Most trips to Panglao start from one of three places in Tagbilaran. Ferries from Cebu and other ports dock at the Tagbilaran City Tourist Port on the city’s waterfront. Buses from the rest of Bohol arrive at the Integrated Bus Terminal in Dao, a short walk from Island City Mall (OpenStreetMap). And many visitors spend a night in a city hotel first. From all three, the road crosses onto Panglao Island through Dauis, the island’s other municipality; our explainer sets out how the two fit together.
No single fare covers the trip. Panglao’s official tricycle table lists only routes inside Panglao municipality, and Tagbilaran’s fares are for rides within the city. Prices also moved this year: Bohol’s tourist transport operators adjusted their rates for fuel costs in March (Inquirer), and higher national fares for jeepneys, buses and ride-hailing cars took effect on 28 September 2026 (Rappler). Read any price in an older guide or screenshot as a floor, not a quote. If you are still in Cebu, start with our Cebu–Tagbilaran ferry guide.
01
How far it is
The figures below are approximate road distances along the main routes on OpenStreetMap, measured from the port’s passenger terminal. Starting from the Dao bus terminal or Island City Mall adds about 1.5 to 3 km, because both sit further inland. Driving times assume a clear road; allow more at commuter peaks.
- Port to Alona Beach (Tawala)
- About 18 km, roughly 25 minutes on a clear road (Rome2rio gives 18.2 km)
- Port to Danao Beach
- About 21 km
- Port to Bolod and Dumaluan Beach
- About 14 to 15 km
- Port to Doljo Beach
- About 19 km
- Port to Panglao Poblacion
- About 17 km
- Port to Bohol–Panglao airport
- About 15.5 km; backers of the planned third bridge put the trip at 45 minutes at peak times (Bohol Tribune, 2024 and 2026)
- Port to Dao terminal or Island City Mall
- About 4 km, around 10 minutes across the city
Check which barangay your hotel is actually in before you give a driver the destination; our barangay guide explains the names. A resort that markets itself as “Alona” may be registered in Danao, and an address on “Panglao Island” may be in Dauis rather than Panglao municipality.
02
Two bridges, and a third still to come
Two road bridges link Panglao Island to Tagbilaran. The Ambassador Suarez Bridge carries the causeway from the port side of the city to Totolan in Dauis; the Jacinto Borja Bridge crosses further east, at the Mansasa–Dauis junction (Bohol Tribune). From the port and the city center, the most direct road crosses the causeway; from the Dao terminal, the Borja Bridge is just as direct. Either way, you pass through Dauis before reaching Panglao municipality.
Both crossings are under strain. The provincial government said in February 2026 that the two bridges “have become inadequate” for the traffic since the airport moved to Panglao (Province of Bohol). A third crossing, the Panglao–Tagbilaran City Offshore Bridge Connector, is planned as a 1.03 km, four-lane cable-stayed bridge from Dauis to the entrance of the Tagbilaran port. Bidding opened in May 2026, but no construction start date had been announced (Bohol Tribune). Plan around the two existing bridges.
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03
Your options, side by side
Each fare below carries its source’s date and was checked on 28 September 2026. Where no official fare exists, the figure is what travel guides report; treat it as the starting point for your own quote, not a price you are owed.
- Hotel or resort transfer
- Easiest with luggage or after dark. Ask your accommodation whether it meets guests at the port, and at what rate. A Bohol transfer company’s guide, updated in April 2026, quotes private transfers at ₱1,000 to ₱1,500 a vehicle (Hop With Ann).
- GrabCar
- Covers Tagbilaran, Dauis and Panglao since December 2024 (Bohol Island News); the app shows the fare before you confirm. National ride-hailing base fares rose by ₱20 on 28 September 2026 (Rappler).
- Car or van for hire
- Expect to agree a fixed price rather than use a meter. A guide updated in April 2026 says drivers at the port start at ₱1,000 and go up from there (Hop With Ann).
- Southern Star bus
- Air-conditioned, Tagbilaran to Panglao airport: ₱85, with 40 departures between 5:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., on the operator’s schedule updated 27 December 2025. No online or advance booking; the operator directs ticket questions to its terminal booths.
- Tricycle
- Tagbilaran’s minimum fare is ₱20 for city rides (GMA Regional TV, 2 April 2026). For the full run to Panglao, a guide updated in April 2026 reports about ₱300 to ₱500 (Hop With Ann).
- Jeepney or multicab
- The cheapest option. Both run regular routes within the city and to nearby towns (tourism office). The national minimum for traditional jeepneys is ₱14 for the first 4 km from 28 September 2026 (Rappler, Top Gear Philippines).
- Rented motorbike or car
- Only if you are at ease on Philippine roads. Carry a valid license and wear a helmet: the law requires one for riders and passengers (RA 10054).
