Geography | |
---|---|
Location | Bohol Sea |
Coordinates | 9°36′N123°49′E / 9.6°N 123.82°E |
Area | 91.12 km2 (35.18 sq mi) [1] |
Length | 16 km (9.9 mi) |
Width | 7.5 km (4.66 mi) |
Administration | |
Philippines | |
Region | Central Visayas |
Province | Bohol |
Municipalities | |
Largest settlement | Dauis (pop. 52,492) |
Demographics | |
Population | 92,331 (2015) [2] |
Pop. density | 870/km2 (2250/sq mi) |
Additional information | |
Panglao is an island in the north Bohol Sea, located in the Central Visayas region of the Visayas island group, in the south-central Philippines.
The island has an area of 91.12 square kilometres (35.18 sq mi). It is within Bohol Province, and comprises two municipalities: Dauis and Panglao. Panglao island is located southwest of the island of Bohol and east and south of Cebu.
Panglao has a terrain that ranges from plain, hilly to mountainous. Panglao is made of Maribojoc limestone, the youngest of the limestone units found in the western area of Bohol. The limestone composition delayed the development of the international airport as coralline limestone is soluble which causes formation of caves and sinkholes. One interesting geological feature found in the island is the Hinagdanan Cave which has an underground water source. The cave is an important water source as the island has no rivers or lakes.
Panglao is a popular tourist destination in the Philippines and includes several small islands, such as Gak-ang, Pontod, and Balicasag and is close to Pamalican island.
According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 79,216. [2]
Panglao was known to Chinese, Malay, Siamese and Indonesian traders. It once housed the Kedatuan of Dapitan.[ citation needed ]
About 250 new species of crustaceans and 2500 new species of mollusks were found around the island. The discovery was the work of the Panglao Marine Biodiversity Project. The project found that Panglao alone has more marine biodiversity than Japan and the Mediterranean Sea. [3]
The Panglao Island Protected Seascape was declared a national park under Republic Act No. 11038 (Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 2018) signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in July 2018. [4]
Panglao island is one of the main tourist destinations on the Philippines. Alona Beach is the most popular tourist spot on the island, noted for its white sand and clear water. There are also a lot of attractions to do for tourists such as scuba diving, island hopping, dolphin watching, snorkeling, kitesurfing and fishing.
Bohol–Panglao International Airport (TAG/RPSP) is the primary international airport serving the province of Bohol. The airport opened in November 2018, replacing the former Tagbilaran Airport and now serving Panglao Island and the rest of Bohol. There are almost hourly daytime flights to and from Manila operated by Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and Air Asia. There are also flights to and from Davao and El Nido every second day. International flights recommenced after the pandemic to Korea with up to 3 flights a day, as well as scheduled charter flights from China. It is less than 2 hours of travel time by fast ferry to Cebu.
There is a regular air-conditioned bus service from the airport to Tagbilaran City (Island City Mall and v/v PHP 50 each way) and a circular route to Alona beach. Short trips are usually by Tuk-Tuks or motor tricycle taxis, fares negotiable.
The island is connected with the Bohol main island by two bridges namely the Cong. Suarez Bridge and the Gov. Borja Bridge. A third bridge, also connecting the island to mainland Bohol, is under construction.
Bohol, officially the Province of Bohol, is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, consisting of the island itself and 75 minor surrounding islands. It is home to Boholano people. Its capital is Tagbilaran, the largest city of the province. With a land area of 4,821 km2 (1,861 sq mi) and a coastline 261 km (162 mi) long, Bohol is the tenth largest island of the Philippines.
Siquijor, officially the Province of Siquijor, is a Philippine island province located within the Negros Island Region. Its largest town and capital is the municipality of Siquijor. The province lies south of Cebu, southeast of Negros Oriental, southwest of Bohol, and north of Mindanao.
The Chocolate Hills are a geological formation in the Bohol province of the Philippines. There are at least 1,260 hills, but there may be as many as 1,776 hills spread over an area of more than 50 square kilometers (20 sq mi). They are covered in green grass that turns into a chocolate-like brown during the dry season, hence the name.
Tagbilaran, officially the City of Tagbilaran, is a component city and capital of the province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 104,976 people making it the most populous in the province.
Dauis, officially the Municipality of Dauis, is a municipality in the province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 52,492 people. The town has many fine beaches, resorts, and a historic church, built in the 17th century. The Hinagdanan Cave is also a draw for tourists.
Loon, officially the Municipality of Loon, is a municipality in the province of Bohol, Philippines which was established in 1753. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 44,224 people.
Panglao, officially the Municipality of Panglao, is a municipality in the province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 39,839 people.
Talibon, officially the Municipality of Talibon, is a municipality in the province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 71,272 people, making it the second-most populous town in Bohol, behind Ubay. It is located 115 kilometres (71 mi) from Tagbilaran.
