How to Get to Bohol from Cebu?

Cebu and Bohol are one of the neighboring provinces in the Philippines that can be reached via fast ferries & slow ferries (RoRo). If you get tired of the tourist attractions in Cebu, you can go to Bohol for a city tour or an island tour. It only takes an hour to 4 hours, depending on which port and ferries you want to take. If Cebu has 4 piers, Bohol only has two, Tubigon Port and Tagbilaran Port.

Cebu Port Terminal 2 Passengers Terminal

If you want to go directly to Panglao Island, take Tagbilaran port. However, if you plan on visiting Chocolate Hills & Sagbayan Peak first, best to take Tubigon Port. All of the tourist spots are along the way from Tubigon to Tagbilaran so you don’t have to go back and forth just to visit these places.

Here's how to get to Bohol from Cebu City:

Starcraft's Ticketing Window

• From the hotel you are staying, take a taxi and tell the driver to drop you off at the ticketing office of one of the ferry companies sailing from Cebu to Bohol. Most of the ticketing office are located outside of the seaport and it’s a hassle to walk back to buy the ticket, so make sure to buy before going to the seaport. 

Fast Ferries Schedule

Slow Ferries or RoRo (Roll-on, Roll-off) Schedule

• Travel time depends on where you are staying in Cebu City. From Sampaguita Suites it takes about 5 minutes to the port and from Bayfront Hotel in Reclamation Area, it takes about 20 minutes. It is however, takes longer if you haven't buy the ticket yet. I've been to Cebu & Bohol twice already and I took the M/V Starcraft in both occasions since it's faster and cheaper.

• Buy your ticket and head to the designated pier: Pier 1 for OceanJet or Ocean Fast, Pier 2 for M/V Starcraft, and Pier 4 for Weesam Express & Kinswell Shipping Line. From the ticketing booth of M/V Starcraft it only takes about 5 minutes via their free shuttle service to the port.

• At the entrance of the pier terminal, show your ticket to the guards, put your baggage at the x-ray machine for inspection and head to the terminal fee ticketing window. The terminal fee of Php25.00 is all worth it because the terminal is clean, air-conditioned and have free Wi-Fi, which is surprisingly fast. I'm really amazed at how organized and updated the Terminals at Cebu Piers. This is the best terminal I've been to, so far.

Starcraft Passenger's Seats

• Inside the terminal, there are monitors in each of the boarding gates that show the trip schedules of all ferries that sails from Cebu to other provinces in the Philippines like Leyte, Dumaguete & Cagayan de Oro. You'll see there that gate where you have to board. Wait until your boarding time and you're on your way to Bohol already. If you forgot to buy Pasalubong or souvenirs, you can buy one at stall located at the terminal.

• Upon arrival at Tubigon Port, you can either commute or hire a car to pick-you up, then from there you can start the day tour. We were in a big group when we visited so we just hired a car to pick us up at Tubigon Port and from there start the day tour.

• If you'd rather commute, from Tubigon & Tagbilaran Ports, there are tricycles just outside the port that can take you to the town proper.  From there you can take a jeepney or van going to your desired destinations.

Helpful Tips:

• If you are going to sail via the M/V Stacarft, make sure to fall in line at least 15 minutes before the sailing time to make sure you get a ticket. They issue the ticket & the receipt manually so it's really slow and cause delays.

• If you are with a Senior Citizen, only his/her ticket can be bought in the priority window. You still have to fall in line for the regular tickets.

• Make sure to bring an umbrella just in case it rains as their ticketing booth is located in a place that looks like just a storage area. It's also hot and stinky so you have to be very patient.

Tubigon Port in 2013

 Tubigon Port in 2016