Batuan: A Carved Baroque Church Among the Chocolate Hills

Batuan is a fifth-class municipality about 40 kilometres northeast of Tagbilaran, its roughly 107 square kilometres dominated by the conical karst mounds of the Chocolate Hills formation — some 1,268 mounds spread across Carmen, Batuan, and Sagbayan, and depicted on the provincial flag. Carmen holds the primary commercial viewpoint with its entrance fees and tour infrastructure, but a portion of the formation sits within Batuan’s own territory, reachable via a secondary, less-developed viewpoint into the formation’s southern section. Rice, coconut, and the limited flat land between the mounds support the municipality’s roughly 20 barangays.

Batuan’s other distinction is its church: a Jesuit mission established here in the late 16th century, with the stone church of Saint Peter the Apostle continued under the Augustinian Recollects after the 1768 Jesuit expulsion. The structure, substantially completed by the early 19th century, carries one of the most detailed surviving Baroque carved-stone facades in Bohol — saints, angels, and foliage cut in low relief from local coral stone. The 2013 earthquake damaged the belfry and some walls but left the main facade intact, less severely than the Baclayon and Loon churches; repairs to the belfry and sacristy ran 2015–2018. The patron feast, Saint Peter the Apostle on 29 June, is a strong point of local identity built around the church’s facade specifically.

On the road-food side, sinuglaw (grilled pork paired with vinegar-cured raw fish) and morning puso (hanging rice) are sold from stalls near the church plaza, the practical stop for travellers passing through en route to Carmen.

What’s here, briefly

• Batuan Church (Saint Peter the Apostle Parish) — one of Bohol’s most detailed carved Baroque church facades, well preserved.
• Chocolate Hills viewpoint (Batuan access) — a secondary, less-developed viewpoint into the formation’s southern portion.
• Karst hill walking — several lower mounds are climbable on informal footpaths from public land, no guide or fee required.

Getting there

Buses and jeepneys on the Tagbilaran–Carmen route, departing the Integrated Bus Terminal on CPG Avenue North, pass through Corella and Bilar before reaching Batuan — about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, PHP 40–55. All organized Chocolate Hills tours from Tagbilaran or Panglao pass through by van.

Travel tips

Batuan’s church facade is worth a 30–60 minute stop and is objectively more detailed than several better-known Bohol churches, yet most tours skip it in favour of continuing straight to Carmen — meaning the plaza stays quiet even in peak season. There is no tourist accommodation here; base in Tagbilaran (40km southwest) or Carmen (10–15km northeast). A private vehicle or motorcycle helps for exploring the barangay roads and the secondary viewpoint.

Other places to consider

• Carmen — the primary Chocolate Hills viewpoint town.
• Bilar — the Man-Made Forest and Rajah Sikatuna gateway on the road in from Tagbilaran.
• Sagbayan — the other municipality sharing the Chocolate Hills formation.

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