Just like Balicasag Island, Pamilacan Island is another island of Bohol that is located quite some distance from the mainland. If Balicasag is famous for its scuba diving and coral reefs, Pamilacan is famous for its dolphin and whale watching, though it does have some dive sites of its own.

Located more than 10 kilometers away from its parent town of Baclayon, Pamilacan Island is a whole barangay in itself and is home to more than 1,000 people, or around 200 households. Its main industry is fishing, though some of the fishermen also engage in the tourism trade as well, bringing people on their boats to see the dolphins and whales. Among the species that can be seen are the Fraser’s dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei), the bottlenose dolphin (T. truncatus or T. aduncus), and the Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera brydei). These fishermen are trained to spot dolphins and have been taught how to properly approach them. It is said that a watching expedition with these fishermen will always be rewarded with cetacean sightings.

Photo by Beng Eusebio (CC)

Aside from the dolphin and whale watching, this island is also home to white sand beaches. The island has one commercial resort and it offers various activities such as kayaking, snorkeling, fishing, and island touring.

If you’re interested, you can check out this article by Ferdz describing his experience of seeing hundreds of dolphins during his trip to Pamilacan Island. This Bohol tourism webpage also contains tons of information about Pamilacan including some about a 200-year-old fort on the island’s northeastern coast.

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