After the devastating earthquake that rocked the province a year ago (2013), Bohol is slowly getting back to its feet. The resorts and establishments I've been to barely have any damage to them. The heritage churches were devastated but the government is doing what it can to restore them. Like most places I've been to, not all experiences are good. One will always come across bad experiences, but it is how we respond to them that matters.
Expenses
Here is a breakdown of my 4 days and 3 nights stay in Bohol:
P1,107 - Food & Water
P900 - Accommodation in Roberto's Resort in Panglao Dorm Room
P716 - Marcelina's Guesthouse in Tagbilaran
P800 - Panglao Island Tour on a Tricycle
P700 - Island Hopping (Balingasag & Virgin Island)
P200 - Fees in Balingasag Island
P485 - Transportation around the Island
P90 - Aircon Bus to Chocolate Hills from Dau Terminal
P63 - Internet Cafe
P75 - Dumaluan Beach Entrance Fee & Parking
P60 - Tarsier Sanctuary Fee
P50 - Entrance Fee to Chocolate Hills
P30 - Bohol Bee Farm Tour
P30 - Hinagdanan Cave Entrance Fee & Parking
P20 - Souvenir
P75 - Tagbilaran Airport Terminal Fee
Total - P5,401 excluding airfare
You will definitely spend less if you know how to ride a motorcycle or went with a group of people.
Itinerary
I did all of the possible destinations for first-timers that visit Bohol. Since I was traveling by myself, I managed to customize my itinerary.
Day 1
Arrive Tagbilaran Airport
Dauis Church
Hinagdanan Cave
Bohol Bee Farm
Momo Beach
Dumaluan Beach
Alona Beach
Day 2
Balingasag Island
Virgin Island
Day 3
Chocolate Hills
Tarsier Sanctuary
Day 4
Flight back to Manila
This was my itinerary during my solo trip to Bohol last April (2014). You can mix and match the places to visit depending on your interests. You can rent a car to do the Panglao Island Tour for P2,000 there are plenty of agencies willing to rent a car. There are also agencies that rent cars for the Countryside Tour for P2,500. Renting a car is definitely cheaper when you travel as a group. You can also rent a tricycle to travel around Panglao Island for P800 the whole day and around P1,500 if you want to do the Countryside Tour. Bargain as much as you can to save more money.
Alternatively, you can rent a motorcycle for P300 a day (if you're lucky most start at P500 to P600 per day) without gas to see the sights. Roberto's Resort offers motorbike rentals for as low as P300 a day on Panglao Island. You can get to Chocolate Hills and the Tarsier Sanctuary by taking the bus from Dau terminal right next to Island City Mall. Take a Carmen bound bus for P90 with A/C and tell the conductor you'll alight at Chocolate Hills; bus ride takes close to two hours. Most of the attractions on the Countryside Tour are on the bus route going to Carmen. You can easily hop on and off to the places you want to go to.
Accommodations
I stayed in Roberto's Resort in Panglao for two nights. I booked their dorm room for P450 with common bathroom. The resort was a 15-20 minute walk from Alona Beach, you can hire a motorcycle to take you to Alona Beach for P10 one way. For my last night in Bohol, I stayed in Marcelina's which was a five minute walk from the airport. I recommend Marcelina's because of its close proximity to the airport. I booked a room for P716 good for four people and more importantly the shared bathroom was clean.