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Voykit pocket guide · Philippines
Alona Beach
Alona Beach, Panglao
Give Alona Beach 3 nights: dive or island-hop by day, eat on the beach at night. Skip it if you want quiet — the strip is bars and dive shops.
Alona Beach is a 1.5 km resort strip on the southwest corner of Panglao Island, in Bohol province. It is the island's dive and island-hopping hub: Balicasag and Pamilacan boats leave from here, Panglao Airport (TAG) is a few km away, and everything on the strip is walkable. Most travellers stay 2–4 nights, then move on to Panglao Town, Dauis or Bohol's interior.
- Country
- Philippines
- Local name
- Alona Beach, Panglao
- Best months
- Jan–May (dry season, calm seas)
- Avoid
- Jul–Oct (rain and typhoon season); Holy Week and Christmas–New Year for crowds and peak room rates
- Stay
- 3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- PHP
- Money
- Philippine pesos (₱) in small notes for jeepneys, market stalls, tips and taxis; malls and hotels take cards.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₱1,500–2,500 excl. bed · Mid ₱2,500–5,000 excl. bed · High ₱5,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Globe and Smart sell SIMs at airports; SIM registration with passport is required by law.
- Emergency
- National emergency 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B, C · 220 V · 60 Hz · US flat pins common; check your devices for 220 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10% if no service charge.; Grab / taxi: Round up.; Boat crew: ₱100–200 per tour.; Massage: ₱50–100.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; refill stations cheap.
- Toilets
- Called 'CR' (comfort room); bring tissue; many lack toilet seats.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | ₱80–150 |
| Beachfront restaurant main dish | ₱250–500 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / bottle at a sari-sari store | ₱80–150 / ₱50–80 |
| Tricycle, Alona Beach to Panglao Town | ₱100–200 |
| Island-hopping boat, per person | ₱800–1,800 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₱300–700 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- TAG · Bohol-Panglao International Airport
- A few km from Alona Beach; tricycle or taxi to the strip, about 10–15 min (check)
Typical fares
- TAG airport → Alona Beach, tricycle
- ₱200–400, about 10–15 min (check)
- Tricycle Alona Beach → Panglao Town
- ₱100–200
- Island-hopping boat, per person
- ₱800–1,800 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The strip is under 1.5 km (0.9 mi) and fully walkable. For anywhere else on the island use a tricycle or jeepney; they wait near the middle of the beach where the access road meets the sand. Agree the fare before you get in. Organised dive and island-hopping boats leave from the beach itself.The strip is under 0.9 mi (1.5 km) and fully walkable. For anywhere else on the island use a tricycle or jeepney; they wait near the middle of the beach where the access road meets the sand. Agree the fare before you get in. Organised dive and island-hopping boats leave from the beach itself.
See and do
Known for
- Balicasag and Pamilacan diving
- Island-hopping and dolphin-watching boats
- Beachfront restaurants and bars
- Panglao Airport (TAG) access
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Balicasag Island | Boat from Alona Beach, about 30–45 min | Half day |
| Pamilacan Island | Boat from Alona Beach, about 1 h | Half to full day |
| Panglao Town | Tricycle or jeepney, 15–20 min | About 30 min |
| Dauis | Tricycle or jeepney via the circumferential road, 20–30 min | About 45 min |
| Chocolate Hills, Bohol | Van or car via Tagbilaran, 2–2.5 h | 3 h |
Sleep
- Alona Beach strip (Tawala)
- Beachfront resorts and bars; walk to everything, but the loudest at night.
- Daorong and Danao, just west
- 5–15 min walk from the sand; quieter, cheaper, still near dive shops.
- Panglao Town side
- Cheaper local guesthouses and market food; 15–20 min by tricycle to Alona.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Good morning | Maayong buntagma-AY-ong BOON-tag |
| Thank you | Salamatsa-LA-mat |
| How much is it? | Pila man?PEE-la man |
| Where is the toilet? | Asa ang kasilyas?a-SA ang ka-SIL-yas |
| Can I pay by card? | Pwede ba card?PWE-de ba card |
| Help! | Tabang!TA-bang |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Smile, handshake; 'po' to elders; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Beckoning: Palm down, wave; avoid: Palm up (used for animals)
- Invitations: Accept food offered or decline politely; avoid: Refusing bluntly
- Time: Expect 'Filipino time' socially; avoid: Lateness for flights and boats
- Churches: Covered clothes; avoid: Loud tours during Mass
Scams and watch-outs
- Card skimming has been reported at small beach-side money changers and shops: pay cash or use an ATM in Tagbilaran or Panglao Town.
- Boat trips are weather-dependent; the coast guard can suspend sailings in rough seas.
- Dolphin-watching boats leave at dawn — book the day before, and expect an early start.
- Beach vendors and tricycle drivers quote high to newcomers: agree the price first.
- Sargassum and jellyfish appear in some months; ask at your dive shop before swimming far out.
Alona Beach is a busy resort strip and generally safe for tourists. The real risks are card skimming at small shops, unlicensed boat operators, and rough seas in the wet season: pay cash, book boats through a dive shop, and check the day's sea state.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Alona Beach yet. Suggested stay: 3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Balicasag and Pamilacan diving
- Island-hopping and dolphin-watching boats
- Beachfront restaurants and bars
- Panglao Airport (TAG) access
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Department of Tourism Philippines: www.tourism.gov.ph/
- Wikivoyage: Alona Beach, revision 5317703 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5317703
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Alona BeachAlona Beach, Panglao
Didto ani nga address, palihug
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- National emergency911
No embassies on Panglao; most are in Metro Manila, with consulates in Cebu City. Check your embassy's site before you travel.
Cash is king on the strip: many small shops and tricycle drivers do not take cards.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/alona-beach). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.