The Best Ways to Get From Cebu to Bohol 2023

Planning for an adventure in the central part of the Philippines? Cebu and Bohol should be on your list. These two islands are often combined to make up one of the best island hopping activities you can do in the Philippines. You get the best of both islands too. So here’s how to get from Cebu to Bohol in all the ways possible!

Related Read: 31 Best Things to do in Bohol

How to Get from Cebu to Bohol Overview 2023

How to get Bohol from Cebu?

There are 2 fast ferry companies to Bohol from Cebu. You can take the Oceanjet and Supercat ferry from Cebu Pier 1 to Tagbilaran City Port. Book your tickets here.

How much is the ferry from Cebu to Bohol?

Oceanjet and Supercat ferry from Cebu to Bohol costs Php800 for tourists and open-air, while business class goes to Php1,200. If you want to pay a cheaper cost, take the Fastcat ferry from Cebu to Tubigon for less than Php500. However, you will need to take a bus to get to Tagbilaran City. Book your tickets here.

How long is the ferry ride from Cebu to Bohol?

Fastferry ride takes 2 hours from Cebu to Bohol, arriving at Tagbilaran City Port. Fastcat will take 1.5 hours to get to Tubigon Bohol.

What pier is ocean jet from Cebu to Bohol?

Oceanjet departs from Cebu Pier 1.

Read: Best Ways to Get from Cebu to Ormoc

All About Cebu and Bohol

Cebu

Cebu is one of the Philippines’ major tourist destinations, whether for leisure, recreation or business. Its booming economy as well as its word-class tourist spots has certainly attracted visitors from other parts of the country and abroad. You can read more about Cebu with this Cebu travel guide with things to see, do and how to get around. 

No time to read? Check out all ferries traveling from Cebu to Bohol plus schedule and fare!

Bohol

It’s one of the destinations that you can’t miss on your trip to the Philippines. There are so many things you can do in Bohol as well. In this post, I will share with you some travel guides and tips in getting to Bohol from Cebu.

While Bohol is considered to be a tropical island near Cebu and known to be the second main tourist destination in the Philippines after Boracay. It is popular for the breathtaking views of Chocolate Hills, crystal clear emerald waterfalls, Bali-vibe nature scenery, white sand beaches, delicious foods, and iconic cultural heritage.

Related Read: How to Plan Your Trip to the Philippines: The Best Guide

When is the Best time to Visit Bohol

Same as the other parts of the Philippines, you can visit Bohol all year round since the climate varies throughout the country. Same in Cebu, Bohol has tropical climate weather conditions. From March to May these are the hottest months which are perfect for those who love to go to the beach for relaxation. For the cooler weather, November to February is the best time to visit Bohol. You may experience a rainy season during the months of June to October. It is important to check the weather first before planning your itinerary. You can even book cheap flights online to find your way to Bohol easily!

BOOK YOUR COUNTRYSIDE TOUR IN ADVANCE TO GET CHEAPER PRICES

Where to Stay in Bohol

There are a lot of options to choose from of where to stay in Bohol. From cheapest accommodations, hostels, Air Bnb’s to luxurious hotels and resorts. Also, it depends on your budget and where specifically you want to stay in Bohol. You can check out some of the luxurious resorts in Bohol , some cheap and affordable hotels in Tagbilaran and cheap hostels and hotels in Panglao.

Related Read: Ultimate Travel Guide to Panglao Island, Bohol

Getting from Cebu to Bohol

Check out all the companies on this Cebu to Bohol Ferry Schedule updated 2023

COMPANYROUTE
TYPECHECK PRICES
OceanjetCebu Pier 1 to Tagbilaran CityFastcraft - 2 hoursBOOK HERE
SupercatCebu Pier 1 to Tagbilaran CityFastcraft - 2 hoursBOOK HERE
FastcatCebu Pier 3 to Tubigon BoholCar Ferry - 1.5 hours ( note this ferry will arrive in Tubigon which is about 1.5 hours away from Tagbilaran CityBOOK HERE
Lite ShippingCebu Pier 1 to Tubigon BoholCar Ferry - 2.15 hours ( note this ferry will arrive in Tubigon which is about 1.5 hours away from Tagbilaran CityBOOK HERE
Transasia ShippingCebu Pier 3 to Tagbilaran CityCar Ferry - 4 hours (schedule is only once a week)BOOK HERE
Clemer ShippingCebu Pier 1 to Port of GetafeFastcraft - 1.5 hours (note this ferry will arrive in Getafe which is about 2 hours away from Tagbilaran CityBOOK HERE

