Bohol Whale Watching & Dolphin Tour

Pamilacan Island, a tiny community off Bohol's southern coast, was once a hub for traditional whale and manta hunting; today its former hunters have become guides and conservationists, sharing the waters they know intimately. This tour departs before dawn for the calmest crossing of the Bohol Sea, where resident pods of spinner, bottlenose and Risso's dolphins are seen year-round, often in large, acrobatic groups around the boat.

During the season from roughly March to June, larger cetaceans such as Bryde's whales and even sperm whales can appear in the deep channel, alongside pilot whales and melon-headed whales that pass through at various times of year. The local boatmen, raised on these seas, have an uncanny ability to read the water and find the animals while keeping a respectful distance.

After the open-water search, the boat anchors at Pamilacan Island for guided snorkelling over coral gardens where sea turtles are common, followed by a beachside lunch. It's a genuine wildlife experience led by the very community that depends on protecting these waters, and a moving example of conservation replacing a hunting past.