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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)
Get around
The strip is under 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.The strip is under 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.
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.