Carmen, Philippines
Carmen is a town of 8,214 people in Central Visayas, Philippines, founded in March 1, 1869.
Why visit Carmen
Townapedia lists 11 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails, 24 places to eat, 20 places to stay and 8 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Chocolate Hills, Chocolate Hills Natural Monument and Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape.
Weather in Carmen
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Carmen
Carmen, officially the Municipality of Carmen (Cebuano: Munisipalidad sa Carmen; Tagalog: Bayan ng Carmen), is a municipality in the province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 50,249 people.
From the Wikipedia article Carmen, Bohol (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Carmen on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do8
Museums and landmarks11
Chocolate Hills Adventure Park (CHAP)
Monument and historic site · 5.6 km
Balilihan-Hanopol-Batuan Road
Hill Top 360 degee View Park
Monument and historic site · 7.9 km
Carmen-Sagbayan Road
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
Chocolate Hills Natural Monument
Hiking and trails · 6.5 km
Designated as Natural Monument at National level in 1988. It covers 140.89 km2.
Restaurants and cafes24
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12 more on the map.
History
Carmen was originally part of the municipality of Bilar and called Imbaya, after the name of a stream in the settlement. During the Spanish time, it was inhabited by not more than fifty families. In 1868, the people of Carmen petitioned for its independence since its population grew to an unprecedented number. The town of Carmen was founded on 1 March 1869 by final order of Governor General Jose de la Gandara and renamed at the same time in honor of the Lady of Carmel of Spain. In 1874, Carmen had its separate parish with Father Pedro Nolasco San Juan as the first parish priest.
Due to the influence of Spanish culture and tradition, all barangays of Carmen have a patron saint as well as a Spanish name, who are celebrated in an annual barangay fiesta.
In World War II, Carmen served as the stronghold of the guerrilla resistance movement and the local civil government because of its strategic location.
In 2013 a magnitude 7.2 earthquake shook Central Visayas region, with its epicenter within Carmen municipality.
From the History section of Carmen, Bohol on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay20
Churches and places of worship16
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 11.7 km
Loay Interior Road
Saint James The Apostle Parish
Church · Roman Catholic · 7.0 km
Loay Interior Road, Batuan
Shopping8
Gas and EV charging10
Schools, colleges and libraries99
Sierra Bullones Central Elementary School
School · 10.7 km
Jagna - Sierra Bullones Road
Healthcare10
Map of Carmen
211 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Bohol-Panglao International Airport (TAG) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 54 km away.
- Sierra Bullones 11 km east, about 11 min by car
- Valencia 24 km south, about 24 min by car
- Garcia Hernandez 25 km southeast, about 25 min by car
- Inabanga 27 km northwest, about 27 min by car
- Jagna 27 km southeast, about 27 min by car
- Loboc 27 km southwest, about 27 min by car
- Guindulman 33 km east, about 33 min by car
- Trinidad 33 km northeast, about 33 min by car
- Ubay 40 km northeast, about 40 min by car
- Tagbilaran City 42 km southwest, about 42 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- Mapillary (see each image): photos
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Carmen Bohol 2, P199, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Carmen - panoramio, Robert Breivik, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Carmen, Bohol downtown area (pic 2), OxyLight, CC0
- Carmen, Bohol downtown area (pic 3), OxyLight, CC0
- Carmen, Bohol downtown area (pic 1), OxyLight, CC0
- Chocolate Hills overview, P199, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Carmen, Fields in Bohol, Nature of Bohol Island, Philippines, Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0
- Chocolate Hills-bohol, Kleomarlo, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chocolate Hills Bohol, P199, CC BY-SA 3.0
- View from chocolate hills - panoramio, Qaalvin, CC BY 3.0
- Panorama Chocolate Hills, Cliffscherer, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Chocolate Hills - edit, Ramir Borja derivative work: MrPanyGoff, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Chocolate Hills in Bohol, rogel tura, CC0
- Bohol - Bohol1919, lumoplank, CC0
- Bohol - Bohol1932, lumoplank, CC0
- Bohol - Bohol1917, lumoplank, CC0
- The Chocolate Hills - panoramio - Tuderna (3), Tuderna, CC BY 3.0
- Bohol - panoramio (1), Павел Бондарчук, CC BY 3.0
- THE CHOCOLATE HILLS, OfficialMetro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chocolate hills - panoramio (1), Daugilas, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Chocolate Hills - panoramio, Qaalvin, CC BY 3.0
- Bohol, Chocolate hills - panoramio, Павел Бондарчук, CC BY 3.0
- The amazing Choklate Hills - panoramio, matzi01, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bohol Chocolate Hills 2, Ed it12, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bohol Chocolate Hills 1, Ed it12, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chocalate Hills, Bohol, Philippines, Marie Antoinette Calvez, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Chocolate Hills - panoramio - Tuderna (2), Tuderna, CC BY 3.0
- Batuan, Central Visayas (8361228044), Sergey Norin from Moscow, Russia, CC BY 2.0
- Batuan, Central Visayas (8360778990), Sergey Norin from Moscow, Russia, CC BY 2.0
- Chocolade Hills, Djuna Vaesen, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Chocolate Hills - panoramio - Tuderna, Tuderna, CC BY 3.0
- The Chocolate Hills - panoramio - Tuderna (1), Tuderna, CC BY 3.0
- The Chocolate Hills - panoramio, Tuderna, CC BY 3.0
- Chocolate hills under clouds, This photo was taken by Anton Zelenov . Please credit this with : Photo : Anton Zelenov in the immediate vicinity of the image. If you use one of my photos, please email me (account needed) or leave..., CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bohol's Chocolate Hills, rogel tura, CC0
- A Green Chocolate, Abundio Noel M. Libot, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chocolate Hills II, Mark Levitin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chocolate Hills 1, Mark Levitin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, Vermut, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, Vermut, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Page built November 7, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.