Related Blog Post: The Fox and the Firefly Cottages Experience in Loboc, Bohol (Photo Essay)
Stand Up Paddling (SUP) is the latest eco-adventure in the Philippines. And if you ever find yourself down south in Bohol, don’t miss the chance to paddle for 8kms across the Loboc River, one of the biggest rivers on the island.
Here, you’ll get to experience local Boholano culture and natural sceneries from a unique vantage point–by gliding on water! You can even watch magical fireflies at night on a SUP board.
SUP Tours Philippines is the first ASI SUP School in the Philippines. ASI meaning Academy of Surfing Instructors , an international body that offers the highest level of certification for “supping” instructors.
SUP is for everybody, that’s why it’s currently the fastest growing water sport in the world. It’s quite popular because the learning curve is so easy and people of all ages and skill can quickly master it. It also provides a low impact full body workout and an eco-friendly way to experience the outdoors.
SUP TOURS PHILIPPINES
Baranggay Valladolid, 6316 Loboc, Bohol, Philippines
Mobile: +63 38 5379011, +63 947 8933022 , +63 917 7137577
Facebook: standuppaddlephilippines
E-mail: info@suptoursphilippines.com
Website: www.suptoursphilippines.com
Facebook: SUP Tours Philippines
Instagram: @suptoursphilippines
Twitter: @supphilippines
Here’s a photo essay of our SUP Tour experience in Bohol…
We went on the SUP half-day Loboc waterfall tour to Busay Falls, a mountain bike tour, and the SUP firefly/full moon tour.
How to Get There (Manila-Tagbilaran)
By plane, we arrived from Manila to Tagbilaran (Bohol) in one hour and 25 minutes. A one-way ticket from Manila to Tagbilaran is usually around Php 3,000.
Travel tip: We booked our flights with Skiddoo which offered us a cheap and easy way to book our flights online. That’s right. The fastest growing online travel agency out of Australia is now in the Philippines! It’s the cheapest place for you to compare and book airfare.
If you find cheaper flights on another website, Skiddoo is ready to match that price. Just take a screenshot of the cheaper flight’s price, call+632 770-5380 and email the picture to contactus@skiddoo.com.ph so Skiddoo can verify it. Where else can you find travel agents online who would lower their price for you? For more info, just visit their website at https://www.skiddoo.com.ph/
Tagbilaran-Loboc River Transfers
“If you are coming from Tagbilaran City or Panglao Island, you must head towards the town of Loboc. You can rent a car with driver (Php 800 and 1,200 per way respectively) or motorbike for a day (Php 500) or you can take the public transport (bus or jeepney) from Dao Central Terminal.
Our landmark is Petron Gasoline Station and Loboc Public Market. Once you see this, take the road in between the two landmarks, we are about a kilometer inside. If you are coming from Carmen or Anda, in the same way you still have to head to Loboc town and look for our landmarks.”
For more info, visit http://www.suptoursphilippines.com/
Tip: The SUP package tour is inclusive of roundtrip transfers (Tagbilaran-Loboc).
We stayed at the Fox and the Firefly cottages, which is the Bed & Breakfast place of Fred & Joan Soupart, owners of SUP Tours Philippines.
Read Related Blog Post: FOX & THE FIREFLY COTTAGES Experience in Loboc, Bohol (Photo Essay)
You can jump directly into the clean waters of the Loboc River. The boys enjoyed it. I also dare you to try the rope swing. 🙂
HALF-DAY LOBOC RIVER SUP TOUR (4 HOURS)
Call time for breakfast was 6:00 am. We had bacon, sausage, eggs, homemade bread, and fish. Served with either coffee or juice.
We took the half-day waterfall tour to Busay Falls that started at 7am. It takes around 3 to 4 hours of leisurely paddling to finish the tour.
For more details on the tour, visit http://www.suptoursphilippines.com/halfdaysuptour/
Anyone from 8 years old and above can do stand up paddling. It’s a family activity that even kids below 7 can sit in front while the parents paddle.
Each tour starts with a basic lesson on SUP and an intro to paddling on the deck.
SUP Tours Philippines uses the Starboard brand, which is the best paddleboard brand for SUP. The boards are much wider and easier to balance.
