Uplifted Marine terraces

Overview

The Uplifted Marine Terraces in Baclayon are a formal geosite within the Bohol Island UNESCO Global Geopark. They represent one of the most geologically legible formations on the island — a series of three stepped terraces rising at approximately 20, 40, and 60 metres above the current sea level, each one recording a distinct episode of tectonic uplift along a coastal fault.

The formation dates to the Pliocene-Pleistocene period. Uranium-thorium dating has placed the 20-metre terrace at approximately 129,000 years old and the 60-metre terrace at roughly 310,000 years — meaning these are real-time records of how tectonic forces moved the seafloor into the open air across three distinct geological events. Fossil fragments of the giant clam Tridacna gigas and Strombaceae gastropods have been recovered from the terrace deposits, confirming that these were once reef environments.

The same fault movement responsible for the terraces is part of the broader tectonic setting that produced the 15 October 2013 Bohol earthquake (magnitude 7.2), which damaged the Baclayon Church and much of the province’s built heritage a short distance away. The terraces and the earthquake are separated by tens of thousands of years, but they’re expressions of the same underlying process: this stretch of coast sits on active fault lines that periodically lift the land, sometimes gradually enough to leave a stepped terrace behind, sometimes suddenly enough to level a belfry.

Baclayon’s inclusion in the Bohol Island UNESCO Global Geopark places the terraces alongside other geosites recognised across the province for the same reason — they make Bohol’s geological history visible and walkable rather than confined to a research paper. For a municipality otherwise known almost entirely for its church heritage, the terraces are a rare instance of Baclayon’s identity resting on something that predates any human settlement of the island by hundreds of thousands of years.

Location

Barangay Poblacion, Baclayon, Bohol. Baclayon is approximately 6 km east of Tagbilaran City along the coastal road.

Getting There

From Tagbilaran City, take any jeepney or multicab heading east toward Baclayon — the ride takes around 15 to 20 minutes. The terraces are in the poblacion area near the coast. The Bohol Island UNESCO Global Geopark website (geopark.bohol.gov.ph) provides additional reference for geosite access.

Practical Info

• Part of the Bohol Island UNESCO Global Geopark — a designated geosite
• No commercial development on the terrace itself — access is on foot
• Whether a guide or geopark pass is required, the current state of on-site signage, and where to park nearby are all worth confirming locally or via the geopark office before visiting, as these details can change

What to Expect

A coastal landscape where the land steps upward in visible increments. The terraces are read geologically rather than visually dramatic in the manner of a waterfall or cave — the interest is in understanding what you are looking at. The fossil material embedded in the terrace deposits is the tactile evidence of the site’s age. Clear day visits allow views toward the Bohol Sea.

Notes

• Source (researched): Bohol Island UNESCO Global Geopark — Baclayon Ancient Marine Terrace page (geopark.bohol.gov.ph/en/baclayon-ancient-marine-terrace/)
• Source (BPTO description, verbatim): “It was formed during the Pliocene-Pleistocene time. Fault movement along the coast caused the uplift of formerly underwater reefs, raising it at a height above the sea and creating a marine terrace along the coast.”
• The Baclayon Church — one of the oldest stone churches in the Philippines — is nearby and is a standard stop for visitors to the municipality.
• Geopark status brings no entrance fee or formal visitor programme with it at this particular geosite — the designation is primarily about recognition and documentation rather than built infrastructure, so don’t expect a visitor centre or interpretive signage comparable to a national park.