Photo: NASA · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsWildlife· Pamilacan· Philippines
Pamilacan Island Dolphin and Whale Watching
9° 29.6′ N · 123° 55.4′ E
The former whaling island of Pamilacan, 12.5 km south of Bohol, whose roughly 240 families now run dolphin and whale-watching trips instead of hunting. Spinner, bottlenose, Risso's and spotted dolphins are seen, with short-finned pilot whales, melon-headed whales and pygmy killer whales.
Practical
Island position from OpenStreetMap (Nominatim). Species list and timing from Wikivoyage (Baclayon): tours leave Baclayon around 5am, the best time for sightings, and usually run until about 2pm with a snorkelling stop; prices depend on boat size and started from about PHP 1,500 (no year given; verify locally). Panglao tours to Pamilacan started from PHP 3,000 per boat in 2016 (verify locally); Alona Beach boats also leave at dawn and need booking a day ahead. The Baclayon Municipal Tourism Activity Center has information on Pamilacan trips. Whale sharks pass through the Bohol Sea Dec-Mar and manta rays visit Pamilacan Apr-Jun, though neither is reliable (philippinedives.com, 2026). Keep your own boat well clear of the animals and of the tour fleet, and do not chase pods.
Best for
Dawn dolphin watching in the Bohol Sea
Season
Dolphins year-round; whale sharks Dec-Mar; mantas Apr-Jun
Place data includes © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).