We've seen travel and tour packages to Bohol priced from PHP5,000 to PHP7,000 per person. Some may think these are well-priced but these packages do not include meals, shopping expenses, and surcharges. The total cost would easily come up by another thousand or so. So why would you want to book these packages when you can create your own 3D2N itinerary for under PHP4,100 all in?
Here's our guide to doing it.
Flights
Airfare can be one of the biggest expenses when traveling. But you can always take advantage of airline promotions and schedule your trip months or even a year in advance to drastically reduce transportation costs.
For our trip to Bohol, we booked our tickets back in November 2017 during Air Asia's Red Hot Sale. At that time, round trip fare from Manila to Tagbilaran were offered at 16 BIG points plus taxes and fees. Luckily, we were able to book promo seats and managed to score a pretty good deal for 6 persons. We each paid 16 BIG points and PHP415.24 for round trip flight tickets to Tagbilaran.
Tip: To book cheap flights, be always on the lookout for unbeatable flight deals. When you find one, be ready to make an immediate purchase as these deals sell out really fast. Lastly, be flexible. In a lot of cases, adjustments of a day or two in your travel dates can make a big difference in the price or availability.
Airfare: 16 BIG Points + PHP415.24 total per person
Accommodation
Bohol has dozens of accommodation options ranging from affordable no-frills backpacker inns to luxurious five-star resorts. Depending on the budget and location, there's a property to suit your preferences and to create your ideal getaway.
Get a room at the good off-the-beaten path hideaway Veraneante Resort. It is situated next to a quiet residential neighborhood so it is perfect if you want to stay away from the madding crowds and nightlife of Alona Beach.
Veraneante Resort is a small resort with only 7 rooms or cuartos offered. It is designed with separate huts nicely set within a tropical garden and adjacent to a pool. We booked a Family Room with breakfast via Travelbook.ph as it offered the lowest price with additional coupon discounts for members. We enjoyed a rate of PHP4,188.40 per night which was already good for 6 adults.
Tip: When booking, always compare online rates from the hotel website to booking sites like Travelbook.ph. This way you will be able to check for the best hotel deals.
Also read our review of the resort: Veraneante Resort: A Good Off-the-Grid Hideaway in Panglao
Accommodation Cost: PHP1,396.13 total per person
Food
Similar to our other travels, food is always the most flexible expense. We do not set hard and fast rules about where to eat and how much food we'll consume.
While in Bohol we ate at Mayang Maye Boodle Fight Restaurant, Cafe Oppe, Jasz Bar and Restaurant, Exotica Terrace Grill, and Payag Restaurant. Cafe Oppe, located within Veraneante Resort, was our quick go-to place for meals and snacks when we couldn't leave the resort. This is also where we had our breakfasts which were already included in our booking.
Tip: You can further reduce this cost by eating where the locals eat for affordable food. Street food and meals in eateries normally cost between PHP50 to PHP150.
Food Costs: PHP1005.00 total per person
Transportation
Veraneante Resort offers free arrival airport transfers between 9:00AM and 4:00PM. Since we booked a private van service to pick us up from the airport straight to our countryside tour of Bohol, we opted out of the free transfer.
If you will arrive in the morning and you will not be able to check in to your hotel until after 2:00PM, we suggest that you book a van service to do a customized countryside tour of Bohol first and have the van transfer you to your hotel afterwards. We booked a 16-seater van through Bohol Car Van Rental and Tours for PHP2,500 inclusive of gas and driver fees.
While in Panglao, we mostly stayed and relaxed inside Veraneante Resort. Whenever we wanted to go out to eat or to enjoy the beach, we took the resort's daily free shuttle service to Alona Beach. The service is scheduled daily every 5:00PM and back at 9:00PM.
For our departure, we booked the service through the resort. We asked to be dropped off at the Bohol Quality Mall so we can do some last minute pasalubong shopping before going to the airport. It was priced at PHP700.
From the mall, we took tricycles to take us to the airport. We paid total of PHP100 for two tricycles.
Tip: Do some research about transportation options before you arrive. You may also ask your hotel for the fair price of various transportation options to avoid being overcharged.
Transportation Costs: PHP550.00 total per person
Tours
If you want to save, we highly suggest trying to do tours on your own. It is a lot cheaper than booking through travel agencies. Usual tours would cost from PHP1,400 to PHP2,000 per person.
Here are the fees to the different attractions and activities in our DIY itinerary.
1. Chocolate Hills Complex: PHP50
2. Bohol Tarsier Conservation Area: PHP60 (same price when you visit the Philippine Tarsier Foundation)
3. Bilar Man-Made Forest: Free
4. Baclayon Church: Free
5. Baclayon Church Museum: PHP50
6. Blood Compact Site: Free
7. Bohol Bee Farm: PHP30
8. Alona Beach: Free
Entrance Fees to Attractions: PHP190.00 total per person
Shopping
For pasalubong, we bought bags of Peanut Kisses. Inspired by the famous Chocolate Hills, this is the favorite pasalubong item among the native treats and goodies of Bohol. We also bought purses, ref magnets, and key-chain souvenirs.
Tip: Buy Peanut Kisses from the groceries and the small souvenir items from street peddlers to get more savings.
Shopping Costs: PHP510.04 total per person
Quick Breakdown of the Expenses
To sum it all up, here's how much each of us spent when we traveled to Bohol.
Looking at the above breakdown, budget travel to Bohol is definitely doable. It just needs some careful planning. Hopefully this guide has helped you learn how to experience Bohol on a budget of less than PHP4,100.
Share this to your friends and start planning your trip to the Heart of the Islands.
