Type: Nature
Overview
The Sinandigan Giant Clams sanctuary sits within the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Multispecies Hatchery in Barangay Sinandigan, Ubay, on Bohol’s eastern coast. The Bohol Giant Clams Hatchery Multipurpose Building was inaugurated in September 2024 and supports the propagation and protection of giant clams — known locally as taklobo (Tridacna gigas).
The sanctuary sits in a bay next to a white sand beach. Visitors can walk through the facility and observe clams across a range of sizes and colors. The hatchery program tracks both adult and juvenile populations province-wide: as of the source date, 124 adult and 370 juvenile giant clams are distributed across 10 Marine Protected Areas in Bohol.
The program traces back to 2013, when 200 giant clams were flown in from Bolinao, Pangasinan aboard a Philippine Air Force C-130 — a logistics operation significant enough to mark the founding date of the province’s giant clam conservation effort.
Location
Barangay Sinandigan, Ubay municipality, eastern Bohol. The BFAR Multispecies Hatchery sits on the coast, adjacent to a bay with a white sand beach. Sinandigan Mangrove Reforestation is nearby.
Getting There
Ubay is in eastern Bohol, approximately 90 km from Tagbilaran City via the trans-island highway. Travel by public bus or private vehicle to Ubay town, then proceed to Barangay Sinandigan. [TO ENRICH: exact distance from Ubay town center, tricycle availability to site]
Practical Info
- Barangay: Sinandigan, Ubay
- Facility: BFAR Multispecies Hatchery
- Hatchery building inaugurated: September 2024
- Program started: 2013
- Founding stock: 200 clams from Bolinao, Pangasinan (via PAF C-130)
- Provincial MPA count: 10 MPAs with 124 adult + 370 juvenile giant clams
- Entrance fee: [TO ENRICH]
What to Expect
A working government hatchery facility with a visitor component. Guests walk through to observe giant clams at various growth stages. The bay setting adds a coastal dimension — the white sand beach next to the sanctuary allows for a short stop on the way out. This is an educational and conservation-focused visit rather than a commercial attraction.
Sinandigan Mangrove Reforestation is nearby, allowing a combined eco-tourism stop in the same barangay.
Notes
- Giant clams (taklobo) are protected under Philippine law; collection and trade are prohibited.
- The transport of founding stock by military aircraft in 2013 reflects the scale of commitment to restoring this species in Bohol waters.
- Source: BPTO Table 11 — Inventory of Tourist Attractions (2025 Bohol Tourism Profile)
Explore Ubay: Eastern Bohol's Commercial Hub and Port Toward Leyte
More to see in this area
municipalityUbay: Eastern Bohol's Commercial Hub and Port Toward Leyte
Ubay is a first-class municipality on Bohol's eastern coast and the largest town in the island's eastern seaboard, a commercial hub with a port for inter-island routes to Leyte and Cebu.
Best: Dec–Apr
More attractions in Ubay: Eastern Bohol's Commercial Hub and Port Toward Leyte
Other things to see nearby
Bongbong Rolling Hills
Bongbong Rolling Hills is a rural landscape viewpoint in Barangay Bongbong, Ubay, eastern Bohol, described as a spectacular natural scenery location for appreciating the rural landscape.
- Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources- Ubay Brackishwater Fish Farm (BFAR-UBFF) — The Ubay Brackishwater Demonstration Fish Farm was established in November 1980. The primary mandate of the project was to exhibit different fisheries production technologies, specifically, milkfish and prawn/shrimp farming.
- Cambugsay Healing Hills — The Cambugsay Healing Hills is another sight to behold in Ubay. Aside from the verdant rolling hills, nature lovers will enjoy trekking around the vicinity to see the trees surrounding the dam which were planted by different volunteers.