We love the carbon paddle, which is really light and easy. Unlike those in resorts that are made of aluminum and feel like barbells.
Make sure to pay attention to the lesson on how to paddle, stand, and balance.
It was important to take note of the hand signals for SUP, which are crucial for safety.
Our instructor Fred slowly assisted us one by one as we tried to stand up on the board.
Learning how to stand on a board and paddle can be done within 10 minutes. You have to engage your core to keep your balance.
Here’s a 360 perspective of our Loboc River tour on a Stand Up Paddle Board.
After everyone found their balance, we paddled through to Loboc town and made our way to the first stop called Loktub Springs.
Loktub Springs is a freshwater spring where the fresh water comes directly out of the ground mixed with the waters of Loboc River.
It’s highly recommended to hydrate throughout the trip. The guides would bring enough cold water inside a cooler for the duration of the tour.
The water was pretty cold, which was perfect for a swim after a hot day.
After getting recharged at the fresh water spring, we paddled forward towards Busay Falls.
(At this point, it’s safe to SUP in your two-piece bikini because you’ll already get past the eyes of the people in Loboc town, and you can paddle peacefully in the midst of nature.)
After two hours, you reach Busay Falls to relax and swim some more in the waterfalls.
Check out this 360 view of our Busay Falls experience on a Stand Up Paddle Board.
On our way back we sat down on our SUP boards and watched a cultural show by the local villagers performing popular traditional dances like tinikling and Bohol’s kuradang.
Dancing with the locals is a fun experience you wouldn’t want to miss.
Watch an immersive 360 video experience of the Tinikling: (360) SUP Tours Philippines: Tinikling, Loboc River with Rache
Make sure to interact with the locals. You can even get an up close and personal souvenir photo with the performers.
Make sure to go back by 11.00am to avoid the Loboc River Cruise boat traffic during lunch time until 2.00pm.
We had one guide at the front and another at the back for safety. Groups as big as twenty have three guides assisting them, including one at the middle.
Congratulations for successfully paddling 8km to and from the Busay Waterfalls within 4 hours!
SUMPTUOUS LOBOC RIVER LUNCH
We celebrated our successful SUP Tour with a relaxing Bohol lunch by the Loboc River.
With buko (coconut juice) as a reward.
Lunch varies depending on what fresh ingredients are in the market. They are prepared in a Filipino or Boholano way.
We had a huge fresh grilled Mamsa paired with local vinegar and soy sauce, fresh green mango salad with dried shrimp, and liempo (grilled pork belly).
Chicken Halang-halang is a Boholano dish similar to tinola but with coconut milk. It’s quite rich and spicy, made from chicken, coconut milk, papaya, ginger, and chili peppers.
Sinigang na Hipon is a popular Filipino sour soup that uses tamarind as it’s base flavor.
We love Bohol’s mangoes! They are extra sweet because Bohol’s soil is made up of limestone, which contributes to the acidity (“sourness”) or alkalinity (“sweetness”) of its fruits.
Fred gave us a treat and got us live wood worms called Tamilok. It’s an exotic delicacy believed to be an aphrodisiac in Bohol and can also be found in Palawan.
He prepared it Kinilaw style–raw worms are cooked in vinegar, calamansi (lemon), chili pepper, and onions.
(Tip: Make sure to request it when you book the tour with lunch)
Watch an immersive 360 video experience of our Loboc River lunch: (360) SUP Tours Philippines: Sumptuous Lunch by the Loboc River
MOUNTAIN BIKE TOUR (TRAIL C – 4 HOURS)
Try the Mountain Bike Tour, which provides eco-touring of Loboc, Bohol from a different perspective.
For more details on the tour, visit http://www.suptoursphilippines.com/mountainbiketour/
We took Trail C, a 4-hour mountain bike tour that offers a scenic route. The trail is mostly inclined towards the top of the hill near Cruz Daku.
Note: The trail is best suited for experienced riders. If you’re a newbie, we advise you take the Trail A or B that goes around Loboc river, the city’s old churches, and an ancestral house.
Watch an immersive 360 video experience of our Mountain Bike tour to the Hill Top: (360) SUP Tours Philippines: Mountain Bike to the Hill Top of Cruz Daku
We first paddled across a rice field. Then up-hill and off-road tracks that were very challenging.