Traveling to Bohol from Cebu is not that difficult because Bohol is just across a narrow channel 50 kilometers south of Cebu City. Whether you come by air or by sea, there are many available options you can choose from. I will share with you some facts about each option so you can plan your trip properly. I’ve listed below some options in getting from Cebu to Bohol.

Cebu to Bohol by Fast Ferries 

This is the best and fastest way to travel from Cebu to Bohol. Many tourists and travelers around the world choose this option. Like any other islands, Bohol has many towns with different seaports wherein you can enter. From Cebu, you can choose to go to Tagbilaran City which is considered the main city of Bohol and on the other hand is the Tubigon port. Duration of travel, if your exit point is in Tagbilaran City, is around 2 hours and if you embark in the town of Tubigon is around 45 minutes to 1 hour. (BOOK YOUR FAST FERRY TICKET IN ADVANCE)

Cebu to Bohol By RORO or Slow Boat/Ferries 

Another alternative way of going to Bohol is to take the slow boat (RORO). If you are not in a hurry and want to save money this option is the best for you. These are also suitable for passengers who want to bring their vehicles to Bohol. It will take 4 hours trip if your exit point is in Tagbilaran City and 2 hours if in Tubigon. And you can purchase tickets half of the price than the fast ferries. Check and book tickets here.

How to Get from Cebu to Tagbilaran City Port

Currently, three main fast ferries operate to Bohol from Cebu. These are Ocean Jet and SuperCat  ferries which the exit point is Tagbilaran City. Each ferry offers scheduled trips offers different seat class to its passengers.

Ocean Jet has at least 6 trips per day and the cheapest fare is around 800 pesos (open-air) for one way including the terminal fee. It departs from Cebu port Pier 1. You can easily book your Cebu to Bohol Fast Ferry trip here.

If you opt to go on the cheaper option which is the RoRo passenger vessel or the slow boat, there are many companies that you can choose.

Roro Ferries from Cebu to Bohol

There is the Lite Ferries which has 2 trips daily and departs from Cebu port from 12:30 pm and 10:00 pm. Also, they offer a 1:00 pm trip from Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Fares start from 355 pesos for the economy, 275 pesos for standard and 390 pesos for tourists.

If you’re leaving from the southeast part of Cebu, the port of Argao offers a daily trip to Tagbilaran City at 4:00 in the morning and noon. Fare is around 230 pesos per way. And they also have a new route from Argao, Cebu to the port of Loon vice versa. Three daily trips from 6:00 am, 4:00 pm and 12-midnight entry point of Argao and 3:00 am, 12:00 noon and 8:00 pm leaving from the port of Loon, Bohol a 30-minute drive from the City of Tagbilaran. For inquiries, you can book online for the tickets too.

Another Shipping Lines that offer boat tickets to Bohol is Trans-Asia with the schedule of every Monday at noon leaving from Cebu port and every Sunday at 10:00 pm leaving from Tagbilaran City port. The base fare is the following; 240 pesos for second class non-air-condition (every Sunday) and 175 pesos (every Monday).

For the second class air-condition, the fare is 290 pesos per way, for tourist class is around 315 pesos and for tourist deluxe is 370 pesos. They also offer a private room which is around 1, 200 pesos (room rate).

Check and book tickets here.

How to Get from Cebu to Tubigon Port 

The route via Tubigon from Cebu is much cheaper than in Tagbilaran city and the trips are even faster because it is not too far from Cebu City. If you’re going to Tubigon port the fast ferry will just take an hour. And if you opt to choose the slow ferry that will only take 2 hours to arrive than in Tagbilaran City. There are also many ferries operating in Tubigon and these ferries depart at Cebu port Pier 3.

