Panglao is one of forty-seven (47) municipalities (along with one city) comprising the province of Bohol in the Central Visayas. The town is politically subdivided into ten (10) barangays, and is a part of the 1st Congressional District of Bohol.
It is the southernmost town of Bohol, and one of two towns on Panglao Island, the other being Dauis.
Along with the town of Dauis, Panglao has become one of the top tourist destinations in the country, owing to its extensive marine biodiversity. About 1,200 decapods and 6,000 species of mollusks were identified around the island, in a study area of only about 15,000 hectares, with about 250 new species of crustaceans and an estimated 2,500 new species of mollusks believed to be found in the waters of Panglao and Balicasag. In comparison, the Mediterranean Sea has yielded only 2,024 species in a 300 million hectare area.
Abundance of white, fine sand covers the circular coastline of Panglao. In addition, Panglao hosts a number of beautifully constructed world-class beach resorts.
Other attractions include the bird sanctuary in Danao and the wildlife park in Lourdes, as well as the centuries-old stone church and a historical watchtower built along the seashore fronting the vast Bohol Sea and Cebu Strait.
Panglao’s distance from Tagbilaran City, the provincial capital, is eighteen (18) kilometers and travel time from the capital is about thirty (30) minutes.