An island mostly of Maribojoc coralline limestone, Panglao Island as a sightseeing spot is rich in cave formations. Limestone erosion creates sinkholes and crevices rampant in the island. We see them on land and under water. These wonders and many more make alluring Panglao Island as a sightseeing spot.
Asians were the first foreigners to see the charm of Bohol. As early as 1803 visitors from China, Malaysia, and Indonesia frequented Panglao Island as a sightseeing spot and also for trade reasons. Spaniards also later joined the scene and misconstrued fishing gears called panggaw for Panglao which they thought was the name of the place.
Panglao Island as a sightseeing spot as well as a diving haven boasts of a wealth of marine biodiversity better than what Japan and the Mediterranean Sea can come up with. There are also 250 new crustacean and 2500 mollusk species quite a number of new stuffs to check out or taste. For instance, try a sampling of the delicious seashell treat natives call Sa-anganon or Sa-ang.
Ask for Sa-ang at the classy seafood restaurants lined up along the stretch of Alona beach and have the thing grilled fresh before us. By the way, Alona also has lots of tourist hotels and lodges and resorts. After dinner, proceed to Hinagdanan Cave in Dauis, a mere 5 minutes from Tagbilaran City, a maze of underground cavernous passages, really uplifting Panglao Island as a sightseeing spot. Enjoy the lagoon inside the cave. Natural cave openings plus artificial lights make internal visibility possible.
Exiting one cave opening will bring us to the world outside just beside a chain of interesting souvenir shops. Panglao Island as a sightseeing spot also has some historic sites, especially in Dauis. It was a missions base for the Visayas during the Spanish time. Then, just a short distance from its shores, Panglao also boasts of world class diving sites showcasing rare deep sea sights and colors.
Just imagine a vast bed of black corals. Or an imposing underwater wall of rocks and corals interspersed with fascinating sponges and crawling sea creatures. We find this at very accessible dive spots around Balicasag Island, like the Arco Point, Black Forest, Puntod, and the Cathedral, among others. Panglao Island as a sightseeing spot not only affords scenic spots on land but beneath the sea as well.
Panglao is just 30 minutes away from the Tagbilaran Airport by land. Panglao Island as a sightseeing spot can present so much to the adventurous traveler.