Another popular ferry is FastCat which has daily trips from 1:30 am, 7:30 am and 8:00 pm from Cebu. And 5:00 am, 10:30 am, 5:30 pm and 10:30 pm from Tubigon. Tickets are 275 pesos for the economy, 310 pesos for premium economy and 345 pesos for business class accommodation. You can also bring your vehicle aboard this ferry. You can book your Fastcat tickets directly online too.

There are also Lite Ferries slow vessels which embark in the port of Tubigon. A lot of options to choose from in Tagbilaran since it is just a 2-hour trip. The very known Cebu-Tubigon RORO is the LF88 which has a daily 4 trips from 1:00 am, 7:00 am and in the afternoons is around 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm. And if vice –versa from Tubigon to Cebu has 5 daily trips from 12:00 midnight, 4:00 and 10:00 in the morning, at the noon, 4:00 and 10:00 pm. Fare price is 275 pesos economy, 310 pesos tourist and 345 pesos business class.

Another choice that most travelers opt to choose is the Ouano Wharf trip to Tubigon from Mandaue City, Cebu. Which has a daily trip at 12 midnight, 10:00 in the morning, 12:00 noon and 10:00 pm. But the entry point is at the Mandaue, Cebu pier. And from Tubigon, Bohol to Mandaue Ouano Wharf, the trip is from 5:00 and 7:00 in the morning; 5:00 and 7:00 in the evening. Fare is around 180 pesos to 220 pesos per way.

How to Get from Cebu to Getafe, Bohol Port

Another way to get to Bohol from Cebu is taking the alternative trip to Getafe, Bohol. But since Getafe is far from the city, most commuters here are from the neighboring town of Getafe such as the Municipality of Ubay and Talibon. There are two main ferries operate this trip namely; MV Starcraft and new serving ferry from Ocean Jet. Estimated travel time is around 1 hour same as in Tubigon. Below are the schedules and ticket fares of the following ferries; (Schedule and fare may change without prior notice)

You can purchase tickets in advance directly online so it will be easier for you to just get on the ferry without having to queue.

How to Get to Cebu Port from Mactan International Airport 

From Mactan International Airport To Cebu Pier 1

Coming from International or domestic flights, there are many options you can choose on how to get to the Cebu port depending on your budget. If you want a hassle-free and convenient way. You can directly hop into a metered or grab a taxi outside the airport. Fare range is around 200 pesos – 350 pesos. The white taxis are much cheaper than the yellow ones. The transfer by taxi from the airport to the port takes about 30 minutes in normal traffic conditions. If you have much luggage arriving in Cebu, these options are the best for you.

Cheap Options to Get from Mactan International Airport to Cebu Pier 1

Another way is taking the V-hire and jeepney for a cheaper option of backpackers and couples on vacation. Take the special yellow jeepneys at the entrance of the International Airport and it will also pass at the domestic
arrival area. Fare is just 8 pesos/way. Then you can get off at the Gaisano Mactan Mall. Besides the Mall you can see the V-hire terminal, you can check the GMac hire which operates 12 hours a day from 7 in the morning until 7:00 pm. Take the V-hire going to SM, the fare is around 25 pesos/way.

When you arrive in SM, go directly to the jeepney terminal and hop into a jeepney with signage “Labangon 12L or 12G. You can also catch the jeepney that is bound for Basak 10M or 10H. You can get off at MJ Cuenco Avenue corner Legazpi Street. The jeepney will just stop around the Plaza Independencia. Beside the plaza is the pier 1 you can just walk straight going to the port terminal. Always remember, google maps and or GPS apps are very helpful anywhere.

The third option, I am going to share is also one of the most convenient and cheaper ways to go to the port which is catching the Cebu MyBus shuttle from Mactan International Airport to SM and taking another MyBus shuttle from SM to Pier 1. The SM Prime and Jam Liner launched a conglomerate of community transportation which is the MyBus to accommodate the public in passing through from Mactan International Airport and South Road Properties (SRP). It is located at the Bus Bay of Terminal 2 International arrival and taxi bay at Terminal 1 domestic arrival.

