Bohol | The Mangrove Forests of Maribojoc

​Maribojoc is a humble town in Bohol located about 15 kilometers from downtown Tagbilaran City and roughly 28 kilometers from Panglao International Airport. On a private vehicle, it would take you about 30 minutes from Tagbilaran and about 50 minutes from Panglao. This is the town I grew up in before my mother finally decided to bring me to Manila where she was working at that time. Although I was a Manileña, as what the neighbors would call me, during my highschool and college days, my mother made sure I would go back every summer to spend two months with my Lola. Always the best two months of the year! Probably also the reason why I learned to love traveling and to hate staying in one place for a long period of time.

​Not much tourists come to our town because it is not located along the route of the more popular countryside tours like the one going to the Chocolate Hills. There is also not much to see but we do have the Punta Cruz Watchtower which locals consider the icon of Maribojoc. We also have the more recent Firefly Watching and Night Kayaking along the Abatan River, which I have never done but wish to do someday. Our town have also developed two mangrove boardwalks each located in two different barangays. The Savima Mangrove Adventure Tour in Barangay San Vicente and Lagtangon Boardwalk in Barangay Lagtangon. 

​The Savima Mangrove Adventure Tour has been there for the longest time but has stopped operation after the 2013 earthquake. Most of the residents who served as tour guides and caretakers of the mangrove forest were affected and had to focus on rebuilding their homes. Some of the mangroves were also damaged and they had to plant new ones. It finally reopened for tourists in March 2014. The entrance fee is still at P25 per head and the place is open daily from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The elevated boardwalk stretched up to 500 meters in length. For information on the fees, refer to the list below:

  • Entrance fee (Filipinos) – P25
  • Entrance fee (non-Filipinos) – P50
  • Tour guide – P150
  • Mangrove planting – P5 per seedling
  • Takla and imbao gathering – P60 per demo
 
For more information about Savima Mangrove Adventure Tour, read: 

​The Lagtangon Boardwalk is also a recent project by the local community. Like the Savima Mangrove Adventure Park, the boardwalk existed even before the 2013 earthquake but had to be renovated as well. The boardwalk used to accept visitors for free but now charges P10 entrance fee. Visitors can also rent their cottages at P150 each. There are 4 cottages available for rental as of mid-2019. It is open to accept visitors from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Unlike the much bigger Savima Mangrove Adventure Park, this boardwalk does not have restrooms or water connection but these are currently part of the planned renovation. 

​There are three ways to get to the town of Maribojoc:

  • Easiest but most expensive way is to hire a car/van that would take you there. This option would be best for those who have money to spare and too afraid to roam around an off-the-beaten-path type of tourist attraction. As always, my recommended van driver is Kuya John. You can reach out to him at +639161765683. He is able to offer a car for smaller groups (4 people max) or a van for bigger groups (12 people max).​
  • If you prefer to go by van/bus, proceed to the Tagbilaran Integrated Bus Terminal in Dao. From any point in Tagbilaran, you can just ride a tricycle and tell the driver to bring you to Dao Terminal. From Dao, ride a van/bus going to Tubigon and asked to be dropped off in Maribojoc. Normally, if you just say Maribojoc, they would assume that you'll want to stop in Poblacion or the public market.
  • If you prefer to go by jeepney, ask a tricycle driver in Tagbilaran to bring you to Cogon Terminal just in front of the Marcella mall. You can either ride a jeepney going to Maribojoc or the one going to Loon. The Maribojoc-bound jeepney would stop at Poblacion but the Loon-bound one will go straight for the next town so you can drop off at other Maribojoc barangays right after Poblacion.

It would be a bit difficult to know where exactly you have to stop if you are going to Savima Mangrove Adventure Tour and Lagtangon Board unless you are able to use an online map such as Waze or Google Maps. Like all other countryside modes of transportation, the jeepneys, vans and buses in Bohol tend to be very fast and you have shout at the driver about 25-50 meters before your intended drop-off (depending on how fast you are going) so you are able to stop at exactly the right spot. You get what I mean. So I would highly suggest that you drop off at Poblacion, particularly in the Maribojoc public market then take a tricycle from there going to both boardwalks. Fare is still at P8 per person per way as of 2019.
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To find a resort or hotel in Bohol, click here: Book a Resort or Hotel in Bohol
To find other adventures in Bohol, click here: Danao Adventure Park Private Car Charter

OTHER DESTINATIONS IN BOHOL

KEY CONTACTS

To book your countryside tour, you may call/text Kuya John at +639161765683. He is able to offer a car for smaller groups (4 people max) or a van for bigger groups (12 people max).
If you have any comments or questions, feel free to post them here: