Activities for the day / Schedule:

• 07:00 AM: Meet Boat at Alona Beach
• 08:00 AM: Dolphin Watching
• 08:30 – 10:00: Arrive at Balicasag Island. Swimming and snorkeling
• Lunch from 11am onwards (optional)
• 10:00 – 11:00: Head to Virgin Island and walk on beautiful powdery white sand
• Return to Panglao 11am (lunch not taken)
  ***Note: Departure Time can be customized
• Head back to Tagbilaran City from Panglao

Our Superb Budget Island Hopping and Snorkeling Tour starts and ends at Alona Beach. The experienced boat crew [09482122216 Kuya Babet for 1,500php for all six of us] took us to Balicasag Island where we enjoyed snorkeling in the well known Marine Sanctuary. Along the way you’ll be mesmerized as you’ll be sailing with dolphins too!

Dolphin Watching at Panglao

I am very excited in this activity since it also my first time to do whale and dolphin watching. Together with my travelmates, we leave our hotel room at 6 in the morning, since it is advised that in this time that dolphin watching it best viewed.  Alona Beach in the morning gives a scenic view of beach life. The beach is beautifully lit by early sunrise light.

However the dolphins are quite elusive at this time of the year. Nevertheless we still enjoyed tailing them and following their packs quietly 🙂

Snorkeling at Balicasag Island

Crystal clear waters and a very healthy and diverse marine life have made Balicasag a top dive and snorkel spot.

Balicasag Island is approximately 40 minutes to 1 hour away from Panglao Island. Here you will find a 400 meter marine sanctuary of healthy corals with plenty of pelagic visitors characterized by vertical walls over deep waters with strong currents. There are many things that one can enjoy when in Balicasag Island. You can dip in the water or watch countless colored fishes as the swim by the shallow water. If you want to see the underwater beauty of Bohol seas, go snorkeling or scuba diving. You can rent snorkeling or scuba diving amenities from the resort. On shallow waters, one can spot corals and fishes that’s why it is a good spot for snorkeling. Balicasag is perfect for snorkeling because of the water is shallow and beautiful corals are everywhere.

We were transferred to a small banca (boat) for a fee to the sanctuary where we can snorkel because the large boat can’t dock on the sanctuary area. And it is truly living to its famed word-of-mouth that it is a perfect spot for snorkeling because of its rich marine biodiversity.  Corals are plenty and the colorful fishes are countless that swims around with you.

The White Sands of Virgin Island

Approximately 20 to 30 minutes we reach Virgin Island, the last destination of island hopping and the last island we explore.  Virgin Island is actually not an island but a sandbar.  The island is crescent moon-shaped with two arms extending to a shape of a crescent moon made of up of white sandbar. The sandbar as the main feature of Virgin Island is a perfect spot for picture-taking.

When we arrive, I am delighted to be greeted by a marvelous view of one of the crescent arm sandbar of the island where we docked.  The island is so scenic with its beautiful sandbar.  The pure and fine white sand is perfectly blending with the blue color of the sea. Then some locals greeted us and sells live sea urchins to eat. It is said to have been a good source of energy and an aphrodisiac.

We left the island sun-kissed skin but the visit to Virgin Island’s unspoiled paradise is worth it. This is one of the best island hopping I had in my travels.

The above blog post is part of my budget Bohol – Cebu tour series of posts in the Island of Panglao, Bohol and Cebu City, Philippines that happened last September 13-16, 2012. | Cebu – Bohol for just 3k Barkada Trip! | Day 2 Panglao Island Hopping | Day 3 Bohol City Tour | Day 4: Quickie in Cebu