Bohol Countryside Day Tour — Chocolate Hills & Tarsiers

This classic full-day countryside tour packs Bohol's most iconic sights into one well-paced loop from Tagbilaran or Panglao. The undisputed star is the Chocolate Hills, more than 1,200 near-perfect cone-shaped mounds that turn cocoa-brown in the dry season; you'll climb the viewing-deck steps for the sweeping panorama that has made them a national symbol. Just as memorable is the visit to a Tarsier Conservation sanctuary, home to the wide-eyed, palm-sized tarsiers, among the world's smallest primates, observed quietly so as not to disturb them.

The day usually includes a relaxing Loboc River cruise aboard a floating restaurant, where a buffet of Filipino dishes is served while local musicians serenade you and the jungle-clad riverbanks drift past. Cultural and historical stops round out the itinerary, typically the centuries-old Baclayon Church and the Blood Compact Shrine, which marks the 1565 friendship treaty between Datu Sikatuna and the Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi.

You'll travel between sights in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle with a guide, with the whole loop running roughly six to eight hours. It's the most efficient way to see the essence of Bohol in a single day, combining natural wonders, rare wildlife and Spanish-colonial history.