Island Hopping the Philippines

Welcome to Cebu, the “Queen City of the South”! We will pick you up from Mactan-Cebu International Airport and transfer you to our tour hotel in the city. In the evening, we convene for a trip meeting and welcome dinner. If you arrive early, make sure to do some exploring! Cebu is where the Spanish first made landfall in the 16th century, an encounter memorialised in Catholic churches and a fort still standing in the city today. Cebu is the main hub of the Visayas region – a coastal metropolis filled with sprawling neighbourhoods, bustling markets, and some great local food!

In the early morning, we head to the pier to catch a ferry bound for Bohol Island. Watch as Cebu’s cityscape fades into the endless blue expanse of the ocean. After a two-hour voyage, we arrive in the city of Tagbilaran where we meet our trusty support vehicle, a quintessential Philippine ‘jeepney’, and transfer a short distance for lunch and bike fitting. Then, it’s time to hit the road! Today’s ride covers a gentle 30 km, giving us our first taste of the charming Visayas countryside. After 12 km, we stop for a break at a Tarsier Sanctuary. Tarsiers, the world’s smallest primates, are native to Bohol and with the help of a local guide, we’ll venture into the forest for a chance to encounter these adorable, tiny, nocturnal creatures taking their daytime siestas. While sightings are highly likely, bear in mind that these are wild animals so guarantees cannot be made. We then continue cycling through rural Bohol, tackling some hills before concluding with a fabulous, winding downhill to the picturesque Loboc River. Here you can go kayaking, enjoy a massage, or simply chill by the river.

Today’s ride takes us deep into Bohol’s interior. Doing so will require a fair bit of gradual climbing, but the scenery along the way makes it well worth the effort. After 5 km, we swing by a viewpoint overlooking a gorge of the Loboc River, enveloped in a thick jungle canopy. For those keen, you can glide above the gorge by zip line or cable car (at your own expense). Back on our bikes, we then gradually rise to the top of the Carmen Plateau, along the way passing through a rustic rural landscape of rice paddies, coconut groves, and fruit orchards. After around 40 km, we reach the world-famous Chocolate Hills, an enchanting landscape blanketed by 1,200 symmetrical, brown-earth-hued mounds. Local legend has it that the hills were formed by quarrelling giants hurling boulders at each other. There’s also a geological explanation, but that’s a little more technical! We’ll ascend by car to one of the hills’ peaks, where lunch and panoramic views await, before spending the night at a simple yet cosy guesthouse near the town of Carmen.

Today presents a rewarding challenge as we traverse the Sierra Bullones highlands en route to the coastal haven of Anda. We begin with a leisurely 20 km on flat roads flanked by picturesque farmlands on either side. With our legs warmed up, we’ll be ready to tackle a 17 km uphill into the rolling hills of Sierra Bullones. The landscape unfolds in a tapestry of lush jungle and emerald rice terraces, showcasing rural Philippines at its finest. Accompanied by scenes of wallowing buffaloes and farmers tending to their fields, we press forth to the summit at 790 m ASL. Once at the top, we know what comes next: a 20 km descent down the other side of the highlands, whisking past villages and treated to sweeping vistas of mist-clad mountains surrounding rice terraces. Arriving in Jagna, we refuel with lunch and continue our journey for another 30 km to Anda, tracing an undulating, coast-hugging route that offers frequent glimpses of scenic bays. Our ride ends amidst the rocky headlands, pristine beaches, and vibrant coral reefs of Anda. Coveted as a hidden paradise for scuba divers, this peaceful peninsula is also a welcoming home for cyclists to spend two nights!

Today is yours to rest or explore Bohol’s coast at your own leisure. If you can be tempted out of the resort, then just a few kilometres away lies the white sand of Anda Beach, ideal for a day of lounging. You can also opt for snorkelling or scuba diving amongst beautiful coral reefs. A visit to nearby Lamanoc Island, renowned for its prehistoric cave paintings and mangrove forests, may also appeal. These optional activities are at your own expense.

Today, we get back on the bikes to discover more of Bohol off the beaten track. Starting from Anda, we backtrack around 6 km along the coast before heading inland, surrounded by scenes of daily life in Visayas. There are a few climbs to tackle but nothing too arduous, and after 40 km, we break for lunch in a small town near Malinao Reservoir. We can digest in the support vehicle as we fast-track ourselves with an approximately one-hour transfer to Bilar. Here, we visit a gorgeous little waterfall nestled in the jungle and saddle back up. Our afternoon ride starts with a flat 10 km before descending through the Bilar Man-Made Forest, following a road coiling through densely clustered, towering mahogany trees. By the 20 km point, we are reunited with the Loboc River and follow its path south to a riverside resort where we spend the night for a second time on the tour.

Starting from Loboc, it is only a short distance to reach the sea where we turn west, passing by countless fishing villages and coastal towns. After 15 km, we reach Baclayon, home to one of the oldest coral-stone Catholic churches in the Philippines. The church’s weathered yet delicately curated facade and interior provide a tangible connection to the country’s Spanish colonial past and enduring Christian faith. We’ll spend some time exploring these hallowed grounds and then continue riding for 5 km to a bridge connecting the mainland to the offshore island of Panglao. The rest of today’s route circumnavigates nearly the entire island, featuring a rolling terrain of rural, residential, and semi-urban areas. At the 40 km mark, we reach Alona Beach, well known for its white sands and lively atmosphere. The ride ends at Hinagdanan Cave, an underground chamber adorned with delicate stalactites and stalagmites, and a crystal-clear pool illuminated by natural light. Here, we jump into the jeepney and transfer 30 minutes to the bustling city of Tagbilaran, which is where we’ll catch a boat to our next island the following morning!

