Hinagdanan Cave is a famed Bohol tourist attraction for not only its unique beauty but also the interesting story of how it came to be.
It is said that the Hinagdanan Cave was discovered by a local farmer who was clearing his land and stumbled across two holes in the ground. I am guessing no flashlights were invented way back when and so he dropped a rock down the hole and heard a big splash. Curios, he constructed a ladder and descended into the hole to discover an enormous underground cave and freshwater lagoon!
Hinagdanan Cave also played its role during World War II as a hideout for the Filipinos to escape the Japenese Army, though they were still found hiding underground.
I hope this fascinating short story of the discovery and the history of Hinagdanan Cave urges you to visit this epic location in Bohol.
See More → 31 Epic Things To Do In Bohol
Have you got travel insurance for the Philippines? I know that nobody likes to talk about this stuff but accidents happen all the time and having travel insurance can save you thousands of dollars if something goes wrong. You can read more about why you need travel insurance.
I have been using World Nomads Travel Insurance on every trip and in my opinion, they are the best travel insurance provider on the market. I always choose the Explorer Plan as it covers just about everything.
WHERE IS HINAGDANAN CAVE BOHOL
Hinagdanan Cave is located on the northern coastline of Panglao Island in Bohol, Philippines.
From the main tourist area of Alona Beach in Panglao, it’s a short 15-minute drive to reach the Hinagdanan Cave.
Search All ∼ Hostels / Hotels / Resorts in Panglao
HOW TO GET TO HINAGDANAN CAVE
The best way to get to reach Hinagdanan Cave Panglao is to rent a scooter from one of the many scooter rental stores dotted around Alona Beach. Scooter rentals are around 300-350 pesos per day.
Alternatively, you can jump in the back of a tricycle and ask the driver to drop you over to the Hinagdanan Cave Pool. For a 15-minute drive in a tricycle, you can expect to pay around 100-150 pesos. Put your bartering skills to the test!
Heading to Philippines? ∼ Philippines Packing List
HINAGDANAN CAVE ENTRANCE FEE
The entrance fee at Hinagdanan Cave Bohol is 50 pesos.
There is also an additional parking fee of 20 pesos, but if you just park down the road a bit you can avoid paying this.
Free ∼ $40 AirBnb Discount
Hinagdanan Cave Bohol
The entrance to Hinagdanan Cave
MY EXPERIENCE AT HINAGDANAN CAVE
I honestly had no idea what to expect when I headed over to this side of Panglao island to explore the Hinagdanan Cave.
Having just come from Anda in East Bohol to explore the tourist area of Panglao, I thought the cave pools here would be similar to the ones in Anda. I was wrong…
Well in a way, the Hinagdanan Cave had similar features as the Anda Cave Pools such as stalagmite pinnacles, turquoise pools and a staircase entrance. Though Hinagdanan Cave is on a much more grand scale in both size and epicness!
I handed over my ticket to the young lady at the entrance gate who then pointed the way to the staircase that leads into the cave and she advised me to mind my head on the way down.
I felt as though I had stepped down into a wormhole and emerged in a completely different world. The Hinagdanan Cave is incredibly impressive and other-worldly, to say the least.
Search All ∼ Hostels / Hotels / Resorts in Panglao
Turquoise water inside the Hinagdanan Cave Bohol
WHAT TO EXPECT INSIDE HINAGDANAN CAVE BOHOL
Inside the cavern, you’ll find a large freshwater pool that glows a fluorescent turquoise colour and large stalagmite pinnacles hang from the ceiling.
The natural pool is around 3-4 meters deep and there is plenty of space for swimming and rock jumping.
You won’t need a flashlight inside the Hinagdanan Cave Bohol as there is natural light from the holes in the ceiling and also light bulbs in the staircase and at the back of the cave.
Around the edges of the natural pool is quite dry and you can set down your belongings here while you go for a dip. Though do note that the ground gets quite slippery especially if there are wet kids running around, so please watch your step. I recommend bringing a pair of slip-on waterproof shoes with you for extra grip.
Once you’ve enjoyed some time at Hinagdanan Cave I recommend checking out the Molave Cove & Cliff Jump and Panglao Beach which are both within 10-minutes drive of each other.
