Anda Peninsula

Anda occupies the far eastern tip of Bohol, far enough from Panglao that the day-tour buses do not reach it, and the difference in atmosphere is the whole reason people make the drive. Quinale Beach is the headline: a long, wide strip of powder-white sand with shallow turquoise water and a public stretch that stays genuinely public. Behind and along the coast are the cave pools that give the area its second reputation - Cabagnow, Combento, Can-umantad and others, sinkholes and cave mouths in the limestone holding cold, startlingly clear fresh water, some with jumps into them, most reached down farm tracks with a caretaker collecting a small fee. There is diving on the reef wall offshore, a coastal road that is pleasant to ride, and a handful of resorts rather than a strip. It is the version of Bohol that Panglao stopped being some years ago.

What you actually see

• Quinale Beach - the long public white-sand strip.
• The cave pools - cold freshwater sinkholes in the limestone.
• The coastal road - quiet riding along the peninsula.
• The reef wall - diving off the eastern shore.

When to go

November to May for dry roads and calm sea. Weekdays are empty; the pools fill with local families at weekends and holidays.

Honest expectations

It is three hours from Tagbilaran on ordinary roads - a commitment, not a day trip. Cave pools charge separate small fees and have minimal facilities; some involve steep or slippery descents. Nightlife is nonexistent.

Nearby

Can-umantad Falls in Candijay is about an hour; the Chocolate Hills and Loboc are on the way back west.