Alona Beach, Panglao, Bohol

Almost a month ago, my family spent a weekend in Bohol. We availed of the usual tour package, a two night stay at a Panglao island resort and a day tour around the usual tourist spots in the island-province. I’ve never been to Bohol till then, but because much has been written about it as as one of the country’s emerging top tourist destinations, I’ve heard enough about it to be familiar with what to do in the island in a span of three days. Admittedly too short to immerse oneself, in any destination for that matter, but isn’t that what tourism is about, to sample destinations, just the good and the beautiful at face value?

Alona Beach, Panglao, Bohol

It was the week when my mother and my younger brother celebrated their birthdays, and a short trip to Bohol was what my mother thought would be an apt way to celebrate the occasions. We stayed at Flushing Meadows Resort at Dauis, in Panglao Island. It’s relatively isolated from the other resorts clustered and located in the major stretches of white sand beaches in the island, though the resort has its cove with its own small stretch of fine white sand (which only appears during low tide, though).

We decided to check out the other beaches in the island on our first day. We first proceeded to Panglao’s most prominent beach, Alona Beach. Aside from its fine white sand, the beach boasts of many small resorts clustered along the coast, just like Boracay. Alona hosts various restaurants, many of which display the rich and colorful choices of seafood spread out along the beach walkway to attract tourists and visitors. There are also bars and clubs along the beach, for those so inclined to party at night.

Another prominent beach in Panglao is Bolod Beach which plays host to the vast Bohol Beach Club, one of the largest resorts in the country. The resort, however, charges a fee, consumable within the resort, for non-overnight visitors to the beach club. Bolod Beach is probably the widest and largest stretch of fine white sand in Panglao, comparable to Boracay at low tide. The white sand is as fine as milk powder, and at low tide the shallow waters extend for hundreds of meters from the shore.

Sunset at Bolod Beach, Panglao, Bohol

We arrived at Bolod Beach as the sun was setting, while the sky was in magical red and purple hues. Groups of friends and families were frolicking in the beach, divers were coming ashore from an afternoon of diving, and Korean and Chinese tourists were having an exclusive beach buffet dinner right at the beach. Everyone was having a grand time. We ended the night with dinner at the beach club’s restaurant.

Bolod Beach, Panglao Island, Bohol

Bolod Beach, Panglao Island, Philippines