04
From the ferry port
The port is the busiest starting point and the easiest place to overpay. Rides are available at the pier, but prices are settled by negotiation: one guide updated in April 2026 says drivers there open at ₱1,000 for a car or van (Hop With Ann). Agree the total for the vehicle, your bags and the exact hotel entrance before anything is loaded.
A pickup arranged in advance removes most of that friction. Send the property or transfer company your ferry’s name and scheduled arrival, and agree how long the driver will wait if the boat runs late. Our Cebu route guide covers what to settle before you sail.
To use Grab, open the app once you are off the boat, set the pickup where you are standing and use the in-app chat to agree exactly where to meet.
On a tight budget, the cheapest combination is a short tricycle ride of about 4 km across the city to the Dao terminal, then a Southern Star bus. It saves money but costs time, and it works only until the last bus of the day.
05
From the Dao terminal, Island City Mall or a city hotel
Provincial buses use the Integrated Bus Terminal in Dao, near Island City Mall. Southern Star’s December 2025 timetable listed air-conditioned departures from Tagbilaran to Panglao airport roughly every 20 minutes through the day. The operator says it takes no online or advance bookings and directs ticket questions to its terminal booths (Southern Star).
Check two things before you board. The operator describes its prices as terminal-to-terminal and says they can change with the distance traveled, and new national bus fares took effect on 28 September 2026, so the fare may now be higher than the ₱85 on its December 2025 list. The timetable also names only the airport as the destination, so tell the conductor your hotel’s area and ask where to get off.
From the airport, Alona is about 3 km further. Panglao’s official tricycle fare for that leg is ₱30 per person (Municipality of Panglao, posted 26 September 2025, checked 28 September 2026). Our Alona Beach guide and airport guide cover that last stretch.
From a city hotel, Grab is usually the simplest choice because it covers the whole of Tagbilaran; the hotel can also arrange a car the evening before. For buses and tricycles, carry small bills and coins, as the tourism office advises.
06
Late arrivals, luggage and traffic
After dark the choice narrows. The last Southern Star departure on the operator’s December 2025 timetable was 7:00 p.m., so a later arrival needs a pre-booked transfer, a Grab car or a negotiated ride. If your ferry is due in the evening, book ahead and give the driver your hotel’s phone number.
Luggage decides the vehicle. A tricycle has room for a few passengers and little space for bags, and the run from the city to Panglao’s beaches is long for one. With two large suitcases, a stroller or children, a car or van is the practical choice.
Traffic gathers at the bridges, which is why the province wants a third. Heading the other way, to catch a ferry out of Tagbilaran, leave a generous margin; the 45-minute peak figure for the port-to-airport run is a safer planning number than a free-road estimate.
07
What to agree before you ride
A useful quote names the full destination, not just “Panglao”. Before anyone loads your bags, settle these points:
- the hotel’s full name and barangay, and whether the driver will take you to the door or leave you on the main road
- the total price, and whether it is for the vehicle or per person
- how many bags are included, and whether any cost extra
- how you will pay, and whether the driver has change
- for an arranged pickup, how long the driver will wait if the ferry is late
Inside Panglao municipality, the town’s tricycle table and complaint lines apply: its complaint desk is 0998 334 8469 and its transportation office 0950 436 8769 (Municipality of Panglao). In an emergency, call 911. For the other things worth settling before you pay for a room, see before you book.
08
Common questions
How far is Panglao from Tagbilaran?
Panglao Island starts just across the bridges; Dauis town is about 5 km from the port by road. The main beaches are further: about 18 km to Alona, 14 to 15 km to Bolod and Dumaluan, and 19 km to Doljo.
Is there Grab from Tagbilaran to Panglao?
Yes. GrabCar has covered Tagbilaran, Dauis and Panglao since December 2024. National ride-hailing base fares rose on 28 September 2026, so check the fare in the app before you confirm.
Is there a bus from Tagbilaran to Panglao?
Southern Star runs air-conditioned buses from Tagbilaran to Panglao airport. Its schedule updated 27 December 2025 listed a ₱85 fare and departures from 5:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; the fare may be higher after the national increase of 28 September 2026. It takes no online or advance bookings; ask at the terminal ticket booth.
How much is a tricycle from Tagbilaran port to Alona?
There is no official fare for the full trip. Tagbilaran’s minimum fare is ₱20 for city rides, and a guide updated in April 2026 reports about ₱300 to ₱500 for the ride to Panglao. Agree the total before you set off.
Is the new Tagbilaran–Panglao bridge open?
No. The third bridge between Tagbilaran and Dauis went to bidding in May 2026, and no construction start date had been announced. All traffic uses the causeway and the Borja Bridge.
The crossing itself is short; the part worth planning is the ride from the pier or terminal to your hotel’s front door, at a price agreed before the bags went in.