Pamilacan Island

Pamilacan Island Bohol is a small Island, part of the municipality of Baclayon.
It is between the deep sea of Bohol and Mindanao.
Polong Pamilacan or Pamilacan Island is always remembering when I was kid. I heard a lot about that place from my mother. She is from Bohol and grown up over there. She mention a lot about Pamilacan have a lot of dolphins, whales and manta which the local called it sanga or bulad sanga mean dried manta rays. Every time my mother visit the Island of Bohol she always bring bulad sanga or dried manta rays. The dried manta rays was the source of income of local and they have manta rays slaughter which known about the Island.

Pamilacan means " resting place of the Mantas" known of fishing the first source of income of the locals. I heard from local folks the name of Island derived from "pamilac or harpoon" a common fishing implement used to capture whale sharks, manta rays and dolphins. Whale hunting is the tradition handed down by the ancestor. Aside from whales, they been killing dolphins, whale shark, manta rays for generation.

Year 1997 the World Wide Fund for Nature was introduce in Pamilacan Island. The program implementing that dolphins, whale shark and manta are ban in the Philippines Government in year 2008. The whale watching integrated village help to develop the program and protect the marine mammals and promote the healthy marine environment. The Island is part of BMT also Bohol Marine Triangle a marine sanctuary on the northwest side. It's a home species of cetaceans. The large whales most often spotted are the Byrd’s whales and the sperm whales. Byrd’s whales are massive yet plankton eaters that can grow up to 15 meters. The sperm whales, the largest predator, reach up to 18 meters. The later is the prime target of whalers whole over the world.

In the present the Island is change a lot and develop. They are very bless of marine life, nice white beach and nice nature where right now they know how to taking care of it. The program is really help a lot to introduce the Pamilacan as Dolphin and Whale watcher. A great destination of tourist because of magnificent dive sites nearby which gives the diver a breathtaking view of giant gorgonians, tunicates, sponges, anemones as well as other unique marine life. Tour boating is one of the very nice activity in the Island so that you can enjoy watching how the dolphins and whales fly and dive in the ocean. Whales and many of the dolphins are most active at night and during early morning, the best time to watch them it's dawn when you can clearly see them and appreciate their antics. Trips usually begin in March until the onset of the rainy season in June or July though tours depend much on weather and sea conditions. Though you can see and watch the resident dolphins and whales in the whole year round. Plus The place is nice also for the reception of wedding it's like a virgin Island captivate your heart.