A Tour Around Loboc River

The Loboc River is now one of the major destinations of tourists, local and foreigners alike. Located in the Municipality of Loboc, a mere 24 kilometers away from Tagbilaran City, the winding river plays host to cruisers on board small bancas or floating restaurants. Visitors are treated to a vista of lush tropical vegetation such as nipa palms, coconut trees, banana groves, and bushes.

A cruise along the river starts either from the Loay Bridge (a neighboring town) or at the town’s Poblacion. The Loay Bridge is 20 kilometers from Tagbilaran City while the Poblacion is about 25 kilometers away. Small motorized bancas can be availed of for a minimal fee yet for those who want to eat while cruising, floating restaurants are available offering Filipino cuisine buffet that costs P400 per head or more and local delicacies.

The river cruise starting from the Loay bridge traverses the Loboc river where the nipa trees are abundant and less of manmade structures. It winds up its cruise with an ethnic village showcasing their village life. I’m just not sure if they are true Eskaya indigeneous tribe of Bohol or just some locals depicting the tribe.

The sceneries that might be scene while riding on the cruise in the loboc river

The river cruise starting from the Poblacion traverses Loboc river where there are not much nipa trees, more of backyard home sceneries, more of the manmade structures such as the unfinished bridge near the Loboc church and it winds up at Busay falls (just a meter high falls), where a rondalla group is waiting to further serenade you.

With the tourism fever, the floating restaurants were envisioned providing tourists with a 1st class dining experience on board floating restaurants. The floating vessels are made up of a covered platform on top of two large outrigger boats which are joined together. The boats can accommodate up to 50 people.

Most of the floating restaurants treat their guests with Boholano songs played by in-boat bands during the cruise. The trip winds up the river and ends at the Busay Falls which is only one and a half meter at most. Here, the guests are treated to rondalla music by a local rondalla group housed under a floating cottage.

Local folks usually take a dip in the waters and enjoy bathing under the falls. Guests who have brought with them extra clothes are welcome to swim and bathe and experience the heady feeling of a refreshing swim in the river’s unpolluted waters.

Going to and from the Busay falls, visitors are treated to a spectacle of children diving from a large coconut tree that is leaning out towards the river. One will feel a bit tense seeing the children climbing up the tree and then plunging towards the deep waters. From the looks of it, the part of the tree where the children usually dive from is more than 10 feet from the river.

Along the way, one can see children swimming and people passing by in small bancas or canoes. Upstream, and located on the eastern bank of the river, the Nuts Huts Resort is seen.

This resort is a favorite hang-out for bikers and hikers who prefer the peaceful and scenic surroundings of the river bank rather than the majestic allure of the sea.

Another area worth visiting is where wild chickens, turtles, and pythons are kept in captivity. On this trips, visitors are given the time to marvel at the surrounding landscape. After a while, the return trip starts. Since the trip is going downstream, it takes a shorter time for the boats to arrive at the starting point.

How to Get There:

Many buses, jeepneys, and multicabs ply the interior route to and from Tagbilaran City. It is a lot cheaper if you avail of this local transport. However, vans and taxis are also available but usually charges 50% more if traveling outside Tagbilaran City. It is not hard to locate the Municipality of Loboc for it lies along the river banks. The old and massive stone church of Loboc is your landmark. The church is right beside the road, and at the opposite side of the road, you will see the Loboc River.