Loboc

Loboc is a small riverside municipality in Bohol, Philippines, best known for its scenic Loboc River cruises and the nearby tarsier sanctuary. The town offers a slower pace of life with colonial architecture, including the historic Loboc Church built in 1734, making it an ideal stop between Tagbilaran and the Chocolate Hills. Travelers visit for the 90-minute river cruise with buffet lunch and ethnic dance performances, as well as the nearby Ecotourism Adventure with cable car and zipline options.

Loboc is located 27 km from Tagbilaran (Bohol's capital) and 30 km from the Chocolate Hills. Jeepneys and buses connect Loboc to Tagbilaran regularly. For destinations like Jagna or Anda, travelers first take a Jeepney to Loay then catch a bus onward. To reach Tubigon (port for Cebu City), take a bus to Carmen first, then another to Tubigon.

Loboc is a small town where most places can be reached on foot. For visiting restaurants or attractions beyond walking distance, particularly the Chocolate Hills or remote accommodations, scooters can be rented at many hotels for approximately 500 pesos per day.

The Loboc River Cruise operates from 11AM to 2PM daily. The nearby Ecotourism Adventure site opens from 8:30AM to 5:30PM. Most travelers visit Loboc as part of a Bohol Island circuit that includes the Chocolate Hills, making the dry season (November to May) the most comfortable time to visit.

Loboc offers budget accommodations centered around the river area. The Loboc Backpackers Inn in Barangay Jimili-an (0.5 km from the river) provides fan dorms with two beds and shared bathroom at 350 pesos per person. Nuts Huts offers both dorms and rooms from 400 pesos. Fox & The Firefly Cottages provides dorm beds and rooms from 450 pesos. Stefanic Grace Paradise Inn and Twilight N offer rooms from 600 and 550 pesos respectively.

Loboc has limited dining options. Angel's Burgers on Loay Interior Road in the town center is popular for budget meals, offering two burgers from 29 pesos with soft drinks and coffee available, open 9AM-9PM. Villagio's Pizza at the Town Plaza serves pizza from 10AM-8PM. For the full Loboc experience, the river cruise includes a buffet lunch with local cuisine.

The main attraction is the Loboc River Cruise, a 90-minute journey departing from the bridge across from San Pedro church, featuring buffet lunch and ethnic dance and music performances at riverside stations. The Loboc Ecotourism Adventure site, located 2.5 km north of town, offers a 420-meter cable car ride and 520-meter zipline. The historic Loboc Church of San Pedro, built in 1734, sits near the river cruise departure point.

The Loboc River Cruise has a noted tourist scam where photographers offer "free photographs" but charge significantly for the emailed JPEG images. Travelers should be aware of this before boarding. As a small rural town, general precautions against petty theft apply, and it's advisable to keep valuables secure.

From Loboc, travelers commonly continue to the Chocolate Hills (30 km away) for the famous geological formation of over 1,200 cone-shaped hills. Tagbilaran, the capital of Bohol, is 27 km away with the airport and ferry terminal. For island connections, Jagna port offers ferries to Camiguin and Butuan, while Ubay port connects to Leyte. Tubigon port provides ferry service to Cebu City.