Bohol Freediving: The Ultimate Guide to Enjoying Bohol’s Beautiful Underwater Scenery 

When I first experienced Bohol freediving, I said to myself:

“I have to get better at this.”

I was a beginner then. 

I could barely dive to 5 meters. 

I remember floundering like a dying fish at the surface, my ears pierced with a sharp pain as I descended, struggling to get closer to the blurry seafloor below.

But I was enthralled.

The light moved within the seagrass and patches of white sand. 

An eerie, beautiful ball of sardines danced beneath the small, white-foamed waves.

I knew I had to come back someday, when I learned to dive deeper.

So, do I recommend Bohol freediving?

Absolutely.

And this blog is your complete guide on where to dive, what to see, and what to expect when freediving in Bohol.

Ready to get started?

Let’s go! 

Bohol Freediving: 3 Can’t-Miss Spots to Dive in Bohol 

Bohol is a beautiful, diverse island with a ton of unforgettable places to dive in.

Here are 3 you shouldn’t miss. 

Bohol Freediving Spot #1: Napaling Reef

Source: kaubanfreediving 

Let me start with a story.

This was back in the day when I could barely freedive. 

I was feeling hopeless and down, thinking I could never master this tricky sport. 

One day, as I was scrolling through my Instagram feed, I saw a reel by someone called The Runaway Mermaid.

She was floating through Napaling Reef in a red swimsuit, gliding to Natalie Taylor’s “Surrender.”

It was beautiful.

The ORANGE-hued reef, the explosion of colorful fish, the unbelievably clear cerulean water. 

I played the video back again and again.

I felt inspiration, envy, and the rock-hard certainty that I would do this myself. Someday. 

(Hint: I did. Many times.) 

What I’m saying is this: Napaling Reef is gorgeous. 

It’s made of stuff that inspires you to do something impossible. 

It’s a long, winding coral garden alive with sea creatures of all sizes and shapes. 

It hosts a sardine run, a black ball of mysterious, glinting fish. A family of beautiful sea turtles. Schools of jacks. Clownfish. Migratory sea creatures. 

And if you’re in Bohol, you shouldn’t think of missing this experience. 

The amazing photo above is from one of Napaling Reef’s most stunning features, “The Crack.” 

How to Get to Napaling Reef (and anywhere around Panglao) 

There are several ways to get to Napaling Reef. 

Here are the best ways:

• Motorcycle. Assuming you’ve arrived in Bohol via Tagbilaran port, you can easily rent a motorcycle for a daily rate of 400-600 (depending on what type of motorcycle you rent). Simply step out of the pier’s gates, and you’ll be hounded by people with a ton of transportation options. You can get a motorcycle by leaving an ID and your payment. Now, once on the motorcycle, drive 30 minutes to the island of Panglao. Google Maps will be happy to show you the way. Look for Kalikasan Dive Resort. You can access Napaling Reef from Kalikasan. 
• Tricycle. There are tricycles right inside Tagbilaran port. These are a slightly overpriced option, as drivers charge 200 pesos per head. But if you don’t drive and are up for a scenic ride, worrying about nothing but the views as they slowly change from the rush of Tagbilaran to the slow empty greenness of Panglao, this is a fun option. Tell the driver to take you to Kalikasan Dive Resort. 

Here’s the exact location of Kalikasan Dive Resort: 

How much you’ll spend at Napaling Reef

On a budget? 

Don’t worry.

You won’t break the bank by diving at Napaling Reef. 

Here’s a breakdown of the cost of a dive there: 

Note: Kalikasan Dive Resort is open from 8am to 5pm for people on a day trip. However, if you’ve decided to book a room with them, you can arrive at any time you choose. 

Bohol Freediving Spot #2: Balicasag Reef

Source: kaubanfreediving 

Balicasag Island is a tiny island 45 minutes by banca (local boat) from Panglao. 

It’s super cute (if I do say so myself). 

Just imagine it: a white sand beach island only 600 meters in diameter.

You can explore the entire island on foot in 30-45 minutes. 

Coconut trees give it ample shade, and there are rows of all kinds of shops where you can get cold drinks, fries, barbecues, seafood, shakes, and more! 

But the highlight of the island is, of course, Balicasag Reef. 

Balicasag Reef is not huge, only a few hundred meters in length. 

But it’s exploding with life.

From sea turtles gliding majestically through beds of corals to schools of jackfish glinting silver from their depth.

From colorful surgeonfish to striped clownfish.

The water is a pure royal blue, cool, sparkling in the sunlight. 

I remember following a sea turtle into the deep.

The immense silence, the rays of light tumbling into the dark abyss below.

I got near enough to the turtle to see its soft dark eyes, a whole universe within its smooth, leathery head.

Majestic. Beautiful. 

It’s not something you want to miss. 

So, go on! Book that Balicasag tour. 

How to get to Balicasag Island

There are 2 ways to get to Balicasag Island. 

1. Join an Island Hopping Tour

Ok, so disclaimer about this.

It’s not that fun. 😅

The tour starts at 6 am and ends around 3 pm. 

First of all, I’m not a morning person. 

But even if I were…

…for me, this tour is too long. 

There are 2 highlights which make it good. The Balicasag Reef and the Dolphin Watching Tour (dolphin chasing, rather, poor creatures).

But the in-betweens are long, hot, and tedious. 

For example, when we got to Balicasag Island, we had to wait in a queue for a boat to the reef. 

It took more than an hour. 

It was hot and the food in the shops was too expensive. 

So we sat around under trees, waiting and trying to keep cool in the sweltering sun. 

The tour also includes a sandbar island that’s…uhhh…meh at best.

