"PANGLAO ISLAND, MY FAVORITE PLACE IN MY... " a Panglao Island Travel Page by nodarcdam

There are disputes as to whether which is the best destination between Boracay Island and Panglao Island. I have been to both places and for me, I will pick Panglao Island, anytime.

The selling points of Boracay Island are the clear water, beautiful fine white sand and the nightlife. I will cancel out the nightlife at the very instance as the reason why I take a vacation is to take a respite from the city life. While it is true that the Boracay has clear water and fine white sand, it is ideal primarily for swimming.

On the other hand, Panglao Island is known for its beautiful beaches, not only for swimming but also for snorkeling/ diving and watching marine creatures. There are several beaches in Panglao Island and my favorite spots are Alona beach, Doljo beach, Puntod Island and Balicasag Island. While the white sand of Alona beach may not be as fine as the sand of Boracay beach Puntod Island can rival, if not outclass, the fine white sand of Boracay.

One thing I discovered in Panglao Island is that the best swimming site is not the shoreline but several meters from the shore. With the usual calm water, there are shallow spots, about waist deep, several meters away from Alona beach , where one could spend long hours swimming with white fine sand beneath and crystal clear water around. Even without any mask, on can see small colorful fishes swimming with, around or beneath.

There are a lot of things I miss when I am away from Panglao Island. I am not into deep sea diving but I could spend the whole day snorkeling and watching beautiful coral reefs, fishes and other marine creatures. Watching dolphins frolic in early mornings is quite an experience.

I guess the thing that I miss most is the people of Panglao Island. I never had any bad experience with the townfolks of Panglao. They are friendly, helpful and not "makulit" They always wear smiles on their faces and they know how to deal with tourists. The personnel of the establisments in Panglao are all locals, trying their best to make one's stay in the island a pleasant and memorable one.

The unexplored and undeveloped Doljo Beach is located at the tip of Panglao Island. It is derived from the word "dulo" or tip. Ananyana Beach Resort is located in Duljo Beach.

Panglao Watch Tower is the tallest watch tower, not only in Panglao Island, but the whole of Bohol. It is situated beside the Panglao Church.