Then followed by biking along the ridge.
We biked all the way until we reached Cruz Daku. It was real exercise, but the view from the top was worth it!
Watch an immersive 360 video experience of our M0untain Bike tour to Cruz Daku Peak: (360) SUP Tours Philippines: Mountain Bike to Cruz Daku Peak
Then it will be all downhill from there.
FIREFLY OR FULLMOON SUP TOUR (2 HOURS)
Then at night, we went to see the fireflies while doing stand-up paddling!
The tour starts at 6pm and takes around 1 and a half to 2 hours to finish. Like every tour, it starts with an intro to SUP.
For more details on the tour, visit http://www.suptoursphilippines.com/fireflyfullmoonsuptour/
We had a guide with a flashlight that led us about 45 minutes downstream to the mother trees.
The river was pretty dark and quiet, with just lights from houses and our guide’s flashlight to direct us.
It was beautiful as we slowly paddled and admired the moon and the stars. When we reached our destination, the team just had to lie down on our boards and watched as thousands of fireflies lit up the mother tree. It was a unique and magical experience we won’t forget.
After the tour, we were fetched by our jeep and headed back to the cottage.
DINNER
Dinner was served at the dining area with Fred’s signature pasta.
I just love really good home cooked Halaan soup with fresh clams.
Adobo, a Filipino favorite dish made from pork marinated in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic then simmered in its marinade.
Don’t forget to order fruit shakes. Our favorite would be the mango and avocado. (P80-P100)
For pasalubong (souvenir) the resort sells upcycled jewelry by Lumago Designs made by a group of ladies surrounding the dumpsite in Dumaguete.
They used materials such as paper beeds, ukay-ukay old clothes, left over leather from jackets and bags, old tin cans, and discarded bamboo. (Php 50- 800)
We couldn’t help but be curious with the exotic chichaworms and had to try one. (P65)
It was surprisingly very tasty that we finished the entire pack. Perfect for pulutan (food pairing with beer)!
Overall, we love SUP Tours Philippines! Touring Bohol by SUP is a different experience. We glided through the waters and enjoyed nature where no cars or motorbikes could take us.
Thank you, Frederic Soupart and Joan Christine for promoting world-class eco-tourism in the Philippines!
SUP TOURS PHILIPPINES
Baranggay Valladolid, 6316 Loboc, Bohol, Philippines
Mobile: +63 38 5379011, +63 947 8933022 , +63 917 7137577
Facebook: standuppaddlephilippines
E-mail: info@suptoursphilippines.com
Website: www.suptoursphilippines.com
Facebook: SUP Tours Philippines
Instagram: @suptoursphilippines
Twitter: @supphilippines
Live an Awesome Life,
Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
Disclosure: Our SUP tour was courtesy of Joan and Fred of SUP Tours Philippines. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights.
P.S. Here is a quick guide on the prices for the SUP TOUR Philippines experience.
HALF-DAY LOBOC RIVER SUP TOUR
Tour Includes:
- Use of SUP board and equipment during lesson & tour
- SUP Lesson and Intro Paddle
- Tour guide for the SUP tour
- Fresh coconut juice
- Municipal fee
MOUNTAIN BIKE TOUR
Trail A: Php 500/person
Trail B: Php 950/person
Trail C: Php 1,100/person
FIREFLY OR FULLMOON SUP TOUR
Php 950/person
BOHOL 4D/3N COMBO SUP + MTB TOURS
Package Inclusion per Person
- Roundtrip transfers (Tagbilaran-Loboc)
- 3 Nights at accomodation of choice with breakfast
- SUP tour transfers
- SUP Lesson and Intro Paddle
- Use of SUP board, paddle and lifevest during lesson & tours
- Local tour guides for the SUP and MTB Tours
- 1 Firefly/Fullmoon SUP Tour
- 1 Half-Day Loboc Waterfall SUP Tour with lunch
- 1 Mountain Bike Tour A
- 1 Mountain Bike Tour B with lunch
- 1 Half-Day Loboc Sunset SUP Tour
- 1 Free SUP Tours Philippines T-shirt
where’s the life jacket, specially for the children
They have lifevest for kids.The parents said they don’t need a life vest because they know how to swim.