Bohol Island Geography

Bohol Island is the main island of the province of Bohol and is located in Central Visayas, about 70 kilometers southeast of Mactan Island. Lying southeast across the Cebu Strait (referred to by some as the Bohol Strait) and southwest from Leyte Island, it is separated by the Camotes Sea and Canigao Channel.

Bohol is also located north of Mindanao with Bohol Sea between them. It is about 700 kilometers south of Manila and about 70 kilometers southeast of Mactan Island. With a land area of 4,117.26 km² or 1,608 sq. miles and a coastline 390 km long, Bohol is the tenth largest island of the Philippines.

With a topography which is oval in shape, the land structure is mostly of gentle rolling hills in the eastern coast then rises to a plateau high in the central section where the famed Chocolate Hills exist. There is only one city and 47 towns; 31 are along the coast, including Tagbilaran City, and 17 are located inland.

There are 1,113 barangays and 75 islands and islets. The largest island is Panglao which comprises the town of Dauis and Panglao and faces Tagbilaran City in the southwest. Lapinig, in the northeast, is the second biggest island which was formerly a progressive barrio of Ubay.

Bohol's mountainous interior is home to rare and endangered flora and fauna. At certain points, hills drop steeply to the coast from a maximum elevation of 870 meters above sea level. The highest mountain peaks are the Almario and Bunacan in Tubigon, Mohangin and Lusday in Guindulman, Karahaboh, Kanhumagad and Kaloyhuan in Jagna and Kalkuboh and Kampuna in Catigbian.

The interior uplands are fit for agro-forestry and high value agricultural production while the central and northern lowlands have also fertile grounds and abundant water supply. Over a hundred caves have been identified, the biggest of which is found in the eastern part which makes Bohol ideal for spelunking adventures. Four large rivers drain the island; Inabanga and Ipil Rivers in the north and Loboc and Abatan River in the south.

The climate in Bohol is not uniform in all areas. Along the coast, it is very warm and dry yet towards the interior, it is cold and humid. There is neither pronounced rainy period nor dry season. Humidity is very high with an average annual temperature of 82°F. The infrequent typhoons occur only during the change in monsoons.

The west, south and east coasts are characterized by woodland and grass, and areas of these swamplands have been established into fish ponds. Bohol mangrove is sold as firewood in the locality as well as in the neighboring island of Cebu. It is also used as poles for the construction of houses and for fish pens.

Off the west, north and northeast coasts are coral reefs around the small islands. The Danajon Bank, the Philippines’ only double barrier reef is located in these areas and is 1 of only 3 such sites in the Indo-Pacific. The reef is spread across almost 130 kilometers and consists of 3 large reefs. Sixteen municipalities and 1 city include the Danajon Bank within their area of jurisdiction. This encompasses 4 provinces and 2 regions. In Region 7, 10 municipalities belong to Bohol and 2 to Cebu. In Region 8, 4 municipalities belong to Leyte and 1 city to Southern Leyte. The shoreline of these municipalities and city covers 699 kilometers.

Numerous waterfalls and caves are scattered across the island, including the beautiful Mag-Aso falls in Antequera. Mag-Aso means smoke in the native tongue. The water is cool and often creates a mist in humid mornings which can hide the falls. The most frequently visited cave is the Hinagdanan cave and the biggest is the Sudlon cave located in Alicia.

Each of the towns of Bohol has something to offer visitors; ranging from caves, hills, mountain ranges, fine white beaches, dive sites, virgin islands, butterfly sanctuaries, tarsier sanctuaries, mangroves, dolphin and whale habitats, and more. Activities may include trekking, scuba diving, mountain biking, caving, water tubing, horseback riding, rappelling, island hopping and many more.

Click here to get the best hotel deals in Bohol

The 31 coastal towns (in alphabetical order) are: Alburquerque, Alicia, Anda, Baclayon, Bien Unido, Buenavista, Calape, Candijay, Clarin, Cortes, Dauis, Dimiao, Duero, Garcia Hernandez, Getafe, Guindulman, Inabanga, Jagna, Lila, Loay, Loon, Mabini, Maribojoc, Panglao, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, Tagbilaran City, Talibon, Trinidad, Tubigon, Ubay, and Valencia.

The 17 interior towns (in alphabetical order) are: Antequera, Balilihan, Batuan, Bilar, Carmen, Catigbian, Corella, Dagohoy, Danao, Loboc, Pilar, Sagbayan, San Isidro, San Miguel, Sevilla, Sierra Bullones, and Sikatuna.

There are 75 islands and islets of Bohol. Most of them are clustered in the northeastern part of Bohol particularly in the towns of Tubigon, Inabanga, Getafe, Talibon, Bien Unido and Pres. Carlos P. Garcia. The following islands are listed in alphabetical order: Bagatusan, Bagong Banwa, Balicasag, Banacon, Banbanan, Bansaan, Batasan, Bay Sa Owak, Bilangbilangan, Bonbon, Bosaan, Buabuahan, Bugatusan, Busalian, Cabilao, Cabul-an, Cabantulan, Cabgan, Calangaman, Cancoslino, Calituban, Cataban, Catang, Cati-il, Cuaming, Danajon, Gak-ang, Gaus, Guindacpan, Hambongan, Hingutanan, Inanoran, Jaguliao, Jandayan, Jau, Juagdan, Lapinin, Lapinin Chico, Limasoc, Lumislis, Ma-agpit, Mahanay, Makaina, Makalingao, Malingin, Mantatao Daku, Mantatao Gamay, Maomauan, Maubay, Mocaboc, Nasingin, Nocnocan, Pamasaun, Pamilacan, Pandanon, Pandao, Pangangan, Pangapasan, Panglao, Pinango, Potohan, Pungtud, Saag, Sagasa, Sandingan, Sentingnenay, Silo, Sinandigan, Tabangdio, Talabon, Talimobo, Tambo, Tangtaang, Tintinan, and Tumok.

Bohol is divided into three (3) congressional districts.

The 1st district is comprises the towns of Alburquerque, Antequera, Baclayon, Balilihan, Calape, Catigbian, Corella, Cortes, Dauis, Loon, Maribojoc, Panglao, Sikatuna, Tagbilaran City and Tubigon.

The 2nd district is comprises the towns of Bien Unido, Buenavista, Clarin, Dagohoy, Danao, Inabanga, Getafe, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, Sagbayan, San Isidro, San Miguel, Talibon, Trinidad, and Ubay.

The 3rd district comprises the towns of Alicia, Anda, Batuan, Bilar, Candijay, Carmen, Dimiao, Duero, Garcia-Hernandez, Guindulman, Jagna, Lila, Loay, Loboc, Mabini, Pilar, Sevilla, and Sierra Bullones.

The province Bohol is also divided into two (2) dioceses: the Diocese of Tagbilaran and the Diocese of Talibon.

The Diocese of Tagbilaran comprises of Tagbilaran City, Baclayon, Alburquerque, Loay, Lila, Dimiao, Valencia, Garcia Hernandez, Cortes, Balilihan, Catigbian, Sagbayan, Maribojoc, Loon, Calape, Tubigon, Clarin, Loboc, Bilar, Batuan, Antequera, San Isidro, Corella, Sikatuna, Sevilla, Dauis, and Panglao.

The Diocese of Talibon comprises of Jagna, Duero, Guindulman, Anda, Candijay, Mabini, Alicia, Ubay, Talibon, Trinidad, San Miguel, Bien Unido, Pres. Garcia, Dagohoy, Danao, Pilar, Sierra Bullones, Carmen, Inabanga, Buenavista and Getafe.