Baclayon
Baclayon is the heritage stop on the Bohol countryside loop — a coastal town whose stone church has been standing since 1727. It sits on the main road less than 10 km east of Tagbilaran City, which makes it an easy add to almost any itinerary. For most visitors it is not a full-day destination on its own, so we quote a Baclayon stop as part of a longer countryside tour or as a timed pickup and drop-off.
Good to know
- The Church of the Immaculate Conception — Baclayon Church — was completed in 1727 and is one of the oldest stone churches in the Philippines.
- It is built from coral stone and declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines, as well as a National Historical Landmark.
- The church was formerly included on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List under the collective group "Jesuit Churches of the Philippines" alongside Loboc, Maragondon and Guiuan.
- A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Bohol in October 2013 and severely damaged the church; it was extensively restored and reopened to visitors.
- The Baclayon Museum, housed in the old convent beside the church, holds religious artefacts and a collection of ecclesiastical art.
What we quote for
- A Baclayon stop as part of a full countryside day tour, alongside the Chocolate Hills, the Loboc river or the tarsier sanctuary
- A timed pick-up and drop-off for visitors who only want the church and museum
- Pickups from Panglao, Tagbilaran or anywhere else you are staying, with the vehicle waiting while you explore
We do not publish a price list. Every trip is priced on its own — the vehicle, the stops, the timing — and the number we send you is the number you pay.
Planning notes
- Baclayon sits on the main coastal road between Tagbilaran and Loboc. It is a short drive from either direction and can be combined with nearly any countryside itinerary.
- The church museum charges a small entrance fee, collected on site — that sits outside a transport quote.
- If you want to attend Mass, tell us in your enquiry and we will plan the timing around the schedule.
Getting to Baclayon
Step-by-step transfer guides for the routes we run to and from Baclayon — what to send us, and how the pickup works.
- Panglao to Baclayon
Arrange a private transfer from Panglao to Baclayon — the 1727 coral-stone church, the museum beside it, and the Pamilacan boats.
Baclayon: questions we get asked
The things people ask before they send a quote request. If yours is not here, put it in the message box and we will answer it with your price.
How old is Baclayon Church?
The current stone church was completed in 1727, making it one of the oldest stone churches still standing in the Philippines. A Jesuit mission had existed on the site since 1596, but the coral-stone building you see today is the early-18th-century one — declared a National Cultural Treasure, restored after the 2013 Bohol earthquake, and still an active parish church.
Can Baclayon be a stand-alone trip, or does it only work as part of a countryside tour?
It works either way, but Baclayon is not a full-day destination on its own for most visitors. We quote a Baclayon stop as part of a countryside loop alongside the Chocolate Hills and the Loboc river, or as a timed pickup and drop-off if the church and museum are all you want. Tell us which shape suits your plans.
Is Baclayon Church still used for services?
Yes. It is an active parish church. If you want to attend Mass, let us know in your enquiry and we will plan the timing around it.
Is Baclayon Church a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Not yet, though it was included on the Philippines' UNESCO Tentative List from 1993 under the collective "Jesuit Churches of the Philippines" alongside Loboc, Maragondon and Guiuan. In 2015, after the earthquake restoration, the Philippine government submitted a separate petition specifically for Baclayon and Loboc under the "Baroque Churches of the Philippines (Extension)" proposal.
Sources
Facts on this page are checked against public sources, listed here so you can check them too. Anything we cannot verify, we do not print.