Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary

"Tarsier: The Philippines' Big-Eyed Primate in Bohol The province of Bohol seems to encourage the bizarre. It contains one of the world’s strangest landscapes, a collection of some 1,700 hills in a 20-square-mile area called the Chocolate Hills. It is also home to a peculiar creature called the Philippine tarsier (locally referred to as the mawmag or mamag ), one of the smallest known primates, no larger than an adult man’s hand, with giant round eyes and a tail that is longer than its body. These adorable beasts are spread across various islands in the southeast of the Philippines , surviving in rain forests with thick vegetation. They are nocturnal, can leap as far as 10 feet from tree to tree, and (like owls) are able to turn their heads 180 degrees. Unfortunately, habitat destruction via logging and mining threatens the Philippine tarsier with extinction. The best place in Bohol to see them and support their conservation at the same time is at the Philippine Tarsier and Wildlife Sanctuary in Corella. Run by the Philippine Tarsier Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to tarsier conservation and education, this small but successful sanctuary provides the best possible environment to allow these tiny creatures to survive and thrive."

Nico Maggi

Google

Lovely and well mantained. The tour is really short and the guide put pressure on you to finish it, we did it twice (you can do the same just kindly ask). Would allow people to be a bit more free around the field and spend some time with the lovely tarsier, apart from that lovely experience and glad that people take care of this endemic species

Olly Standen

Google

A very unique and cool experience in Bohol. You watch a short 5 minute video about the sanctuary and then take a walk with a guide. He leads you around the enclosure which is also their natural habitat. We got to see 3 Tarsiers up close without disturbing them as they’re nocturnal. The information centre is also a nice space to spend some time and read all about these interesting creatures. You won’t spend a lot of time inside the sanctuary maybe only 10 minutes but it’s enough to see them and for the guide to take some super cool photos.

Cort Anderson

Google

Loved it! The tarsiers live in their natural habitat and the guides go find them each morning. We got to see 3, up close, without bothering them. The guide was awesome, and took many photos and videos for us.

ellie a.

Google

Check hours and make sure you have plenty enough time to do the tour. Observe rules and Observe silence. Kudos to the foundation for ensuring the habitat safe for the tarsiers.

Bill Machhour

Google

We visited the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary in Bohol as a family—my wife, our baby, and my mom " senior citizen" and had a great experience. The sanctuary is well maintained, and the walking path is easy and accessible, even for older visitors. We spotted around 6 tarsiers during our visit, and it was truly special to see them up close in their natural habitat. The staff were helpful and respectful of the tarsiers’ space. A peaceful, educational, and memorable stop—definitely worth it!

Rokss Lizardo

Google

It was a very cool experience. I felt like I was out in the wild, really getting to see tarsiers in their natural habitat. Before the actual walk, they also gave an orientation about the tarsiers. The Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary is a truly ethical attraction. Every day, tarsier spotters go out to identify where the animals are resting so visitors can later walk to those spots — the organization doesn’t disrupt or move the tarsiers just to put them on display. You’ll see the tarsiers up close, as there are no railings separating you from them. They were absolutely adorable with their big glassy eyes, and most importantly, they looked very healthy — which reassures you that you’re supporting an ethical attraction. I highly recommend visiting here instead of the other popular tarsier site (which I won’t name, just in case this review gets flagged). That other place felt too commercialized and touristy. The tarsiers there seemed stressed, and I even noticed man-made “nests,” which made me wonder if the animals were just placed there for visitors to see. Support this organization please. 🙏🏼

Dominic Petersen

Google

Got some amazing photos and videos!! Only saw 3 tarsiers, the tour was quite short, but the quality was amazing! The facilities could do with some updating for educational purposes, but not bad at all for 150 pesos❤️❤️I love tarsierss

Bernabe Andal

Google

If you want to know more about tarsiers & their habitat, it is good to go here. Tarsiers are pocket-sized nocturnal animals that feed on insects & small vertebrates.

Janice C.