More Bohol posts:
Bohol: A Travel Guide for First Timers
South Palms Resort: Living Up to Expectations?
Veraneante Resort: A Good Off-the-Grid Hideaway in Panglao
Chocolate Hills: A Stunning Natural Wonder
Bohol Bee Farm: What's The Buzz About?
Baclayon Church: Beauty in Faith
Tarsier Conservation Area: Not Exactly A Conservation Sanctuary
 |
| Panglao Island in Bohol |
Flights
Airfare can be one of the biggest expenses when traveling. But you can always take advantage of airline promotions and schedule your trip months or even a year in advance to drastically reduce transportation costs.
For our trip to Bohol, we booked our tickets back in November 2017 during Air Asia's Red Hot Sale. At that time, round trip fare from Manila to Tagbilaran were offered at 16 BIG points plus taxes and fees. Luckily, we were able to book promo seats and managed to score a pretty good deal for 6 persons. We each paid 16 BIG points and PHP415.24 for round trip flight tickets to Tagbilaran.
Tip: To book cheap flights, be always on the lookout for unbeatable flight deals. When you find one, be ready to make an immediate purchase as these deals sell out really fast. Lastly, be flexible. In a lot of cases, adjustments of a day or two in your travel dates can make a big difference in the price or availability.
Airfare: 16 BIG Points + PHP415.24 total per person
Accommodation
Bohol has dozens of accommodation options ranging from affordable no-frills backpacker inns to luxurious five-star resorts. Depending on the budget and location, there's a property to suit your preferences and to create your ideal getaway.
Get a room at the good off-the-beaten path hideaway Veraneante Resort. It is situated next to a quiet residential neighborhood so it is perfect if you want to stay away from the madding crowds and nightlife of Alona Beach.
 |
| Veraneante Resort in Panglao |
Tip: When booking, always compare online rates from the hotel website to booking sites like Travelbook.ph. This way you will be able to check for the best hotel deals.
Also read our review of the resort: Veraneante Resort: A Good Off-the-Grid Hideaway in Panglao
Accommodation Cost: PHP1,396.13 total per person
Food
Similar to our other travels, food is always the most flexible expense. We do not set hard and fast rules about where to eat and how much food we'll consume.
 |
| Fresh catch are offered along Alona Beach |
 |
| Boodle Fight at Mayang Maye |
Food Costs: PHP1005.00 total per person
Transportation
Veraneante Resort offers free arrival airport transfers between 9:00AM and 4:00PM. Since we booked a private van service to pick us up from the airport straight to our countryside tour of Bohol, we opted out of the free transfer.
If you will arrive in the morning and you will not be able to check in to your hotel until after 2:00PM, we suggest that you book a van service to do a customized countryside tour of Bohol first and have the van transfer you to your hotel afterwards. We booked a 16-seater van through Bohol Car Van Rental and Tours for PHP2,500 inclusive of gas and driver fees.
 |
| Rey of Bohol Car Van Rental and Tours |
For our departure, we booked the service through the resort. We asked to be dropped off at the Bohol Quality Mall so we can do some last minute pasalubong shopping before going to the airport. It was priced at PHP700.
From the mall, we took tricycles to take us to the airport. We paid total of PHP100 for two tricycles.
Tip: Do some research about transportation options before you arrive. You may also ask your hotel for the fair price of various transportation options to avoid being overcharged.
Transportation Costs: PHP550.00 total per person
Tours
If you want to save, we highly suggest trying to do tours on your own. It is a lot cheaper than booking through travel agencies. Usual tours would cost from PHP1,400 to PHP2,000 per person.
Here are the fees to the different attractions and activities in our DIY itinerary.
1. Chocolate Hills Complex: PHP50
2. Bohol Tarsier Conservation Area: PHP60 (same price when you visit the Philippine Tarsier Foundation)
3. Bilar Man-Made Forest: Free
4. Baclayon Church: Free
5. Baclayon Church Museum: PHP50
6. Blood Compact Site: Free
7. Bohol Bee Farm: PHP30
8. Alona Beach: Free
Entrance Fees to Attractions: PHP190.00 total per person
Shopping
For pasalubong, we bought bags of Peanut Kisses. Inspired by the famous Chocolate Hills, this is the favorite pasalubong item among the native treats and goodies of Bohol. We also bought purses, ref magnets, and key-chain souvenirs.
Tip: Buy Peanut Kisses from the groceries and the small souvenir items from street peddlers to get more savings.
Shopping Costs: PHP510.04 total per person
Quick Breakdown of the Expenses
To sum it all up, here's how much each of us spent when we traveled to Bohol.
Item
|
Cost in PHP
|
Round Trip Airfare
|
415.24
|
Accommodation
|
1,396.13
|
Transportation
|
550.00
|
Tours and Activities
|
190.00
|
Food
|
1005.00
|
Shopping/Pasalubong
|
510.04
|
TOTAL
|
4,066.41
|
Looking at the above breakdown, budget travel to Bohol is definitely doable. It just needs some careful planning. Hopefully this guide has helped you learn how to experience Bohol on a budget of less than PHP4,100.
Share this to your friends and start planning your trip to the Heart of the Islands.
More Bohol posts:
Bohol: A Travel Guide for First Timers
South Palms Resort: Living Up to Expectations?
Veraneante Resort: A Good Off-the-Grid Hideaway in Panglao
Chocolate Hills: A Stunning Natural Wonder
Bohol Bee Farm: What's The Buzz About?
Baclayon Church: Beauty in Faith
Tarsier Conservation Area: Not Exactly A Conservation Sanctuary
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