Balilihan: Farmland at the Edge of Rajah Sikatuna

Balilihan is a fourth-class municipality in the hilly interior of western Bohol, about 20 kilometres north of Tagbilaran by road, covering roughly 76 square kilometres that rise gradually from the western coastal plain toward the province’s higher interior. Coconut, banana, and root-crop farming across its 21 barangays are the economic base; the municipality has no developed visitor facilities and appears on no tourist map, though travellers occasionally pass through heading north to Antequera and Corella.

The municipality’s eastern boundary meets the Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape, a forested area holding remnant dipterocarp forest and one of Bohol’s key watershed zones, with small streams feeding westward through Balilihan toward the coast. Balilihan itself was constituted during the Spanish colonial period, taking a local Visayan name rather than an Iberian toponym; the Augustinian Recollect-era parish church, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, anchors the 8 December fiesta of novena masses, a poblacion procession, and community meals. During the Philippine-American War, interior Bohol municipalities including Balilihan served as the operational area for the province’s resistance forces, using the forested terrain north of Tagbilaran for movement and resupply; the town saw comparatively little damage in the 2013 earthquake, which hit the coastal municipalities and Carmen harder.

A notable local product is tuba — fresh coconut wine tapped daily and sold at the public market — with the aged version, bahalina, developing a vinegar character used in cooking.

What’s here, briefly

• Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape border — trailheads on Balilihan’s eastern edge, though formal access and guides run through the Bilar side.
• Immaculate Conception Parish Church — the poblacion church on the town plaza, Spanish-era foundation with later reconstruction.
• Tuba production households — several outlying-barangay households sell coconut wine directly to visitors with a local contact; no formal tour exists.

Getting there

Jeepneys on the Tagbilaran–Antequera or Tagbilaran–Corella routes pass through or near Balilihan from the Integrated Bus Terminal on CPG Avenue North, a 35–45 minute ride for PHP 20–30.

Travel tips

Balilihan requires no overnight stay for any practical purpose — it’s a pass-through town on the road north from Tagbilaran. For the Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape specifically, Bilar to the northeast is the better entry point, with the main access road and visitor registration. Tagbilaran remains the logical base for exploring the area.

Other places to consider

• Bilar — the main gateway to the Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape.
• Antequera — the neighbouring handicraft-market town to the north.
• Corella — another interior town on the same road corridor.

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Location and travel detail reflect publicly available information as of 2026-07-16. Confirm trail access through Bilar’s PAMB office before hiking. bohol-philippines.com earns a commission on bookings made through partner links at no cost to you.