Maribojoc: Punta Cruz Watchtower on the Cebu Strait

Maribojoc sits on Bohol’s southwestern coast, about 14 kilometres northwest of Tagbilaran along the road skirting the Cebu Strait. It’s a compact municipality running on coconut farming, fishing, and small-scale commerce, with tourist interest concentrated almost entirely on Punta Cruz Watchtower — a well-preserved Spanish colonial defensive structure on a headland above the strait. The short distance from Tagbilaran makes it one of the most accessible heritage side-trips on the island, needing no overnight stay.

The watchtower was built by Spanish colonial authorities in the 18th century as part of a network of coastal bantayan built across the archipelago against Moro raids. It’s a circular coral-stone structure roughly five metres in diameter at the base and six metres tall, with a stairway to an observation platform, declared a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. A cross placed at the site gave it a dual defensive-and-devotional role that persists today as a Holy Week pilgrimage point. The municipal parish, dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was established in the 18th century alongside the growing Spanish presence in western Bohol.

The fiesta for the Assumption falls on 15 August, and Cebuano is the primary language. Maribojoc’s coastal identity runs on inter-island fishing across the strait toward Cebu. Households produce copra as an income crop, and coconut milk runs through the local kitchen — ginataang manok, chicken braised in coconut milk with ginger and chilli, is a festive dish. Roadside stalls along the Tagbilaran–Tubigon highway sell dried squid and danggit to passing motorists; no restaurant here serves tourists specifically.

What to see and do

• Punta Cruz Watchtower — the National Historical Landmark itself, with direct views across the Cebu Strait from its observation platform; a small donation is customary for the on-site caretaker.
• The coastal walk below the headland — walkable rocky shoreline at low tide, with tidal pools holding invertebrate marine life.
• Maribojoc Church (Assumption Parish) — a simpler facade than the churches of Loon or Loboc, but part of the same western Bohol colonial church network.

Getting there and travel tips

From Tagbilaran, Maribojoc is about 14 kilometres northwest, 20–25 minutes by tricycle or jeepney; Tubigon-bound jeepneys from the Dao terminal pass through, and Punta Cruz is a short tricycle or habal-habal ride (about 2 km, 5 minutes) from the poblacion junction. Maribojoc pairs naturally with Loon, further north on the same road, for a half-day western Bohol heritage circuit — there is no accommodation in the municipality, so base in Tagbilaran. Visit Punta Cruz in the late afternoon (4:00–5:30 PM), when light falls on the tower’s seaward face; bring water, as the site has minimal facilities.

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