Bohol, a two-hour hop south of Cebu, is an attractive little island where life today is pastoral and quiet. The only sign of heavy tourist activity is on the beautiful beaches of Panglao, a magnet for scuba divers and sun worshippers, close to the utilitarian port capital of Tagbilaran.
Most visitors only leave the beach for a day tour taking in the Bohol's most famous attractions: the much-touted Chocolate Hills, a glimpse of the endangered tarsier , lunch on the Loboc River and a visit to the Blood Compact site, memorial to Bohol's violent past. Those with more time will be rewarded by trips to other parts of the province, including the adventure centre at Danao, the attractive island of Cabilao and the pretty beaches of Anda.
Bohol is also renowned for its wonderful old Spanish churches , many of them built with coral, which can be found all over the island, notably at Baclayon and Albuquerque. May is fiesta month on Bohol with island-wide celebrations including barrio festivals, beauty pageants, street dancing and solemn religious processions.