Type: rivers-springs
Overview
Rio Verde is a floating restaurant operating on the Loboc River, docking in Loay town. The vessel cruises along the river while a musician performs on board and a buffet is served. The river scenery along the cruise includes nipa palms on the banks and the sound of moving water.
The highlight of the cruise is a stop for interaction with the Ati Tribe — the indigenous Ati people of Bohol. The Ati perform cultural dances and music for guests before the boat returns to its docking station. Gratuities from tourists provide income for the Ati community.
Location
Docking station in Poblacion Ubos, Loay, along the Loboc River. Loay is the municipality where the Loboc River meets the sea, approximately 20 km from Tagbilaran City.
Getting There
From Tagbilaran City, take the road toward Loboc — Loay is on the way, roughly 30–40 minutes by car or van. Most tour operators offering Loboc River cruise packages include Rio Verde or similar floating restaurants. Tricycles and habal-habal (motorcycle taxis) serve local routes from Loay poblacion.
Practical Info
- Activity type: river cruise with buffet lunch and cultural performance
- Operator: Rio Verde Floating Restaurant
- [TO ENRICH: operating hours, cruise duration, buffet price per person, booking contact]
- Live musician on board throughout cruise
- Ati cultural performance at a designated stop along the river
What to Expect
A lunch cruise along the Loboc River, where the nipa-palm banks and calm green water set the pace rather than the food — the buffet is standard cruise fare, secondary to the setting and the live music.
The Ati are among the oldest indigenous groups in the Philippines, predating Visayan settlement on Bohol. The river-stop performance has been part of the Loboc tourism circuit for years, and it is the one point in the cruise where the gratuity goes directly to the performers rather than into the boat operator’s fare.
Notes
- Rio Verde is one of several floating restaurants on the Loboc River; the circuit includes both Loboc town and Loay.
- Nearby: Loay Church, Firefly Watching (evening activity on same river corridor).
- Ati gratuities are voluntary but expected — bring small bills.
Explore Loay: River Mouth Below the Loboc Cruise
More to see in this area
municipalityLoay: River Mouth Below the Loboc Cruise
Loay sits at the confluence of the Loay and Loboc rivers in southern Bohol, the seaward exit of the Loboc River cruise route, with a colonial-era bridge and a working riverside community.
Best: Dec–Apr
More attractions in Loay: River Mouth Below the Loboc Cruise
Other things to see nearby
Firefly Watching
The night time scenery at Loay River has been famous for fireflies watching. Visitors will experience a romantic evening while cruising at the river and gazing at the glowing fireflies along the trees and nipa at the riverside.
- Blacksmith — Bolo making/native hatchet-making is another popular backyard industry. Bolos are used as a tool in farming and wood cutting. A number of Loayanons have engaged as blacksmith or "panday" and have become experts in the trade using manual and improvised equipment.
- Bohol Cultural Village — Bohol Cultural Village in Barangay Villalimpia, Loay, showcases Loayanon backyard industries including nipa weaving, bolo making, crab trap fabrication, and calamay making, set along the Loboc-Loay River corridor.
Where to stay
Hotels and resorts near this spot