Bohol Day Tours From Mactan Island
This is another highly debatable subject that comes up with travelers requests. What is the best way to do a Day Trip to Bohol ????? They are many different methods, venue's and transportation you can avail to accomplish a Great Day Trip to Bohol Island from Mactan Island. The best, safest, hassle free, good quality trips will come from Travel Agent's or Tour Operators. For first timers here in Philippines, this would be strongly suggested. Trying to do it on your own can come with a array of problems and battles you might and most likely will have to over come.
BEST WAY TO DO A BOHOL DAY TRIP FROM MACTAN ISLAND ( Travel Agent or Tour Operator )
1st - FIND A TRAVEL AGENT OR TOUR OPERATOR
First research and find Travel Agencies and Tour Operators who offer This type of tours. You will find many, many who offer this tour. The key to making a good decision will be to do your research. They are so many offering these tours and have many different inclusions and benefits. Please look over your tour inclusions, transfers, and extra benefits. Each one will vary. Research if they cater mostly to local clients, or foreign clients. That is a big deal. Most of the agencies who cater mostly to the local clients, will not supply the perks, and the atmosphere in which a foreign client will be accustom to. Point in fact - Some tours might include that you share vans packed full to the limit. Some might not offer as good of lunch menu as others. Some might include a guide that explains and leads you throughout the tour, when others so called " guide " is nothing more than the driver of the van, in which might never speak at all unless asked. For local people this is acceptable and not as big of a deal as it would be to a foreign client. So this is something you have to watch for. Google the agencies name for problems, reviews. Ask for some recent references you can contact. Also try to use a agent or operator in which main office and base of operations is in the city you are traveling from. Lot of Bohol Tours are sold from other places, and agents contact others to get you there to Bohol. If they is a problem, then you will have to return all the way to Bohol to take care of it. Better to deal with someone from where you are traveling from.
2nd - LOOK FOR INCLUSIONS IN THE PACKAGE YOU PURCHASE
Each Bohol Day Tour can include everything you might need, down to umbrellas. When other's might not include some of the entrance fees, private transportation, and things of that nature. Here is a list of what a Bohol Day Tour should include : ( in lieu of a foreign clients perspective.)
* Hotel Pick Up and Drop Off - Remember to check the Area of Free Pick Up and Drop Off. Certain ones are Free Only for Mactan Island Area, and some only for Cebu City Area. If they have to pick you up outside those areas, they will be additional charges. Some pick ups will be with air conditioned taxi or van ( according to the number of persons ), Some will be with traditional type Jeepney. Check and make sure you get what you want. Some with Jeepney Pick Up will charge extra for Car / Van Pick Up.
* Transport to and From Pier to Pier in Bohol - They are two different types of Transfer that you will find with most all Bohol Day Tours.
1st - Fast Craft Ferry Transport From Cebu to Bohol and Back to Cebu - This is a closed boat, which will leave from Cebu Pier and arriving in Talibargan Peir in Bohol. They are three or four company's offering these transports. They are usually fully booked, with inside seating, and outside seating. Do not expect to much air conditioning. Some do have small windows in which you can look out. Comfort level is not great, but not bad also.. The ride will last 1 hour and 45 minutes.
2nd - Banga Fast Craft Transport - These are open air boats. They leave from Mactan Island Piers to Bohol and Back to Mactan Island. This transport is most always private. You ride with covered roof, but most of the boats have open sides. Comfortable seating, and bathrooms are available. Boats are large and safe, but loud, as the noise of the engine you can hear. Great for seeing the islands on the way to Bohol, picture taking. Boats arrive at different piers around the island, all with good accommodations. Average travel time for this type of boat is 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour and 40 minutes, according to which pier you will arrive at.
* Air Conditioned Van or Car Transport while on Tour ( From Pier to Pier ) - Each tour should include a Air Conditioned Van or Car waiting on you at your designated pier arrival. This should be private for your group or couple. If a couple a car will be used, if over 4 persons a van will be used. If over 8 to 10 a Coaster should be used. Very Large Groups a Tour Bus should be used..
* Lunch Provided with Tour ( Luboc River ) - All tours should have a buffet or plate lunch provided. The Most common and widely used is the Luboc River Cruise Buffet Lunch. This is not a have to case. They are other Lunch options available for the tours, that does not include the Luboc River Cruise. Need to request these if wanted. They are two or three companies providing these Luboc River Lunch Cruises. All the menu's are very close to the same. One is really not much better than the others. So which ever one your agent provides will be suitable. NOTE :Luboc River Lunch Cruise comes with one Round of Drink only. Other drinks will be charged to you.
* All of the Sites in Bohol are not possible to visit properly on a Day Tour. So many agencies offer different sites for their tours. You should research the sites you wish to see and then find a agent who's package includes those sites. OR request the sites you want for your tour. Some agents will let you choose which sites you want to see. The most popular sites are :
Chocolate Hills --- Tariser, Bat, Monkey Viewing --- Blood Compact Site --- World Largest Python Viewing --- Souviner Shopping --- Butterfly Sanctuary --- Baclayon Church and Museum --- Bilar Man Made Forest --- Clarin Ancestral Home --- Cave
All Entrance Fees, Parking, or any type of donations should be paid by the agent and included in your package. Tips, drivers, or any other fees in accordance with your tour and personnel on the tour should be paid for and included in your package. You should only have to spend your money for anything you buy, arts crafts, souvenirs, drinks ( lunch should include one round of drinks ) Some agents carry a small cooler on the boat in which they are drinks and snacks for your travel while on the boat. Some do and some do not include this.
* Tour Guide - Please look at the tour package when you are comparing. Some offer Tour Guides, and Some charge extra if you want a tour guide. Other just let the driver be a tour guide. Most tour guides that are driver's do not tell you anything. They just take you from place to place. But in some cases you will find a very good one who likes to tell you all about what you are seeing. But do not expect it.
3rd - Booking and Paying for your Tour
After doing your research, then you are ready to book and pay for your tour. They are many different styles and methods offered. Most will ask for a 50% deposit, some only a 25% deposit. Please remember to look and research if they have a cancellation policy, bad weather policy, and in general their return policy. You will find many who do not offer a return policy for any reason. Also never pay the complete tour up front. Also never pay the tour upon your arrival. You tour should be paid at the completion. If they are asking for it up front, and have no return policy, or want the balance upon arrival and before the tour starts, that is a red flag and you should be careful. Research these things before hand...
They are many great agencies and tour operators who offer such tours in Cebu and on Mactan Island. You can search google for all types of these: Here are a few that is highly recommended by many :
Cebu Cheap Tours --- K and R Travel --- Live Cebu Tours