Bantayan Island is located in Central Philippines at the northernmost tip of mainland Cebu. A little less than one hundred square miles in size, it’s regarded as one of the most beautiful islands in the world because of its crystal clear ocean waters and clean shoreline of powder-like white sands.
The island is composed of three municipalities, specifically Bantayan, Madridejos and Santa Fe where majority of resorts are located. It is also generally known as the “Egg Basket” for the mainland regions since it generates over one and a half million eggs a day to supply the growing demand of eggs.
With the multiple white beach fronts dotting its edges, interesting rock formations adorning its cliffs, and mysterious cave pools spreading at various locations, travelers won’t run out of things to do. The gentle and serene locality makes the stay a lot warmer too. You will surely feel at home during your stay.
The easiest and the cheapest way to get here is from the North bus terminal in Cebu City. You can ride the Ceres Bus to Hagnaya Port, taking around 3 and a half hours. The buses leave every 30 minutes so there is no need to buy a ticket in advance. All of the buses are pretty comfortable and are equipped with air con and Wi-Fi.
Our experience was a bit different since we came straight from Camotes so we took a car ride from Danao Port to Hagnaya which took about two hours.
Once you reach the Hagnaya Port, you will need a boat to take you to Santa Fe Port, Bantayan and it usually takes around 1 hour and 20 minutes. The boats available for travel could either be Island Shipping 160 Php or Super Shuttle Ferry 170 Php. Fotka!! There’s also a terminal fee but it’s minimal, around P25 that would total for both ports.
We took the Island Shipping boat and picked the open air seats so that we could have a better view of the sea.
Once you reach the port of Santa Fe as you’d expect you will be greeted by porters all eager to take you to your guesthouse. Most of the guesthouses are in the vicinity of the port, and if you are staying in Santa Fe you should expect to pay around 50pesos per person for the tri-cycle so be wary of the people who will try to give you absurd prices for a ride.
We stayed at Anika Island Resort and were greeted with their free minivan shuttle. The resort is located only few minutes away from the port and is an eco-friendly family resort that makes use of old shipping containers as their cottages. Most of the materials used to build the entire resort are salvaged from old churches, boats, and buildings to keep the resort as sustainable as possible.
There are 37 air-conditioned rooms in the property, each having a veranda. The walls are treated with special paint to keep temperature comfortable and sound-proofed.
The beachfront is very clean, and the resort also has its own heated pool where we spend time in the afternoon when the tide kicked in.
But when your toes sank into the sand and the sun beats down on you you’ll know you have found a paradise. We watched the wooden fishing boats from neighboring villages cruise by and the local kids play with one another on the beach, living that enviable island life, seemingly with no worries in their head.
There were actually some jelly fish in the sea in front of Anika and some people got stung so we were extra careful with our kids while in water. But this did not ruin our otherwise great experience here.
Cellular coverage is decent within the poblacion area of Santa Fe, Bantayan, and Madridejos.
ATM is only available in Poblacion Bantayan but larger resorts accept credit card payment.
Transportation is serviced by tricycles. Intertown caretellas are also available for transfer between towns. It is best to stay in a resort within Sante Fe because most of the beaches are located in this area.
So what one can do on this gorgeous island?
Rent a Bike or Motorbike and roam around the island and visit the serene neighborhood
Bicycle rentals will cost you 200 Php/8 hours. You can rent a motorbike starting at 500 Php/day. Bantayan is not that strict when it comes to people driving without a license the same is with helmets which are almost non existing (in contrast to Camotes where there were regular police control for it) – so thankfully we had ours brought in with us.
On our second day, we decided to visit the town proper and see what it has to offer. On our way there, we found a lot of picturesque views and places to stop. Since there is little to none language barrier because almost all Filipinos speak Basic English if you get lost, all you need to do is ask a local and they will gladly put you in the right direction.
SAINTS PETER AND PAUL CHURCH
Built in the 15th Century, Saints Peter and Paul Church is considered the oldest parish in Visayas and Mindanao. The original structure was destroyed by the Muslims, and its present façade—with walls made of coral stones—was constructed in 1839 and completed in 1863. Inside the church, one can see centuries-old, life-sized statues of saints and marvel or visit its in-house museum. It boasts old Spanish designs and stunning stained glass windows.
We stopped at the local market and had some sweets before turning back south. On our way we decided to stop at The Obo-ob Mangrove Garden and give it a look. We agreed that this was a decision well made since we really had a great two hours here.
THE OBO-OB MANGROVE GARDEN
This place was built to preserve the island’s lush mangroves, as well as promote environmental awareness and conservation. One must pay a small entrance fee of 50 Php, and you can explore the garden two ways: take a stroll down a bamboo boardwalk or rent a kayak if you are up for it. At the end of the boardwalk is a bamboo tower, which you can climb for more views, as well as some resting huts where you can cool off from the sun. There’s also an in-house restaurant where you can grab a bite or a drink.
PARADISE BEACH
In you need some privacy this secluded island getaway is hidden behind a lengthy and very rocky trail and it is not so easy to find. It was actually quite a challenge and we had to ask people along the way for directions. You have to pass the Ogtong Cave and drive forward.
While on the road, we noticed an abandoned structure by the cliff where the local kids were jumping into the sea and we stopped by to take photos.
The entrance to the beach was hard to find since there was no trace of establishments nearby, no signs pointing to the site, and no locals residing in this area. The path was uneven and very rocky so we had to be very careful with our scooters. At the end you have to leave them by the trailhead.
The beach has a tiny coastline, but the water was clear, the sand was very fine. It was noticeable how the area was well-maintained. The main shore is virtually untouched. It had a small numbers of small huts which are now gone and a lush, Cliffside garden overlooking the water. The beach is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and you’ll need to pay a 50 Php entrance fee.
VIRGIN ISLAND
Well if your ideal vacation is to just relax by the beach, you are going to love this picturesque paradise. From Anika Beach Resort (basically from any Bantayan’s public beach), take a 20-30 minute boat ride (rate for five of us was 1,500 Php) to Virgin Island. The entrance fee is 500 Php (for two people, and 100 Php for every other in the group). That will buy complete access to its crystal clear waters and soft white sand. If you don’t have your own snorkeling gear you can rent it here or just lounge by the shore in one of their huts. The island has a resort and is already developed. Their staff is available everywhere should you have questions.
As you can image there is no complete serenity at the place, since there are plenty of visitors here but you will still experience big wow the moment your feet touches the sand immediately upon getting off the boat. The place is simply wonderful and although it has lost some privacy charm because of its popularity among tourists, it’s still well worth its name.
But if you still want some peace and quiet you should walk to the other side of the island where the cliff jumping area is. We had a lovely stretch of the beach completely to ourselves.
At the end it was a day well spend!
This concludes our stay on beautiful Bantayan Island who lived to its reputation as having one of the best beaches Cebu has to offer. So goodbye Bantayan and hallo Malapascua Island.
