Bohol is a beautiful island in the Philippines next to the more populated island of Cebu. Nature has created a unique wonder in the center of the island we call the chocolate hills! Bohol is accessible by air arriving at the Panglao International Airport and by ferry from Cebu. Bohol is best known for its tiny primate inhabitant, the tarsier.
Location of Bohol’s Chocolate Hills
The island has beautiful beaches around the perimeter and is mountainous through much of the inner parts of the island. You will find the Bohol Chocolate Hills located in the center of the island.
The hills are made up of over 1,200 rounded treeless hills. They are made of marine limestone, which causes the hills to stay grassy and not grow other vegetation on the top of the mounds. All clumped together they create a truly unique land formation.
The chocolate hills are named thus because of their brown treeless tops. The best time of year to visit is during dry season in the Philippines which is the months between November to May because this is when the grass turns brown from lack of rain. It will be the brownest in April and May just before the rains return.
Arrival to the Chocolate Hills
Take the google maps link to Chocolate Hills Natural Monument. However, the link is taking you to the top of the hill which normal vehicles are not permitted, so you will have to stop at the visitor center first. Once you arrive at the visitor’s center; this is where cars should park in the parking lot, which is at the bottom of one of the hills, and here you will take a shuttle up. You will see large signs for a parking area. It is a large gravel area with a simple building in the middle.
Park in this gravel parking lot and walk up to the building, which is a ticket booth and a waiting area for the shuttle.
Pricing
The ticket prices for April 2024:
P100 for Adult tickets
P50 for Children tickets
Five year olds and under are free
Transport to the Chocolate Hills Viewpoint
After you receive your tickets, sit in the seats outside and wait for the next shuttle bus. While we were there, the shuttle buses were running pretty consistently, and we only waited a few minutes for the next shuttle. The shuttle bus is part of the ticket price, and you will not need to pay any extra going up or down.
Take the shuttle bus up to the visitor’s center. On this level you will find a tourist help desk and many souvenir shops. There is also a I ❤️Chocolate Hills sign that many people were taking pictures with as it had a nice panorama view of the chocolate hills. Lastly, there are stairs to the top of the hill.
At the Viewpoint
The top of the hill is an overlook. You need to hike 220 steps up or take a ramp the first part of the way and then take steps the rest of the way. There are multiple places to stop on the way up to admire the view.
On the way up you will see a sign with information about how scientists believe the chocolate hills were formed. This was a great chance to answer some of our children’s questions about the special geological formation that we were visiting. There are also some other fun signs to laugh about.
From the top, you can take in the view from all different directions. We enjoyed discussing the different hills with our kids – which one won the award for looking most like chocolate – which ones were most pointy – how the clouds changed the look of the hills under them. There are also snacks and drinks at the top.
Return Trip from Chocolate Hills
After you have taken in every direction of the hills, it is time to climb back down. Take time to peruse the gift shops and look at the hills from a lower angle before waiting for the shuttle bus at the tourist help desk. There is a large map inside the tourist help desk with more Bohol attractions that we enjoyed looking at to help us in our planning of the rest of our stay in Bohol.
The shuttle bus will take you right back to the parking lot. Again, no need to pay as the shuttle bus is included in your 100 peso ticket price. There is also no fee for parking, so you can leave right away. If you want to do some more shopping, there are more souvenir shops along the road outside of the parking lot.
Other Places to Visit around Bohol
The Bohol Chocolate Hills are certainly a must-see when you are on Bohol Island. However, there are many other places to check out with your family. For other off the beaten path adventures, try the Tarsier Conservation Center in Carmen or explore the beach on Panglao island! Read about our family’s epic visit to Bohol for more inspiration for cultural and off the beaten path experiences.