Find All ∼ Tours in Bohol
Inside the Hinagdanan Cave Bohol
PIN LOCATION OF HINAGDANAN CAVE BOHOL
WANT TO TRAVEL FULL-TIME? ∼ CLICK HERE TO LEARN HOW!
WHERE TO STAY IN PANGLAO
Luxury: Donatela Hotel
- Donatela Hotel is the best luxury accommodation in Panglao. Centrally located and close to beaches and other attractions on Panglao island. The hotel offers a private beach area, swimming pool, restaurant and pool bar. There is a garden villa, pool villa, family villa and honeymoon villa available at Donatela Hotel. The rooms are air-conditioned featuring a balcony, flat-screen tv, dining area, tea/coffee maker, mini-bar, private bathroom, bathtub and plunge pool. They can also help you to organise scuba diving, snorkeling and other activities in Bohol. Great for families, friends and couples.
Click Here to check availability and rates.
Mid Range: Conrada’s Place Hotel & Resort
- Conrada’s Place is located 450m from Alona Beach and close to shops, restaurants and other nearby attractions. The accommodation features an outdoor pool, restaurant, snorkeling activities and wellness spa. There are double rooms, deluxe rooms, family rooms and suites which have air-conditioning, free wifi and breakfast is included for all guests. Great place to stay for families, friends and couples.
Click Here to check availability and rates.
Budget: Bohol Coco Farm
- Bohol Coco Farm is rated the best accommodation for a solo traveller in Bohol. Enjoy a rustic experience with modern luxuries of free wifi and a restaurant. Great location close to beaches and other attractions. The rooms and fan-cooled with shared bathrooms and towels are included. There’s also a shared lounge with free coffee and a tour desk.
Click Here to check availability and rates.
For all other places to stay in Panglao, Click Here to search on Booking.com
Conrada’s Place Resort & Spa in Panglao
AIRBNB BOHOL
Another option for accommodation in Bohol is to stay at an Airbnb, which generally has some great deals in Bohol.
Get your $40 Airbnb discount here!
BOOK A BOHOL TOUR
Another great way to see all of the best Bohol tourist spots is to book a Bohol Countryside & Panglao Highlights Tour.
This particular tour is the most top-rated tour in Bohol with hundreds of great reviews and thousands of bookings. I can’t recommend this amazing tour enough, especially for first-timers to Bohol!
You can Click Here to see what other travellers are saying about this tour!
The Bohol Tour includes the following:
- Chocolate Hills
- Bilar Manmade Forest
- Bohol Tarsier Sanctuary
- Loboc River Cruise with lunch
- Hinagdanan Cave
- Panglao Watchtower
- & much more
Click Here to check availability and rates.
MORE BOHOL TRAVEL GUIDES
There are so many things to do in Bohol that I recommend spending at least one week on the island to make the most out of your visit!
HOW TO GET TO BOHOL
There are two ways of getting to Bohol, one is by plane and the other by ferry.
BY PLANE:
There are daily flights to Bohol welcoming both domestic and international travellers. The main airport in Bohol is Panglao International Aiport located on Panglao Island.
Click here to search all flights to Bohol
BY FERRY:
Cebu to Bohol ferry
The most common route is the ferry from Cebu to Bohol which takes approximately 2.5 hours and the cost is around 600 pesos.
There are daily ferry departures from the Cebu Pier 1 Ferry Terminal and it arrives at Tagbilaran Port in Bohol.
Click here to book your Cebu to Bohol ferry online in advance.
Once you have booked your Cebu to Bohol ferry ticket online, on the day of travel you can head directly to Cebu Pier 1 Ferry Terminal at least 30-minutes before departure and present the online booking number to the staff at the check-in counter so they can issue you a seat number. There is also an additional 25 pesos terminal fee that must be paid in cash on the day.
Siquijor to Bohol ferry
If you happen to be on Siquijor island and heading over to Bohol from here, there are daily ferry departures from Larena Port in Siquijor to Tagbilaran Port in Bohol. The ferry from Siquijor to Bohol takes around 1.5 hours and the cost is around 800 pesos plus an additional 20 pesos terminal fee.
Click Here to book your Siquijor to Bohol ferry online in advance.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article and if you have any questions at all about Hinagdanan Cave Panglao, please leave me a comment below and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Happy Adventuring! 😃