Yelp

I learned that Tarsiers were an endangered species during science class while growing up in Manila. I never really imagined that I'd see them after I moved out of the motherland, but I'm so happy I did. My family booked a private driver to bring us to Bohol's top sights and he said that the work done at the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary is the real deal. Entrance fee is P60 per person. You're given the talk about what to expect, how Tarsiers look like, behave, what not to do, etc. Please listen to your guides, don't use flash photography as it stresses the little creatures and we don't want that. The sanctuary is an enclosed gated piece of the forest, but it's maintained by the workers quite nicely. They'll remind you to be quiet since sudden, loud noises are also stressful to the Tarsiers. There were certain hiding spots where they hang out, so we just followed our guide, observed in silence and watched them in pure awe. They're about the size of your hand with big, curious eyes. They can jump from one tree branch to another with the blink of an eye. The whole thing is over in 15 minutes and after you exit, there's a souvenir shop where you can buy keychains, snacks and water. New to the Philippines? make sure to get iced candy on your way out.

Livia S.

Yelp

I heard of the Tarsiers from my science classes during my elementary years and have always been curious to see one. Being that I am in the province where these little Yoda-like creatures reside, I made sure that I visited their sanctuary and learn about them. The Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary was our first stop during our day tour. As soon as you enter the premises, there were signs as to what is expected from visitors -- no camera flash, no loud noises, and other facts you need to know about these little primates. The tour in their sanctuary is very quick, you're done in more or less than 15 minutes. You will be greeted by tour guides and again remind you of not using flash and not creating too much noise as it does create stress on the Tarsiers. Our tour guide pretty much let's us know where can we find them in the very lush forest-like sanctuary. We were told that before they open the sanctuary for visitors, they actually have to find the Tarsiers first so that they know where to direct guests. Apparently, these little primates don't like too much sun nor too much rain -- so they hide well underneath the trees. As much as you want to hold them or take them as pets, they cannot be held captive or cannot be taken away from their natural habitat as they are very territorial. The sanctuary is working on saving them from extinction as there are between 5,000 to 10,000 of them left in the world. After the tour, there is a small souvenir section where you can purchase Tarsier stuffed toys, magnets, key chains, and other little trinkets -- all for affordable prices. And because the area can be very humid, there are also refreshments available for purchase.

Cristito C.

Yelp

Boy, they are small. There a couple of places to see them. They are small & hide well in the trees. Good thing the place we went to had kids standing by pointing the tarsier out to you. We actually saw 6 of them, which turns out to be a good amount!!! Had a good time & took some great photos. Enjoy.

Jessica S.

Yelp

The Philippine tarsier is essentially the smallest primate/ ape (NOT monkey) in the world, and due to habitat destruction and the illegal pet trade, the species is now endangered. This sanctuary in Corella is run by the Philippine Tarsier Foundation and it is the only official sanctuary in Bohol supported by the Department of Tourism and Department of Environment and Natural Resources. You want to go here and NOT to the one in Loboc which isn't recognized as a sanctuary whatsoever. Entry is 60 pesos per person. After paying, a volunteer briefs you on the tarsier behavior and physical features, along with the rules each visitor should abide by while on the grounds. The research and development center where you start should be explored as there are plenty of informational cards on the tarsier. Wander off to the left and you'll find yourself on the Tarsier Trail. The grounds are enclosed to keep out predators, but the tall bamboo, palm, and mahogany trees do enable the tarsiers to climb out should they desire to. The main rule to follow is to keep your voice down to barely a whisper and to take photos without flash and at a distance. You don't want to startle these emotionally sensitive animals as they are easily stressed and have been known to commit suicide! I can't believe the Loboc sanctuary allowed you to hold and pet them in the past; perhaps another reason why you should not go to that one. There were about 4 tarsiers we could see visibly and at eye-level, another was hiding in the branches up above which a volunteer pointed out to us. A good sign was that they were all sleeping and seemed relatively at ease. Crowds were minimal however there was a group that I would have deemed too large and that lingered greedily for too long at each spot. Some might complain that they don't have "many" tarsiers, but this was a somewhat more natural setup. There was one though that seemed staged as a volunteer was nearby to take pictures of a conveniently placed tarsier in the foreground while you crouched in the back. I also didn't like how she waved at the tarsier to get it to open its eyes for the pictures. Overall, the visit was a positive one. Seeing these creatures up close was definitely something to marvel and wonder over. They really were SO small and cute with their googly eyes. Perhaps they will become the next panda as the cute species we want to legitimately make efforts to save.