Baclayon

Baclayon is known for its historic Catholic Church, an important part of Boholano and national heritage, being declared in 1995 as a National Historic Treasure. This massive ancient edifice still retains its centuries old architectural design and is considered the best preserved of its kind in the region. The relics of antiquity found in the church, and museum, which date back to the early 16th century include crystal chandeliers, brightly colored window panes, life-size religious images, carved altars with gold embossing, and a silver tabanacle. Nearby are the centuries-old stone buildings like the belfry, the hermita and elementary school.

Another Spanish-era building in the town ís the spacious public market with giant stone columns supporting the roof. The products of local industries like the sarok, winnowing baskets, fans, shopping bags, mats and the like are sold at the market day every Wednesday. Fruits, vegetables, pigs, chickens, dried fish, and other products from people in the hinterlands are also sold to serve the needs of the town’s residents.

Spared through community advocacy from a provincial road-widening project’s plan for their demolition, the Spanish colonial ancestral houses that line the main road of Balcayon have instead been preserved and stand as compellingly as ever. There are over 67 ancestral houses in the municipality, which are within easy walking distance from Baclayon Church. The houses show Spanish-Filipino wooden craftsmanship and styling, some of which were constructed as early as 1853. In an effort to further fund the preservation of the heritage houses, they are often utilized for cultural shows and tours, festivals and fiestas, as well as some having been turned into home-stays; a great accommodation option for those wanting a true taste of Boholano culture and lifestyle.

part of the Municipality of Baclayon, is a small island 14 km, or a 1-hour pump-boat ride, from the mainland. There are only around 235 families living on the island, whose main livelihoods now concentrate on dolphin and whale watching tours and subsistence fishing, but in the past have also included whale, dolphin and manta ray hunting. Officially Pamilacan means “resting place of the mantas’, but is also been interpreted to derive from the word ‘pamilac’ or harpoon, a weapon that was historically used to capture the mantas, dolphins and whales. Pamilacan Island is now seen as a success story in the transformation of the community from their destructive, unsustainable hunting practices, to the protection of their marine life with dolphin and whalewatching tours now providing a valuable alternative livelihood. Pamilacan Island has also been the recipient of numerous awards from tourism councils and environmental organizations in recognition of their remarkable makeover. The island has beautiful white sand beaches, and is endowed with some great dive sites, such as ‘Dakit-Dakit’. Additionally, the island is also home to a 200-year-old Spanish fort at the northeast of the island, which served as a watch station for the Spaniards against intruders, such as pirates and other enemies. Pump-boat rides from Baclayon to Pamilacan Island can cost upward from ₱1500 per boat and it is normally advisable to organize this a day in advance if possible through the Municipal Tourism Information Center (see Contacts). However, Wednesdays are Market Days in Baclayon, and as such, more pump-boats operate to cater for the islanders visiting the market. Boat rides on Wednesday therefore can be as little as one tenth of the normal price.

The waters of Baclayon are renowned throughout the Philippines as being the premier site for Dolphin and Whale Watching Tours. The Whale species to be found are the Short-finned Pilot Whale, Melon-headed Whale and Pygmy Killer Whale, while the Dolphin species include the Rissoís, Spinner, Bottlenose and Spotted Dolphins. As of February 2011, many Whale Sharks have also been spotted off the cost of Pamilacan Island, suggesting a regeneration of a once thriving species in the area. Tours start in Baclayon around 5AM; the best time for sightings and appreciating their antics. Tours typically run until around 2PM including a rest stop at a nearby beach for snorkeling. Tour prices depend upon boat size and start from around ₱1500.

Now run through Peacock Garden Resort, an exhilarating buggy ride through the rural barangays (villages) of Baclayon is available. If merely speed and tight turns aren’t your things then the tour can also be ideal for naturists, with flora and fauna, and bird watching information stops included along the way. The tour is designed to be beneficial for the remote barangays, with a portion of the revenue from every tour going back into the barangays that are accessed. Tour price for two people in one buggy for 1½-2 hr is ₱1500 with all safety equipment is provided.

Baclayon offers an extremely rich and biodiverse marine system perfect for Scuba diving. An especially popular dive site off Pamilacan Island is ‘Dakit-Dakit’, where the once damaged coral reefs from dynamite-fishing are on the repair with many varieties of coral heads, soft corals and coral strings growing. The sloping reef dive also provides encounters with huge schools of large Jackfish, Napoleon Wrasse, as well as Barracudas, Batfish, Turtles and occasionally Manta Rays.Dive sites have also been created off the coast of the Baclayon Mainland with two areas being converted into Marine Protected Areas (MPAS) in 2008 in Barangays Taguihon and Guiwanon. Already there are vast improvements observed in coral cover and fish abundance within the two, and they provide some very nice macro diving for underwater photography enthusiasts

Many of Baclayon’s off-road trails have been developed for mountain biking, and the municipality is fast becoming a hub for the sport in Bohol. The mountain biking trails include easy and moderate cross-country rides, using barangay roads and single track, carabao trails. Baclayon also has long off-road trails connect different municipalities, such as Loboc, Albur, Loay, Corella, Sikatuna and Tagbilaran city. As has been well publicized in the adventure magazine “Action Asia”, the most popular and longest of which is “Bong’s Trail”. This 20-km off-road ride begins at Mount Banat-i, passing through Baclayon’s upland barangays and neighboring municipalities, and ends 2 to 4 hours later at Loboc River. Additionally, the Baclayon to Corella route is a 2-hour off-road ride, ending at the Philippine Tarsier Foundation, a great place to view Tarsiers in their natural habitat. Bike rentals are scarce in Baclayon, as well as nearby Tagbilaran City, so it is preferable to bring your own bike. However, it is possible to organize bike rentals, mountain biking guides, and gain further information ahead of time by contacting +63-928-197-9165 or +63-906-531-0860.