After our Pamilacan Island tour with dolphins and turtles, it was time to check out Alona Beach - named after an actress who did a movie and ran naked here in the 1970s. Walking by the beach at sunset is one of my favorite things to do in Boracay and I couldn't help but compare. I remembered hearing from our previous (childhood) trip that they imported Boracay white sand to Bohol once upon a time but I'm not sure if it was just rumors. I still prefer Boracay's powdery sand although if you have a day or two to spare or if you're looking for an area with lots of food and beach then this could be the central location for you in Panglao, Bohol.
We were dropped of by the hotel shuttle service near McDonald's and we headed down this road to get to Alona Beach. There are some side streets here and plenty of restaurants so if you're with a group or a night person, then you'll probably like it here. The tricycles are also abundant and for our hotel near the Moadto area, it cost around P200 per way for both of us so if you want to save a bit on the transpo fare then stay here.
It's around a short walk down, maybe 10 minutes to get to the police outpost.
From there, you choose to go left or right. We chose left first since the crowd goes there. We found this Kuya offering island hopping tours and activities with meetup point in Alona Beach. Just be careful of the rates - ask for an all-in rate (snorkeling gear, entrance fees, other fees, van/multicab fee, what type of transportation, estimated times) and haggle down before you finalize. Our Pamilacan Tour cost with Abraham around P2700 per pax all in thanks to the 20% discount I got. I guess if you have the numbers, then it should be cheaper as well if you go by the rates below. Balicasag Island we did not like so much since the corals were a bit dead and they feed the fish bread.. Virgin Island was closed indefinitely since 2024 because of tourist vandalism.
I heard the whale shark watching is also banned now because of the change it causes to the natural feeding behavior of the whale sharks and boat injury of these butandings. We like the Firefly watching tour although do the Maribojoc location one like we had (see next post).
I think this Fishing Trip is interesting though. I wonder if they prepare the fish and food after for you haha. This part of the beach was under construction, which was not a pretty sight.
For a tricycle driver, hire Kuya Leo Milana and give him a call at +639482122388 or +639158967498. He was kind enough to pick us up at the Tagbilaran airport where overpriced van rentals have the monopoly. He was also the one who drove us to Abraham Bohol from our hotel for our 6am meeting time.
So this was our initial look of Alona Beach. From the corner with the JPark Island Resort, it reminded me of Station 2 (Boracay). But if you look to the right, the sand drops suddenly and they constructed a stairway down to the beach.
I guess this will help prevent property destruction during the typhoon months. The beach part felt a bit crowded with boats and people.
The shoreline got better although it was like the old Boracay, with chairs and tables in the sand. I think this is a snorkeling and diving spot so vs. Boracay (which is just sand) then this is what makes Bohol a top destination for foreigners.
You had like maybe a meter of walking space. Then there are hair braiders and massage ladies too.
They also have this sandcastle in the widest part and they will charge you if you bump into it.. A guy was guarding it and it was by donation.
It got better as we walked further. But this was just 5-10 minutes away.
When you see the coconut trees, you've made it to Henann Resort Alona, which we think was better in terms of personal space. They had this buffet area set up out front with music. They have a ton of guards though watching from a distance.
We think that the resorts from this side are more exclusive and expensive, probably have a private cliff or beach too. The luxurious Amorita Resort, one of the first ones I think so I regard it as OG in Alona Beach, is here.
We walked back and I wet my sandals with sand. The sand hurt though and I had a hard time walking back. Nothing beats Boracay sand..
We came to the intersection again and decided to check out the right part. The sand erosion was very evident here.
The other Western franchise-like hotels are here like the Best Western. Some locals though just eat and sit under the trees. It's like Station 3 (Boracay) for me. You walk on a paved road here and an occasional truck or motorcycle passes through.
We walked to the end for like 10 minutes before another construction. So overall, maybe you can walk Alona Beach from end to end in around 30 minutes.
We were already okay with that and didn't return anymore for the rest of our trip since it was not to our vibe. We saw a Bohol Bee Farm booth and tried their Ube Ice Cream.
We both didn't like the after taste (maybe from honey?) and wondered what the hype was all about.
This place was lively at night so I guess if you were with friends or found a cheap stay here and you're going out anyway the whole day, then this location was okay.
I liked the Thai Lang Buko with Coconut Milk better for a dessert drink.
We had their satay for dinner
and bagoong rice! We think they use good ingredients so check Thai Lang out if you're up for a Thai fusion restaurant in Panglao, Bohol!
We loved this experience most during our short Alona Beach experience. Watch out for our Bohol beach recommendation in the next posts.