It’s time to switch islands for the second time! This morning, we ride our bikes a quick 500 m from the hotel to the nearby pier. We board a boat bound for Siquijor and simply relax for two hours as we glide across the water, surrounded by islands, big and small, jutting out of the Bohol Sea. Once we disembark at Siquijor’s pier, we’ll be met by our support jeepney and transfer to a hilltop restaurant to enjoy lunch complemented by gorgeous views. Siquijor is an island of natural beauty and mysticism, characterised by palm-tree-fringed beaches and shores, jungle-clad hills, and a cultural heritage steeped in esoteric knowledge connected to the bounty of the land. To some, Siquijor also has a reputation for sorcery and dark magic, though, in our experience, it is hard to get that impression from the welcoming locals and inviting beach resorts! After our introduction to the island from our hilltop vantage point, we enjoy a refreshing descent to the coast and then cycle an easy and mostly flat 26 km to our elegant beachfront resort. We’ll be based here for three nights.

Embark on an exhilarating island adventure today as we navigate the well-paved, 86 km coastal road of Siquijor. Along the way, we’ll encounter a dynamic mix of uphills, downhills, and flat stretches, guiding us from bay to bay and circling the entire island. Our first stop, after a mostly ascending 10 km ride, is the legendary ‘Enchanted Balete Tree’ – a 400-year-old ancient fig tree. Its sprawling roots create a natural pool of pristine water, inhabited by small fish offering a unique, natural spa experience for your feet! We then continue to Lazi, home to the Philippines’ oldest coral-stone Catholic convent, boasting well-preserved Spanish colonial architecture and interiors. After exploring this historical site, we continue onwards to Salagdoong Beach, where we pause to admire the turquoise waters and, for those who dare, a jump right in from a rocky outcrop awaits. Following a replenishing local lunch, we complete our loop back to the resort, accompanied by frequent ocean views and passing by roadside stalls where local fisherfolk proudly display their catches of the day.

Today, we turn our attention to Siquijor’s lush interior highlands. We begin by transferring 45 minutes by jeepney to get us to the top of Mount Bandilaan National Park, avoiding an otherwise gruelling uphill by bike! Here, we relish panoramic views over the far-stretching rainforest canopy and then saddle up to treat ourselves to a spectacular 10 km descent down the national park’s southern slopes. We hit the brakes at Cambugahay Waterfalls, where the multi-tiered cascade and calm pools may tempt us for a quick dip before continuing onwards to have lunch at a local eatery. After lunch, you can opt to cycle back to the resort by riding a roughly 20 km section of the previous day’s route in reverse, or you can hop in the jeepney and head back to the resort early to relax by the beach. Today is designed to be flexible. We may even be able to arrange a session with a traditional healer, a truly insightful cultural experience offering a window into Siquijor’s mysterious and esoteric side. However, this can only be confirmed on an ad hoc basis, depending on the healer's availability.

Today, even before we start cycling, we’ll be on three islands and two boats! We’ve got a 5:00 AM start to reach Siquijor pier in time to catch the first ferry bound for neighbouring Negros Island. After reaching the lively port city of Dumaguete, we’ll have breakfast and shuttle across town to catch our next ferry, heading across the Tañon Strait to Cebu’s southern tip. Both boat rides this morning take about an hour each and afford delightful sea views, as well as a glimpse into the hustle and bustle of inter-island mobility in the Philippines. Upon reaching the port in southern Cebu, we hop on our bikes and start riding north along the coast for 70 km. We cycle from one rugged headland to the next, repeating a pattern of up-down-straight until we reach the seaside town of Moalboal! This is coastal Cebu at its finest, passing through fishing villages and historic towns pressed against the backdrop of a stunningly blue ocean.

Early this morning, you have the opportunity to witness a remarkable underwater spectacle: the ‘Moalboal Sardine Run’. Head to the nearby beach, rent some snorkels (at your own expense), and wade out into the ocean where you can swim above the mesmerising sight of massive schools of sardines moving together in synchronised patterns. Other marine creatures, including turtles, that inhabit the coast and coral reef can be seen as well. This is an optional but highly recommended experience before we begin cycling. Our last ride is a memorable one as we traverse Cebu Island from west to east. Some challenging climbs await as we cycle up the Cebu Central Cordillera, the island’s rocky spine. The views over the rolling hills of the farm-covered highlands are stunning, and we end the bike tour with a downhill blitz to the east coast. Here, we have lunch, load the bikes and jump into our support van to transfer 2–3 hours (depending on traffic) to Cebu City. After arriving in the city and checking into the hotel, reconvene for a farewell dinner in the evening.

Time to say goodbye to the Philippines, extend your stay in Cebu, or travel to your next destination. There are plenty more islands to explore! If you have a flight out today, we’ll take you to the airport.