How to Get From Cebu to Bohol: Ultimate Guide
Planning to go from Cebu to Bohol? This extensive guide will cover all of your options and more. I’ve personally travelled throughout the Philippines and can suggest these options based on experience. This article covers everything you need to know about the ferry from Cebu to Bohol, flying from Cebu to Bohol and also the ferry from Bohol to Siquijor.
Table of Contents:
- Ferry From Cebu to Bohol
- Ferry Schedule Cebu to Bohol
- How Long is the Ferry?
- Where do I Catch the Ferry?
- Ferry Prices
- Ferry Information
- Ferry Tips & Suggestions
- Other Ferry Companies
- Flying From Cebu to Bohol
- Tourist Spots in Bohol
- Ferry From Bohol to Siquijor
Ferry From Cebu to Bohol
From my experience, and confirming with locals and other travelers, unless your budget is extremely tight the best option to get from Cebu to Bohol is via fast ferries. The most reliable ferry Cebu has to offer is via OceanJet. I have personally travelled with this company on multiple occasions during my time in the Philippines and they were mainly on-time, which is very good, certainly for the Philippines!
Oceanjet offers services to all major islands such as Cebu Bohol Siquijor Dumaguete and more! The below information is based on Oceanjet but at the end of this section I’ve listed a few other Cebu ferry options.
Ferry Schedule Cebu to Bohol
OceanJet has a lot of sailings each day, usually 5+. They normally run between 5am and 6pm but the times vary based on the season. View OceanJets schedules here.
How Long does the Cebu to Tagbilaran Ferry Take?
The OceanJet ferry travel time typically takes around 2 hours to make the journey from Cebu City to Bohol. This time can vary based on sea conditions especially in the typhoon season. It’s the same duration if you’re catching the ferry from Bohol to Cebu.
Where to Catch the Ferry to Bohol?
In Cebu you’re you’re going to want to head to Pier 1 (See map below). When we took the OceanJet ferry from Cebu to Bohol (Tagbilaran) this is where we caught it. I’d recommend asking your hotel and/or taxi driver to confirm this, as I’m not sure if the Piers change depending on the season.
Where does the Ferry Bring You?
After a scenic two-hour ferry through the surrounding islands, you’ll get off the ferry at the main tourist port in Tagbilaran (See map below). There will be many people when you get off the ferry offering you rides to your destination.
If you’re feeling adventurous, I’d recommend renting a motorbike right from the ferry port for the entire duration of your time on Bohol. Doing this basically gives you complete freedom to go anywhere you want around Bohol, and it’s also a lot of fun! A motorbike rental at the ferry port should cost 200-300 PHP per day. Be prepared to bargain!
Super Post: The 5 Best Waterfalls in Bohol
How Much does the Ferry From Cebu to Bohol Cost?
There’s 3 class options: Tourist Class, Business Class and Open Air Class.
Tourist Class
We sat in the tourist class, of course! It’s bare bones but it was clean and had air conditioning. The seats are hard plastic, the bathrooms are average and they had some Filipino movie playing on the TV in the front which we didn’t watch. The Cebu to Bohol ferry fare in this class is 800PHP / $14USD. Because the ferry is only 2 hours, I’d recommend this class. You can book seats online here. I’d say it was an enjoyable experience overall.
Business Class
During the ride, I went upstairs to check out the business class. It’s definitely an upgrade as it had large, leather, cushioned reclining seats. It seems to have quite a bit more leg room and space. The price for this is 1200PHP / $21USD. Besides the seat, there isn’t much difference. If you have some cash to spare and want a luxury seat, this is your best bet! Book business class online.
Open Air Class
Lastly, there’s also an “Open Air” class which is basically the same as the Tourist Class but it’s outside. It’s the same price as Tourist Class at 800PHP / $14USD. Book open air class online.
You can also view/book all of Oceanjets routes here.
Ferry From Tagbilaran Bohol to Cebu City
All of the information formerly mentioned also applies to taking the ferry from Bohol to Cebu. The Bohol ferry will leave and arrive at the same piers. You will have to check in at the Oceanjet desk prior to your sailing to register and receive your seat number. Book this route online.