They operate as early as 7:00 in the morning and the last trip is at 11:30 pm with 20 minutes interval. Fare is around 25 pesos to 50 pesos depending on where you get off. You can also check their website for more information about other routes and schedules. The terminal of My Bus where you can hop into other routes is located at SM near the Traveller’s Lounge and beside the famous Radisson Blue Hotel.

From Mactan International Airport To Cebu Pier 3 

Mactan International Airport to Cebu Pier 3 by Boats

Another alternative way I am going to share is taking the yellow jeepney from the airport with a signage “Mercado Opon”. travel time is around 15 minutes if no traffic, 20 minutes if its traffic fare is only 11 pesos/way. The jeepney will stop in front of “Birhen sa Regla” Church in Opon. Fronting the church is the Opon pier, there you can take a Metroferry boat going to Cebu pier 3. Fare price is only 18 pesos and travel time is 30 to35 minutes. These options are one of the cheapest and also if you opted to travel to Tubigon most of the ferries and vessels are in Pier 3.

Last but not the least option if you opted to go to pier 3 is taking the Top Line Express Ferries. Known to be the newest service that travels between Cebu City and Mactan Island. They transport passengers from MEPZ 1 to Cebu City pier 3. From Mactan Airport you can hop in, into the yellow jeepney for only 8 PHP and just tell the driver to drop you off at Save More. Then you can just walk for about 4-5 minutes directly to Island Central Mall in Mactan and you can find the ferry terminal at the back of the mall.

The first trip starts at 5:00 in the morning and continues every hour until the last trip is at 8:00 pm. The travel time is 30 minutes every day. Regular fares start from 25 pesos/way and they also offer Top cards that you can use to save money especially for commuters coming from Cebu city to Lapu-Lapu City.

Helpful Travel Tips for Travelers from Cebu to Bohol

If you want also for a convenient and hassle-free tour without leaving your luggage anywhere, you can just leave it at SM Traveller’s Lounge or Mactan Cebu Lounge. But most travelers opted to choose SM Traveller’s Lounge because it just near in the city center and they offered for as low as 30 pesos/day if you deposit your baggage depending on size. They also offer shower or bathing for 50 pesos maximum of 20 minutes and cellphone/laptop charging for 25 pesos/hour. The lounge is located at the back of the mall, on the left side of the Radisson Blu Hotel. They open around 6:00 in the morning until 9:00 pm.

Have you tried traveling from Cebu to Bohol? How did you get to Bohol. Share your experiences in the comments!

GO AROUND PHILIPPINES USEFUL TIPS AND LINKS
BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS
To travel around the Philippines, there are 3 local commercial airlines. Cebu Pacific Air, AirAsia and Philippine Airlines. Smaller airlines called AirSwift (El Nido, Boracay) and Royal Air also fly to limited destinations. Book your local flights here.
For international flights, I found Kiwi and Trip.com have cheaper flight options to the Philippines.
BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION
There are many choices of hotels, hostels, apartments and guesthouses to stay in the Philippines. Book through AGODA for the cheapest options and Booking.com. I also use Hotelscombined to see all prices from different websites to choose from.
BOOK YOUR BUS/FERRY/VAN/CAR
The Philippines can be difficult to go around because many buses, ferries and even private vehicles are offline. The best websites to book them are through Bookaway.com and 12GoAsia – they have many partners in different destinations and you can purchase tickets online.
Car rentals are also available for you to choose from here.
BOOK YOUR PACKAGE TOURS
If you don’t know where to go and just want a hassle free trip to the Philippines, you can find package trips to different destinations with Klook – I recommend them for local tours and activities or Get Your Guide.
DON’T FORGET YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE
It is very important to be safe and ready whenever accidents happen, especially in the Philippines where some places don’t have quality hospitals and clinics. I use Safety Wings for whenever I travel in the Philippines or abroad.
Have you got any questions about traveling to the Philippines? Join our Philippines Travel Planning FB Page to get your answers.
Don’t know how to start planning your Philippines trip? You can start here.

Read all our travel planning articles about Bohol here.

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