Tourism in Baclayon

Abundant with natural, cultural and historic treasures, it is the vision of the local government of Baclayon for the town to become an icon of eco-cultural tourism in the Philippines. Through developing and sharing these resources so that both locals and tourists can enjoy the natural and built environment alike, Baclayon can give them the protection and respect they deserve while providing the community with sustainable socio-economic programs. 

Inaugurated in 2009, the Baclayon Municipal Tourism Office (MTO), is the product of a partnership between the Baclayon local government and the Ayala Foundation. The MTO's exterior architecture was inspired by traditional Boholano houses, while the interior is a showcase for native craftsmanship with the furniture handmade by local carpenters, and the walls lined with Buri weavings.

     Within the MTO, visitors are provided with friendly and comprehensive tourism information to guide them on their stay in Baclayon, and their onward travels. Visitors are also able to book local tours and activities, as well as transportation to and from Pamilacan Island. Additional services to cater for the tourists include clean and free washrooms, free WiFi, and unique Boholano souvenirs are on offer for purchase.

For more information and bookings for the following attractions, please contact the MTO on:

Baluarte Grounds, Barangay Poblacion

Baclayon, Province of Bohol

Republic of the Philippines

Ph/Fax: (038) 540 9474

baclayontourismoffice@gmail.com

Baclayon can proudly boast of the following atttractions:

Baclayon Church

The Baclayon Church of the Immaculate Conception is considered one of the oldest churches in the Philippines. It is an important part of both Boholano and Filipino heritage, being declared as a National Historic Treasure in 1995.The imposing ancient edifice, made from coral stone cut from the sea and cemented together using a million egg whites, still retains it’s centuries old architectural design and is considered the best preserved of its kind in the region. 

The relics of antiquity dating back to the early 16th Century found in the church, and in the museum in the old convent beside it, include an ivory statue of the crucified Christ looking to the sky, a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary donated by Queen Catherine of Aragon, old gold embroidered Ecclesial vestments, librettos of church music written in Latin on sheep skins. Anyone who is interested in the early history of the Philippines can’t afford to bypass Baclayon.

Pamilacan Island

Pamilacan  Island is a small island lying only 10km, or an hour pump-boat ride from the Baclayon township. The island is endowed with beautiful white-sand beaches making it a perfect getaway for tourists wanting to escape the mainland.

Pamilacan, meaning “resting place of the mantas”, is part of the Bohol Marine Triangle (BMT), also including Panglao and Balicasag Islands. While the main livelihood on the island is fishing, which in the past has also included whales, manta rays and dolphins, the community now considered themselves as caretakers of the sea, using dolphin & whale watching to instead protect their marine resources. The houses on the island are often decorated with large whale jaws and bones, with these ‘relics’ adding an interesting facet to the island of times gone by.

The island can also boast of a 200-year-old Spanish fort, which in the past served as a watch station for intruders such as pirates and other enemies of the Spanish colony. The fort is said to form a network with the towers or forts in the towns of Loay, Baclayon, Panglao, and Tagbilaran.

Dolphin and Whale Watching Tours

The waters of Baclayon are renowned throughout the Philippines as being the premier site for dolphin & whale watching with thousands of tourists every year coming to Pamilacan Island to observe large marine mammals in their pristine natural habitat. The spotters and local guides are former hunters of the cetaceans and whale sharks, but now they use their skills honed by tradition and time, to help people appreciate marine wildlife encounters, making ecotourism an award-winning success story for the island community.

The most frequently sighted cetacean species around Pamilacan are the Long-snouted Spinner dolphin, Bottlenose dolphin, Risso's dolphin, Pantropical Spotted dolphin, Melon-headed whale, and Short-finned Pilot whale.  Other sighted species are the Sperm whale, Bryde's whale, Rough-toothed dolphin, the Pygmy Sperm whale, and the Pygmy Blue whale among others. Tourists will always come away from their experience awe-inspired and with a new appreciation for the beautiful aquatic creatures.

Scuba Diving and Snorkeling

Baclayon's extremely rich and bio-diverse marine system extends to its coral reefs, making it perfect for scuba diving and snorkeling. A popular dive site off Pamilacan Island is Dakit-Dakit, where the once dynamite-fishing damaged coral reefs have bounced back with many varieties of hard and soft corals, and coral strings growing. The sloping reef and steady current also provides close encounters with huge schools of Jackfish, along with Napoleon Wrasse, Barracudas, Batfish, Turtles and occasionally Manta Rays. The marine sanctuary established off the western side of the island is particularly good for snorkeling.

Dive sites have also been created off the coast of the Baclayon mainland with two areas being converted into Marine Protected Areas in 2008, providing great macro diving for underwater photography enthusiasts.

Buggy Riding

If you are an adrenaline junkie, then you will love Baclayon’s Buggy Riding Tours. The off-road buggy ride twists and turns through the rural barangays  of Baclayon,  providing  a true Filipino experience aside from the seaside resorts for which Bohol is renown, and showcasing  the beauty of the rural landscape of the upland barangays. The tour is also ideal for environmentalists with flora and fauna, and bird watching  information  stops around the highlands lakes included designed to help the communities through which it passes by, providing a portion of revenue back into the barangays for future community livelihood generating initiatives. Contact Peacock Garden for tour bookings on (038) 539 9231 or (038) 416 0483.

Mountain Biking

Many of Baclayon’s off-road trails have recently been developed for mountain biking, and the municipality is fast becoming a hub for the sport in Bohol. The mountain biking trails include easy and moderate cross-country rides, using barangay roads and single track, carabao trails.

Baclayon also has long off-road trails connect different municipalities, such as Loboc, Albur, Loay, Corella, Sikatuna and Tagbilaran city. As has been well publicized in the adventure magazine “Action Asia”, the most popular and longest of which is “Bong’s Trail”. This 20km off-road ride begins at Mount Banat-i, passing through Baclayon’s upland barangays and neighboring municipalities, and ends 2 to 4 hours later at Loboc River. Additionally, the Baclayon to Corella route is a 2 hour off-road ride, ending at the Philippine Tarsier Foundation, a great place to view Tarsiers in their natural habitat. 

      Bike rentals are scarce in Baclayon, as well as nearby Tagbilaran City, so it is preferable to bring your own bike. However, it is possible to organize bike rentals, mountain biking guides, and gain further information ahead of time by contacting +63-928-197-9165 or 63-906-531-0860.

Heritage Walk

The Heritage Walking Tour is an eco-cultural activity inspired by the Baclayon Ancestral Homes Association (BAHANDI) to promote and preserve not only the Baclayon ancestral houses, but also the heritage of the whole community.

The tour gives visitors the chance to explore the historic structures around town with a very informative guide, including the  Baclayon  Church,  the 17th Century  elementary  school and  market -place, as well as a handful of the well-maintained heritage  houses  within the community. The walking tour also includes merienda at a beautiful table set-up outside the church composed of Broas, a renowned Baclayon delicacy, and traditional hot cocoa. Meals and other night time entertainment can also be organized upon request. 

Contact 63-38-540-9030 or 63-38-540-9327 for tour bookings.

Local Delicacies

Baclayon is locally celebrated as the "Pastry Capital of Bohol", a title dating back to the Spanish era. The most famous of these delicacies are Broas (also known as Lady Fingers), which became popular during the construction of the Baclayon Church ; because  of the number of egg whites  that were used for cement in the church,  the Spanish  taught the community how to make use of the egg yolks for making Broas and other pastries  instead  of wasting them. Many tourists now come to Baclayon to watch the Broas being made at Osangs Broas Place, located behind the Baclayon Church, and get their fill of the yummy treats.