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Best Place to Stay on Bohol

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    I recently visited the island of Bohol, a neighboring island to Cebu, in the Philippines. My partner and I came here for a few days to witness the magic of the Chocolate Hills and see a Tarsier in the jungle. During our time we got up to many things which I'll expand on in a future blog post (hoping to cover a whole range of topics on this humble lifestyle blog)!

    While we were visiting Bohol, we stayed at Junjal’s Backpackers Chalet. This accommodation is family-owned in a rural area of Bohol. It is conveniently located near the town of Batuan (about 5 to 10 minutes bike ride) and very close to the Chocolate Hills (about 20 to 30 minutes by motorbike). While you are in the countryside, you are still located near conveniences, including a little store right next door, and sightseeing opportunities. If you're looking for a unique experience and the best place to stay in Bohol, keep reading.

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    The couple who runs Junjal’s Backpackers Chalet built five woven huts in their backyard, surrounding a beautiful flower garden. They’ve equipped guests with a separate shower and two toilets. Each hut has a full sized bed, a mosquito net and towels for showering. This accommodation is modest and very simple, so coming here with no expectations is best! There is no air conditioning. The hut are made from traditionally woven materials and you will hear sounds of farm animals near you, such as roosters. If you’re into roughing it or are interested in a homestay type of experience, this is the place for you! 

    Junjal’s Backpackers Chalet offers dinner and breakfast, upon request, as well as an honor system snack shelf and free filtered water. We had dinner here two nights and it was delicious. Fresh foods cooked by the hosts. It was nice to be able to taste some local cuisine during this experience. They have a motorbike available to rent during your stay, possibly more, but I cannot confirm. 

There are some things to take into consideration when staying at Junjal’s Backpackers Chalet. It is pretty far into Bohol, so transporting there initially may take a couple of hours if you are coming from the tourist port on Panglao. You can either take local buses from your arriving port or charter a van upon your arrival to Panglao. My partner and I took local buses and had an amazing experience, but I wouldn’t recommend this if you desire comfort, access to a seat on the buses (they are generally very full)/general accessibility needs, or feel uncertain about this navigation journey. Locals are always there to help you, and you will find your way in the end! Junjal’s is located neighboring a rooster farm. This means if you are sensitive to noise when sleeping, I would highly recommend bringing earplugs. I personally really love the sounds of roosters, but some nights they started making noise around 3am. It can be tiring, especially after having had a full day exploring. 

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While those considerations are there, I highly recommend staying here! This lodging is really unique for the style of accommodation, but also in the experience you are given, staying in huts in the countryside on a local family’s property. The owners, Maria and her husband, are incredibly sweet and very helpful should you have any questions or need assistance. They were able to assist us in discovering hidden secrets of Bohol, as well as assisting us with transporting to catch our departing ferry. 

    The cost to stay here for one night is around 600 Php which is equivalent to 12 USD for one hut, up to two people (December 2019). You can find this accommodation via this link here. To see more photos or to follow them on Instagram and see what Junjal's gets up to, this is their instagram page. If you are planning a trip to Bohol, I hope that you will consider staying at Junjal’s Backpackers Chalet as it is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. 

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