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Diving in Cabilao for travellers to Bohol Island, Philippines – featured post by Aileen Siroy – travelfoodfinds.com

The numerous dive sites around Philippines have some of the world’s most beautiful reefs. Aileen brings us to Calilao, an island off mainland Bohol.

Here, Aileen shares with us her Cabilao diving experience as well as gorgeous underwater shots of the reefs.

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Find out more about the blogger, Aileen, below or check out her Blog, Facebook and Twitter

Blog: TravelFoodFinds.com Facebook: Aileen Siroy Photography Twitter: @aileensiroy

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“Diving in Cabilao”

By Travel.Food.Finds (Aileen Siroy, Philippines)

Cabilao is a small island west of mainland Bohol. It has one of the most beautiful reefs in the country. I made two diving trips there — In 2007 with Bambi, Daniel, and Daniel’s family (his entire family dives); and in 2008, with Edeena, Angela, and Imee. Daniel’s friends joined us, too!

I was told that the road trip + banca-ride from Tagbilaran was long, so we opted to leave from Mactan, Cebu. The trip from Mactan was only two hours by motorized boat. It was more convenient than leaving from Tagbilaran. We rented a boat, brought our own food, and rented air tanks from Aquadive.

Aqua Dive Inc.
Hadsan Cove Resort
Brgy Agus, Lapu-lapu City
Phone: +63 32 5181155
Email: info@aquadive.com.ph

You have an option to go to the town of Argao, north of Cebu, and have a banca take you to Cabilao. That’s about an hour trip to the island. I’m not sure though if there are bancas already waiting in Argao. But to be sure, contact any of the hotels in Cabilao and have them arrange a banca for you.

Look at those colorful, huge corals! Cabilao will remain my favorite dive site. It is an underwater piece of heaven. Not a lot of people or divers go there, so the place is peaceful, clean, and undisturbed. We saw so many kinds of fish and corals, all colorful and beautiful. It was absolutely awesome!

We only did a day-trip to Cabilao which was quite enough to satisfy our curiosity of this island’s underwater beauty. The downside of a day-trip is that the two-hour trip back to Mactan would seem too long when you are already very tired.

I suggest staying in the island overnight so you have more time to explore and get enough rest before traveling again. There are three resorts you can choose from –

La Estrella Beach Resort
Cabilao Island, 6327 Loon, Bohol, Philippines
Phones: +63 38 505 4114 . +63 38 505 4151
Email: info@laestrella.ph
Website: http://www.laestrella.ph/

Cabilao Beach Club
Cambaquiz, 6327 Loon, Bohol, Philippines
Phone: +63 917 4545 897
Email: cabilao@skyinet.net
Website: http://www.cabilao.com/

Polaris Beach and Dive Resort
Pantudlan, Cabilao Island, 6327 Loon, Bohol, Philippines
Phone: +63 38 505 4118
Mobile: +63 918 903 7187
Email: info@polaris-dive.com
Website: http://www.polaris-dive.com/

If and when you do decide to stay in the island longer than we did, visit Lake Lanao, Bohol’s only natural lake. It is about half an hour walk from the resorts. It also serves as a bird sanctuary, so expect to see birds when you go.

And please, let the locals show you the way, be it on land or underwater.

More photos of that trip: