Bilar Man-Made Forest

by: Joshua Vanyo

Updated: May 02, 2023

The Bohol Mahogany Forest, more commonly known as the Bilar Man-Made Forest, is a dense forest stretching two kilometers along the border of Loboc and Bilar towns in Bohol. The forest is mainly made up of white and red mahogany trees. It is part of a reforestation project started over 50 years ago.

When one enters the forest, one will notice that the temperature changes abruptly, especially during the hot season. Once one is under the shade of the trees, everything cools down.

The man-made forest’s density is thanks to the consistency in the height of its trees and the considerable spread of their branches. The young trees grow straight up towards the sky, which is largely obscured by the branches and the thick leaves. The roots of the trees are beautiful to view as they extend from the ground and climb over boulders and curve around the land, even reaching the side of the road.

Best time to visit

It is an all-year-round destination that can be visited anytime. However, it would be better to visit the forest without rains, so plan your visit during the dry season, which is usually from December to May. Since it is an outdoor attraction, it is also best to avoid visiting it when there is a typhoon.