Just a huge crowd of people in waist-deep water, screeching and making a ton of noise.

So what I’m saying: the island hopping tour is super touristy. 

There are too many people, the lines are long, and it gets exhausting.

But if you’re on a budget and want to see Balicasag Reef, this is the way to go.

It only costs PHP999 to join a tour (although be prepared: You’ll be in a tour boat with around 20 other people. The tour starts at 6 am but if someone comes at 8, you’ll be waiting for 2 hours in the heat of the rocking boat. This happened to me, seriously). 

Still want to do it? 😁

Head over to Alona Beach.

Find a tour agency (there are a ton of these around).

Or simply walk along the strip towards the beach, looking touristy. 

I assure you, you won’t make it to the water without a brochure or 2 thrust into your face. 

Choose the 6 am to 3 pm tour, which includes Balicasag Reef and Dolphin Watching.

It costs PHP999-PHP1500 per person, depending on the season and how many people they’ve already gathered for the tour. 

2. Book a Private Boat to Balicasag Island 

If you have money to burn, I suggest doing a private tour.

I wish I did this, but it’s a bit expensive if you aren’t traveling with a group. 

The tour costs around PHP6,500 per group, depending on how many people join (If you book online, you can get it for roughly php4,500 for 2 people). 

If money isn’t a problem?

Awesome!

When you book a private tour, you skip the waiting lines, the interminable sitting around, the spots that aren’t that great (like the massive crowd in the waist-deep swimming pool they call a sandbar). 

You can stay as long as you want at Balicasag Reef (even all day if you want!).

You can even visit other islands or join the dolphin-watching chase. 

It’s a private tour, so you can customize it as you want. 😊

Note: The private tours will be on the same brochures as the joiner tours. Simply head over to Alona Beach to find the tour agencies and agents. 

Also, if you book through Klook, you can get it at a pretty good rate (certainly lower than some of the tours at Alona Beach!). 

Bohol Freediving Spot #3: Airplane Wreck

Source: kaubanfreediving 

Already seen the breathtaking reefs and marine life, and want to explore something unique?

You’ll love the Panglao airplane wreck. 

It’s a small seaplane shaded yellow and green with algae and corals, somewhere 6-8 meters below the surface.

You can play on the plane.

You can enter its cockpit and pretend you’re an underwater pilot, sit on its wings and enjoy the unmatchable silence, or watch the fish and other marine life glide along its long, smooth body.

If you’re into photos and videos, this is the perfect spot to take them.

How to Get to the Plane Wreck

The plane wreck is a 10-minute swim from Oceanica Resort (formerly South Palms Resort). 

There is no entrance fee for Oceanica Resort, so if you’re a certified freediver with a buddy along, go ahead and dive in!

I suggest hiring a guide, though, since the wreck is 10 minutes from the shoreline and anything underwater isn’t that easy to find.

A guide can cost anywhere from PHP300-500 per person. 

Another option is to hire a banca to take you to the spot.

This will cost around PHP900 per person. 

Why this option is great: you can sit in the boat and rest if you feel tired. 

Guides and local boatmen can be found along the shore of Oceanica Resort. 

Bohol Freediving: 2 Schools for the More Serious Divers 

Staying in Bohol for a longer time?

Maybe you’ve got time to spare, and besides enjoying the beauty of the reefs and underwater life, you want to work on your certifications or improve your depth and techniques.

If so: great!

Bohol is the perfect place to train. 

The waters are mostly still, it has good depth with minimal current, and there are prestigious schools in the area run by professionals with big names in the freediving world. 

Here are my favorites:

1. Freedive Superhome 

This is my favorite place to train in Bohol. 

Run by former China National Record Holder, instructor, and judge Oliver Luqing, Freedive Superhome has a professional vibe you’ll love if you’re serious about taking your freediving skills to the next level.

They have an Olympic-standard pool, which you can use to train for your pool requirements. 

They have instructors you can book at any time for line or pool training. 

Already a Wave 3 or AIDA 4 freediver?

You can book an autonomous training session, where you’re taken out on boats for a buoy drift dive. 

(You don’t need a dive buddy to book this, as you’ll be paired with other freedivers who dive daily.) 

You can work out at the mini gym, or do some yoga on the mats provided to prepare for your dive.

You can even leave your gear in the clean, organized locker room with baskets labeled for each freediver.

I love this place!

If you’re serious about freediving, you’ll love it too.

And OH, I forgot to mention the cute cats you can cuddle with if you hang around Superhome. 

Check out my friend Froilan and me doing just that: 

Sufficiently convinced? 

Here’s Freedive Superhome on the map:

You can easily drive your motorcycle there, or take a tricycle from Alona Beach (which is only around 15 minutes away). 

Here’s how much you can expect to spend there: 

2. Freedive Panglao

This place is another personal favorite. 

Maybe because it holds so many amazing memories for me. 

Back in 2023, I completed my Wave 3 requirements by joining the AIDA Depth Games there. 

It was quite fun: doing your requirements while getting white cards for competition. 

(A white card means a successful dive in competition.) 

But there are other great things to love about Freedive Panglao:

• An Olympic-standard pool you can train in.
• Boat drift dives for training.
• Instructors at the ready for your certification and training needs. 
• Yearly competitions (if that’s your kind of thing). 

Simply contact them through Instagram if you’re thinking of visiting! 

Here they are on the map: 

Bohol Freediving: If You Love the Ocean, Don’t Miss It!

Bohol is one of the most popular places to dive in the Philippines.

Filled with lovely underwater gardens, prestigious schools, and unique interesting sites, it’s a must for everyone who loves the sea.

Want to explore more of Bohol? Check out this complete Bohol Travel Guide!