Panglao Island A Best Place To Have a Vacation

PANGLAO ISLAND

Two bridges connect Bohol to Panglao, an overnight success for diving-oriented beach resorts. From a virtually deserted beach in the early 1980's, Alona beach has become a thriving tourism community just managing to keep commercialism at bay. Most places in Alona Beach rent our motorcycles for around P600 per day.

fiesta time in Panglao towns is in late August. In Dauis, it's in mid-August.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO

The refreshingly cold waters of Hinagdanan Cave, at Bingag, on the island's northern coast, would be worth a plunge if the bats here hadn't spent years pooping in the water. The well-lit stalactites and stalagmites are a lot more appealing. Admission is officially free, but a P5 donation is the norm Diving is the most popular tourist pursuit on Panglao. Apart from revelling in underwater paradises just south of Alona Beach Divers also use Panglao as a base from which to reach Cabilao Island.

PLACES TO STAY AND EAT

There's no shortage of resorts along Alona Beach. The best on offer, with singles/doubles with fan is Alonaville Beach Resort (038-411 3254). It has good rustic rooms with common bath and attractive little rooms and cottages(mostly twins) with fan

Alona Pyramid Resort Has solid, standard rooms. Usually two-storey huts. Next door is Sea-Quest Divers.

The quite Bohol Divers Lodge has cottages and popular diving tours. Divers Lodge and Sunshine Divers nearby also have good dive tours. At the quieter end of the beach, a really nice place to to spend the night is Alona tropical which also has a deservedly popular restaurant.

On the attractive, raised point at the eastern end of Alona Beach, Crystal Coast Villa has also good rooms to offer with air-con and bath and a swimming pool. If you want to be surrounded by lots of greenery, try Alona Kew White Beach, it's a large jungly compound offering cottages with aircon and bath. There';s a fine big restaurant on the grounds and staff can arrange boating and diving excursions.

In a different area, on the beach near Bolod, Bohol Beach Club is a quite swanky place for divers and lovers of the good life. It has large, air-con doubles and twins with bath and excellent service, there's good snorkeling right on the beach and diving and snorkeling gears for rent. Staff will collect you from the pier in Tagbilaran if you ring ahead.

GETTING THERE AND AWAY

There's an Aboitiz Express and Supercat/Sea Angels booking office in front of the Alona Kew White Beach Resort, which is handy for booking tickets and getting information. JG Express buses go several times a day from Tagbilaran's Dao bus and jeepney station to Panglao town to Alona Beach(45minutes). Just ask for the bus to Alona. The cheapest, simplest way to reach Alona in a hurry is to hire a tricycle from anywhere in Tagbilaran.