Best Hostels in Cebu City
Tips & Suggestions
- Firstly I’d suggest bringing some snacks on board. There are plenty of food options available around the Pier in Cebu, including 7-Eleven. Once on the Bohol side there aren’t many options nearby but there is a good BBQ chicken spot called Chicken Ati that we ate at upon entering and leaving Bohol!
- I’d recommend purchasing your tickets online as it’s fast and easy but if you wish to purchase them at the booth I’d definitely show up early, or even the day prior to ensure you get a spot at the time you want.
- If you’ve purchased tickets prior, regardless of the method, you’ll need to show up at the Cebu pier a little bit early to register and be assigned your seat on the vessel. It seems kind of redundant to wait in another line but welcome to the Philippines!
Other Ferry Options to get From Cebu to Tagbiliran Bohol
There are a few other ferries that will get you from Cebu to Tagbilaran and vice versa.
Fast Craft Ferry Companies (<3hrs):
- Oceanjet
- Super Cat
- Weesam Express
- Lite Ferry
- Starcraft
- FastCat
Slow Ferry Companies (>3hrs)
- Lite Shipping Corporation
- F.J Palicio Lines Inc.
Note: Since I have only ever used OceanJet ferries for this route so I cannot presently recommend any of these other companies.
Flying From Cebu to Bohol
You can actually fly from Cebu Mactan Airport to Panglao International Airport. Cebu Pacific Airlines flies this route and the flight time is around 1 hour. Ticket prices vary but generally range from 3000-9000PHP ($52-$155 USD) each way depending on the season. However, you really won’t save much time going this route vs the ferries in the end, but the flight sure would be scenic!
If you’re staying on Panglao like most people, this could be a convenient option. I’ve flown with Cebu Pacific countless times, but not this specific route as the ferry from Cebu to Bohol is still a better option in my opinion.
Tourist Spots in Bohol
There are plenty of waterfalls, beaches, and caves to visit. During your stay on the beautiful island of Bohol, I’d recommend you check out Can-Umantad Falls, Mag-Aso Falls, Kawasan Falls Bohol & the Chocolate Hills! A good Bohol itinerary is 3-5 days depending on your time schedule.
We stayed on Bohol for 5 days and rented motorbikes the whole time. If you want to hear more about that adventure drop me a comment! Panglao is the main tourist area of Bohol, I’d suggest posting up there for your stay. Tagbilaran is the main city on Bohol but there’s not much happening there for tourists.
Super Post: The 5 Best Waterfalls in Bohol
Best Hostels in Bohol
Ferry From Bohol to Siquijor
After visiting Bohol, I’d recommend checking out the neighboring island of Siquijor. It makes sense to include a trip to Siquijor after your itinerary for Bohol as it’s in incredible island and not too far away.
How to get to Siquijor is quite simple, we took a ferry from Bohol. The ferry from Bohol to Siquijor takes approx. 2 hours and costs 950PHP / $16USD. However, there aren’t very many sailings per day and the times change quite frequently so I’d recommend asking around. You can book the ferry from Bohol to Siquijor online or you can reserve it at the OceanJet desk at the Tagbilaran tourist port.
The ferry we took was the same vessel as from Cebu to Bohol. As with the ferry from Cebu to Bohol, you’ll have to arrive at the desk early regardless of your booking method. This is so you can register and be assigned seats. Stay tuned for my guide on Siquijor coming soon!
Best Hostels in Siquijor
Philippines Packing List
- Salomon X Ultra Hiking Boots
- Osprey Porter 46 Backpack
- Stretch Ozonic Rain Jacket
- Collapsible Hiking Poles
Final Thoughts
I hope this guide makes your life easier during your trip to the Philippines! I particularly would of saved a lot of time if I had this information. If you have any questions that weren’t covered in this article drop me a comment below and I’d be happy to help! Check out my latest posts here. If you found value in this post please share it!
