Nature
Mocaboc Island
Mocaboc is an island in the Philippines, situated approximately 14 km (8.7 mi) off the northwest of the island of Bohol. Located in the Cebu Strait, the island is part of the chain of islands situated in the Danajon Bank, the only double barrier reef in the country famous for its rich marine resources. Mocaboc Island is part of the jurisdiction of the municipality of Tubigon, Bohol. Most families of Mocaboc rely on fishing and is known for supplying Ginamos or fermented fish. According to the latest 2024 Census, the total population of Mocaboc is 582. With an estimated area of only 0.02 km2 (0...
What it is
Mocaboc Island is a small, populated fishing island in the Cebu Strait, part of the Danajon Bank double barrier reef system off northwest Bohol. It sits within Tubigon municipality and is home to a few hundred residents who mostly make their living from fishing, including producing ginamos, a local fermented fish product. This is not a resort island — there are no built-up tourist facilities — so the appeal is seeing an active fishing community and the surrounding reef waters rather than any specific sight or landmark.
Getting there
Mocaboc is reached by boat, typically arranged from Tubigon or a nearby coastal barangay on Bohol rather than directly from Cebu City. If you're coming from Cebu, the usual route is a ferry across the Cebu Strait to Tubigon first, then a short local boat trip out to the island. Expect the boat crossing itself to take well under an hour, though total travel time from a Cebu base will run several hours once ferry schedules and connections are factored in.
Time to allow
A couple of hours is enough to walk around and get a sense of the island, longer if you want to spend time on the water or talk with local fishing families.
When to go
Calm sea conditions matter more than time of year here, since access depends entirely on small boats crossing open water. Avoid going out during storms or rough weather in the strait. The island sees little tourist traffic, so crowding is not a concern.
Combining with other stops
Cuaming Island is only about 8 km away and makes a natural pairing for a longer day on the water. Pandanon Island (21 km) is a further option if you're island-hopping through the Danajon Bank area. On the Cebu side, the Archdiocesan Shrine of Santa Teresa de Avila and Crocolandia Foundation are both around 21-22 km away and could be worked into the same trip if you're basing yourself near Mactan-Cebu International Airport (CEB).
Sources: open data from Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap · Updated August 5, 2026 · Edited by the World by City editors
