Adventures in Anda, Bohol

Somebody asked me, “What is your favorite town in Bohol?”. That got me thinking then realized I like many towns in Bohol but first one that came to my mind is the town of Anda.

Anda is a gorgeous place located at eastern part of Bohol, Philippines and is more or less 110 km from the province’ capital – Tagbilaran City. It brings back happy memories while backpacking it with two of my closest friends. Let me share it to you!

Going there, we don’t have much plan but to camp by the beach side and check out their cave pools. We weren’t prepared by what the town has to offer.

These were the things we have seen and experienced on that two day escapade!

Let’s start with what we expected:

1. White Sand Beaches!

One thing you should know about Anda is that it is part of Anda Peninsula. Thus, it is not surprising that you can find many beaches around the town. Most of those who come here for a dip are locals from the neighboring towns although, some tourists who avoid the crowded beaches of Panglao Island which is only 30 minutes away from the city are already finding their way here.

One thing you should know about this trip is we did a lot of walking. The first thing we did when we arrived was trace the beach front until we were blocked with cliffs. We felt like we already circled the town and of course we were far from that. That is probably because we still had our bags in our backs and it was so hot. Of course we still enjoyed the sun and the colors the day presented!

2. Cave pools

You might have heard of the beautiful cave pools in Anda. I know four of them and the deepest is Cabagnow Cave Pool where the only way IN is to jump! Kidding! they have a ladder for you to climb up and down. But jumping is something you should do if you go there! They charge 50 pesos entrance and have floaters available for free. From the town center, we had a long walk to the cave.

The other cave pools are Combento Cave Pool a nameless little cave just near it and Cateres Cave Pool. Both are walking distance from two famous beaches in Anda, Bitoon Beach for the former and Bugnaw C-E for the latter. Usually when locals choose to swim from either beaches, they have a dip on the cave pools which is freshwater with a hint of salty water. These pools also are refreshingly cool. Combento as I remember have 5 pesos entrance fee and Cateres have non.

Please don’t leave any trash as these places do not have any waste management.

Let’s go to what we did not expect!

As I said, we were not prepared to what the town presented us on this trip although we have been coming here many times for their beaches and cave pools.

1. Anda Lagoon

While heading to a spring riding a local transport (which I’ll tell you later), we were surprised with a wonderful scenery! (I’m looking at the photo now with a stupid smile on my face and daydreaming of going back to Anda. Sigh. )

2. Inday Potenciana

We’ve heard of this mysterious corpse which remained uncorrupted through the years. We just realized it’s located in Anda when the driver pointed us to the cemetery which is also on the way to the spring. We saw the corpse but wasn’t able to take photos of it because it doesn’t seem right. Anyway, some locals treat Inday Potenciana like a saint because it said to heal sickness although, the local church does not recognize the supporters’ claims.

3. Anda Spring and Pool

Anda Bohol Adventure blog, Anda Spring pool

We love cold springs! That’s why we can’t afford to miss having a visit. Unfortunately we went on the pool’s cleaning day so we have not experienced it to its fullest. We had fun on the cascade though!

4. Green Scenery

It is surprising to us who associated Anda with beach and cave pools to see so much green scenery on it. There are places where you can go light trekking and see the peninsula from above. In our case, we took a random stroll on going back after the spring which brought us to this view!

5. Breath-taking Sunrise

It was our first time camping there and we pitched our tent at the town’s most famous white fine sand beach, Quenale just walking distance from town center. The place was peaceful with some locals having picnics on the beach front. The best thing about that campsite is the sunrise.

It was a beautiful gift!

If heading to Bohol, Anda is definitely perfect especially when backpacking!

Here are some information that might help you!

Anda is very travel friendly – Really. Big signages are around especially when you enter the town. They also have a very helpful information center just a walk away from the town center beside the beach. That is where we got our map of the town with all the interesting places we could visit. People also are generally friendly and helpful!

About food – We camped there without any food with us but we bought food at the market which gave us plenty of choices! Filipino food mostly. There are already new restaurants that cater to tourists though. Plenty of options!

Transportation – We got there by bus with more or less 100 pesos fare in more than two hours trip from the city. In getting around the town, we mostly walked around (Yeah. We kind of like walking. ). But we also did ride the local transport they call “rela” short for motorella which gives reasonable fare.

Accommodation – Camping there is safe. But if you do not feel like camping, choices for affordable accommodation is plenty. Most of them are by the beach.

Other things you might want to check out:
- Snorkeling – the place is a good place for snorkeling! So prepare your gear.
- Diving – Some travellers come here for thier dive site. We have’nt done it but it will be worth a try!
- Lamanok Island – this is one place I really look forward in going. A mystical historical cave that is an evidence of the town’s rich history. This is where they found a cave with ancient coffins and evidence of ancient burial traditions. This place is also said to be sacred place for faith healers. We didn’t go there because it is a long way from the town center and we did not have enough time.