FROM LAZING ON THE BEAUTIFUL BEACHES TO EXPLORING CHOCOLATE HILLS, YOUR DIVE-CAREERS INTERNSHIP IN BOHOL WILL ALSO BE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY.
Bohol Philippines offers independent travelers a wealth of options both on and off the beaten track. The island province is promoted almost exclusively through images of cute bug-eyed tarsiers and the majestic Chocolate Hills, and while both are fantastic highlights, in reality it’s the diving on Panglao Island that brings in the travellers. Add a jungle interior, an adventure sport paradise, rice terraces and pristine white beaches, and you get a more rounded picture of what Bohol Philippines really is about.
Boholanos still affectionately call their province the ‘Republic of Bohol’, in reference to the island’s short-lived independence at the turn of the 19th century. It’s an appropriate appellation – today’s successors of the republic are fierce protectors of Bohol’s distinctive cultural heritage.
Panglao Island is generally associated with Alona Beach, a congested strip of resorts and dive centres on the southern side of the island. The underwater scene around Alona is indeed exceptional, and divers can score nifty package deals by combining dives with accommodation. Alona also has some decent nightlife. Just 15km from Tagbilaran, it works just fine as a base for exploring the rest of Bohol – especially when you can return home at the end of the day to two-for-one cocktails in the sand.
