. Jacks, mackerel and barracudas are common.
TRANSPORTATION
Land Transportation
Ceres Liner has a bus connection between Cebu City and Tagbilaran that uses a ferry between Argao on Cebu and Loon on Bohol. It's the most convenient day connection between Cebu City and Tagbilaran; the normal passenger ships between the two cities all seem to travel at night.
Tagbilaran - Carmen: buses from Agora Market (downtown Tagbilaran)
Tagbilaran - Panglao Island: jeepneys from Agora Market
Tagbilaran - Maribujoc - Loon - Tubigon: buses and jeepneys from Cogon Market (northwest of the center of Tagbilaran City)
Tagbilaran - Bool - Baclayon - Loboc: buses and jeepneys from Agora Market
Tagbilaran - Jagna: buses from Inting St
Tagbilaran - Carmen - Ubay: several buses daily
Carmen - Tubigon: several buses daily
Carmen - Ubay: several buses daily
Flights
Several connections with Cebu City daily; connections with Manila either on one daily direct flight or via Cebu City.
Sea Transportation
From/to Manila:
The ship Misamis Occidental of William Lines connects Manila and Tagbilaran but each way only via Dumaguete on Negros island; the trip takes more than 36 hours; for details on time tables and the quality of the ship, please see the Travel chapter.
A worthwhile alternative to this direct ship between Manila and Tagbilaran is to go via Cebu City and change ships there; on ships between Manila and Cebu one travels much more comfortably than on the Misamis Occidental, and even though one would probably have to wait in the Cebu City port area for a few hours, this trip could well be faster than the direct one. Those who choose this alternative should be aware that most trips from Cebu City to Bohol leave late in the evenings; one should therefore arrange to arrive in Cebu City from Manila in the late afternoon.
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