Loon: Home to Bohol's Grandest Colonial Church

Loon sits on Bohol’s western coast facing the Cebu Strait, about 30 kilometres north of Tagbilaran along the coastal highway. Its landmark is the Immaculate Conception Parish Church, a monumental baroque-influenced structure with one of the most elaborate facades in the Visayas and a declared National Cultural Treasure — a scale far out of proportion to the town it serves, typical of Spanish colonial churches built as statements of institutional presence rather than sized to the local population.

Beyond the church, Loon is a fishing and coconut-farming municipality with a working port handling inter-barangay ferry traffic across the strait; its western coastline gives clear-morning views toward Cebu. The parish was founded by Augustinian missionaries with a 17th-century original foundation, and the current church, notable for its ornate twin-tower facade with neoclassical detailing, was largely completed in the 18th century, with additions continuing into the 19th. The 2013 earthquake (magnitude 7.2) partially collapsed the bell towers and caused major facade and nave damage; restoration, supported by the National Heritage Fund and international conservation partners, has continued in phases since 2014.

The fiesta for the Immaculate Conception falls on 8 December and draws regional pilgrims given the church’s heritage standing. Loon’s fishing community keeps traditional handline fishing and bubo (fish trap) construction, and Cebuano is spoken throughout. Tinolang isda — fish poached in ginger broth with green papaya and malunggay — is the standard household dish along this stretch of coast, and the municipal market near the church sells danggit and dried squid dried on bamboo racks in the nearby barangays.

What to see and do

• Immaculate Conception Parish Church — the National Cultural Treasure and its ongoing post-earthquake restoration; the adjacent convento is among the largest surviving colonial-era priests’ residences in Bohol.
• The church plaza and streetscape — low-rise colonial-scale buildings give a stronger sense of Spanish-era town planning than the busier plazas of larger Bohol towns.
• The western coastal road to Tubigon — close-to-shore views across the Cebu Strait, with Cebu’s Cordillera Central visible on clear mornings.
• Local fish-drying operations — bamboo racks along the coastal barangays, most active in dry-season months.

Getting there and travel tips

From Tagbilaran, a Tubigon-bound jeepney or bus on the coastal highway reaches Loon in 45 minutes to an hour (about 30 km) from the Dao terminal; the church is 200 metres off the highway. There is no dedicated tourist accommodation — Tagbilaran is the practical base for a half-day excursion, ideally combined with a Tubigon port visit. Visit the church between 8:00 and 11:00 AM, when light falls on the facade and the plaza is quiet; restoration scaffolding may obstruct parts of the facade depending on the current phase of work.

---

Location and route detail reflect the source research current as of 2026-07-16. Confirm current transport schedules before travel.