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When I was in Bohol on assignment for Mabuhay Magazine, the small island of Pamilacan was included in the itinerary. It’s well-known for dolphin and whaleshark watching, and of course, delicious seafood.
Low tide at Pamilacan Island.
Unfortunately, we went there around March, which was not a good time to see dolphins. The sea was too rough in the early morning, so we had nothing to do except eat, sleep, and walk around the island.
Photographer Hannah Reyes checks out Pamilacan.
Pamilacan in itself is small, nothing more than an island-barangay (village). The 200 or so families living here are mostly fisherfolk. They used to hunt whale sharks and dolphins, until it was banned by the Philippine government. Nowadays, they make a living through fishing and tourism.
We went around the island towards sunset and bought a few kilos of fish. We brought it back to our resort where it was cooked according to our orders. I’ve never tasted seafood so fresh and delicious! And yeah, it was cheap, too!
Electricity’s only on for a couple of hours at night; the resorts there usually have a generator. However, I wouldn’t mind having no electricity at night. When everything’s dark, the view of the night sky is unbelievably beautiful, with so many stars and constellations that you don’t get to see in the city.
During low tide, you can see hundreds of these sea creatures.
With excellent and fresh seafood, good swimming spots, nice beaches, and very friendly people, Pamilacan is perfect for those who want complete relaxation for a few days.
It’s about an hour’s boat trip from Panglao Island where you can hire a boat or book package tours. Make sure to bring mosquito repellent when you go visit.
Me!
Check out my other posts on Bohol:
The Fisherman on Virgin Island
Danao Adventure Park in Bohol
Taking the Plunge in Danao
Aleah Taboclaon is a location independent writer, editor, and the travel blogger behind Solitary Wanderer. She's partial to slow travel, and prefers extreme adventures like hiking and caving over sightseeing. She likes running (completed one marathon, training for the next!), diving (PADI open water diver), and traveling with her Kindle. Follow her on Instagram and Pinterest!
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10 Comments. Leave new
@ Mike: It’s a really quiet island, with nothing to do except walk around. Perfect for people wanting a quiet time. 🙂
Wow, it sounds perfect! It is definitely on my list the next time I am in the region. It just goes to show that no matter how much you visit a country or a region there are always new parts of it to uncover!
This is a fantastic blog! Keep up the good work!
@ John: I don’t have more photos, as indeed it was a very lazy day for me, just relaxing in our guesthouse by the sea 😀
@ Dennis: I agree 🙁 At least now, those creatures are already protected.
@ Salika: Loved the fresh seafood, too!
Fresh seafood is a good enough reason for me to come here. Looks like a relaxing place.
Imagine what bounty of whalesharks Bohol would have enjoyed till now if not for the misguided fishermen back in the old days! We often have to learn from mistakes to get things right.
I had a tour in Bohol. I’ve seen many wonderful spots there, but I have never been to Pamilacan Island. I wish you have more pictures uploaded so that I would know if my next travel there is worth investing. But anyhow, thank you for sharing this. 🙂
@ Apol: I know. I’ve stepped on a few of them (couldn’t help it, there were so many!) and okay lang naman.
@ Photo Cache: It’s nice, but I can’t do it for more than a few days 🙂
that’s one of my dreams to stay/vacation in a sleepy fishing village and buying fresh seafood from fisherman and have it cooked.
That creature looks scary. :-/