Tubigon, officially the Municipality of Tubigon, is a municipality in the province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 47,886 people.
Carles, officially the Municipality of Carles, is a 1st class municipality in the province of Iloilo, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 72,637 people.
Tourism is an important sector for the Philippine economy. The travel and tourism industry contributed 8.6% to the country's GDP in 2023; this was lower than the 12.7% recorded in 2019 prior to the COVID-19 lockdowns. Coastal tourism, encompassing beach and diving activities, constitutes 25% of the Philippines' tourism revenue, serving as its primary income source in the sector. Popular destinations among tourists include Boracay, Palawan, Cebu and Siargao. While the Philippines has encountered political and social challenges that have affected its tourism industry, the country has also taken steps to address these issues. Over the past years, there have been efforts to improve political stability, enhance security measures, and promote social inclusivity, all of which contribute to creating a more favorable environment for tourism, such as the Boracay rehabilitation.
Tagbilaran Airport was an airport that served the general area of Tagbilaran, the capital city of the province of Bohol in the Philippines. The airport was built and opened in the 1960s until it was closed for scheduled passenger services on November 27, 2018, when it was replaced by the new Bohol–Panglao International Airport.
Bohol–Panglao International Airport — also known as New Bohol International Airport or Panglao Island Airport — is an international airport on Panglao Island in the province of Bohol, Philippines. The airport opened on November 28, 2018 after decades of planning and three years of construction, replacing Tagbilaran Airport to support Bohol's increased passenger traffic due to tourism. The airport serves as the gateway to Tagbilaran and the rest of mainland Bohol for domestic air travellers. It also is less than an hour's flight from Mactan–Cebu International Airport, which is a gateway to central Philippines for international tourists.
Fil-Asian Airways, formerly Mid-Sea Express, was a Cebu-based airline with AOC issued by CAAP. It was formed in 2011 and ceased operating in 2014. Mid-Sea Express started as air charter operator and non-scheduled air taxi headquartered at Mactan–Cebu International Airport in Lapu-Lapu City in Central Visayas, in the Philippines. As Fil-Asian Airways, its slogan was "The Asian experience". The airline was operated from major airports such as Mactan–Cebu International Airport in Cebu, Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City and Zamboanga International Airport.
Erico Aristotle Cabagnot Aumentado, also known in Bohol as Aris, is a Filipino businessman and politician. He was a member of the House of Representatives, representing the second district of Bohol. He is the Governor of the Province of Bohol, assuming office on June 30, 2022 but was preventively suspended on May 28, 2024 due to the controversial resort construction in the middle of the Chocolate Hills. He was reinstated by the Ombudsman on July 31.
The 2013 Bohol earthquake occurred on October 15 at 8:12:31 PST in Bohol, an island province located in Central Visayas, Philippines. The magnitude of the earthquake was recorded at Mw 7.2, with epicenter 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) S 24° W of Sagbayan, and its depth of focus was 12 kilometres (7.5 mi). It affected the whole Central Visayas region, particularly Bohol and Cebu. The earthquake was felt in the whole Visayas area and as far as Masbate island in the north and Cotabato provinces in southern Mindanao.
The Alona beach is a popular public beach located at the south-west tip of Panglao Island, Bohol in the Philippines. The beach is situated less than two miles from the Bohol-Panglao International Airport It is known for its white sand, rocky cliffs, and commercial facilities that line the 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) stretch of beach. The beach is located near a coral reef and is a popular scuba-diving and snorkeling spot.
The Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape is a protected landscape area of forested limestone hills, grasslands and natural springs in the island province of Bohol in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. It is the largest remaining tract of natural forest in Bohol and one of the Philippines' top birdwatching sites. The park was initially gazetted a national park in 1987 covering approximately 9,023 hectares. In 2000, it was reestablished as a protected landscape under the National Integrated Protected Areas System covering its present area of 10,452.6 hectares. The park is one of the island's major tourist attractions located just south of the famous Chocolate Hills. It was named after the Bohol chieftain who entered into a blood-compact with Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi on the island in 1565.
Central Visayas is an administrative region in the Philippines, numerically designated as Region VII. With only two provinces: Cebu and Bohol, as well as three highly urbanized cities: Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu, and Mandaue, it has the fewest number of provinces out of any region in the country. Despite this, it is the most populous region in the Visayas, with a population of 6,545,603.
Dapitan Kingdom is the term used by local historians of Bohol, Philippines, to refer to the Dauis–Mansasa polity in the modern city of Tagbilaran and the adjacent island of Panglao. The volume of artifacts unearthed in the sites of Dauis and Mansasa may have inspired the creation of the legend of the "Dapitan Kingdom" through piecing together the oral legends of the Eskaya people and historical events such as the Ternatan raid of Bohol and the migration of Boholanos under Datu Pagbuaya to Dapitan.