If I am going to be completely honest, I didn’t have many expectations with Bantayan Island. As a Palawan-stan (yes, that’s how much I love this place haha) I believed that nothing can be at par with the white sand beaches and clear blue waters of this province, hence, our trip going all the way to North Cebu didn’t appeal much to me compared to how I usually feel when seeing a destination for the first time.
But as our ferry near the port of Santa Fe and I leaned on the railing to get a better view of the island, I was glad to realize that I was wrong because, after seeing the clear blue waters of its shores below me, I knew Bantayan would be a place full of surprises for me in the next few days.
Table of Contents
How to Get There
Located offshore in the northwestern most part of Cebu province and in the middle of the Visayan Sea, going to the island of Bantayan is not an easy and quick journey.
The usual and most popular way to reach this destination is to drop by Cebu North Bus Terminal behind SM City Cebu and board a bus or a van bound for Hagnaya Port. Travel time can take up to four hours or longer—depending on traffic conditions—and costs ₱260 for air-conditioned buses and around ₱500 for vans.
Upon reaching Hagnaya Port, one would need to buy tickets to ride a ferry to reach Santa Fe Port which is the entry point to the island. There are several operators in the place which have their own scheduled departures, hence, it is best to research these before your trip and align it with your travel time going out of the city to save more time or to catch their last trips.
During our experience, since we arrived 30 minutes before its scheduled departure, we took the Super Shuttle Ferry which costs ₱384 and an additional ₱25 terminal fee that took us to Bantayan Island after one hour of travel.
If transferring from one vehicle to another is not your idea of fun, Ceres Bus also has direct air-conditioned trips from Cebu North Bus Terminal to Bantayan Island Town Proper. However, do note that this route is the same as the first one and the only difference, aside from fare, is that you won’t get out of the bus even when inside of the ferry.
Personally and based on my observations, I don’t recommend taking this option unless you have heavy baggage with you because buses turn off their engines when on board the ferry, hence, air-conditioning will also be switched off and is not ideal during hot summer months.
Another option to reach the island is through the air via Bantayan Airport. However, since this terminal is not fully equipped to cater commercial flights, trips are only limited to the small planes offered by Air Juan. Nonetheless, upon checking, this route is also vague because the airline’s website is inaccessible and there are no clear announcements if these flights were restored after the pandemic.
Upon arriving on Bantayan Island, one would need to pay of the Tourism Ecological Fee (₱100) which, according to our guides is necessary and would serve as proof while you’re touring the island.
Bantayan Island Land Tour
Contrary to most destinations, visiting the different tourist spots on Bantayan Island does not require pre-booked tours and can be done on the spot. As a matter of fact, after getting out of the port, a handful of tricycle drivers will approach you and offer tours going to the island’s must-see places. One can opt for this and negotiate with the driver until you reach an agreed amount. But in our case, we have chosen to go with our hotel’s service driver recommendation who then provided us with a guide/driver for our first tour of the island.
Since it can be done for half-day and we were able to reach the island after 12 noon, we decided to do the place’s so-called Land Tour which covers the inland destinations found in Bantayan itself. Based on research, this tour can range from ₱500 to ₱1000 so when our guide offered it to us at ₱700, we grabbed it.
I’m not sure if our first stop for the day has an official name as I haven’t read anything about it before, but as it turns out, it’s quickly gaining popularity due to its resemblance with Siargao’s Palm Tree Road. Similar to the latter, Bantayan Island’s version of it is also filled with lush, albeit shorter, coconut trees that can pass as a mini replica of its inspiration.
A few more minutes after our last stop, we finally reached our official first destination of our tour which was the Omagieca Mangrove Eco Park in the barangay of Obo-ob.
Popularly known as one of the film locations of the Filipino comedy-drama movie Camp Sawi (2016), many tourists visit this place and take photo ops at its famous arch that resembles the one in the film and which bears its name. However, the place is actually much more than that with its calming auditory experience that mixes the rustling sound of leaves and a symphony of native birds singing that fills the entire area.
At the edge of the park fronting the sea, one will also be welcomed by the sight of the nearby horizon and another arch that says Camp Wagi. Its Mangrove Tunnel right after this is probably the lushest part of the place that is also a spot to experience due to its deep-within-the-forest immersive feeling.
There’s also a restaurant found near the entrance of the park called Omagieca Restaurant where I was able to taste a delicious serving of Buttered Scallops (₱250*) that balances the flavor of butter and fishy taste of fresh shellfish perfectly. We also tried their Calamares (₱150*) which I didn’t find special as it tasted like your typical fried squid dish.
After retracing our steps back to the entrance and hopping on our rented tricycle, our guide has taken us to our second destination which was Sandira Beach. Famously known as Paradise Beach, entrance to the place requires a ₱70 fee since the place is privately owned.
Upon following the trail from the ticket booth, one will be welcomed by an uncrowded and untouched sight of a beach bordered by coral stones along its shores. Its sand is white and fine mixed with some dried seaweeds and small rocks. Completing the idyllic scene were the handful of island dogs which you can rely on to watch for your belongings as you take a dip in the water.
Honestly, I was not that impressed with Sandira Beach, because, since it is untouched, there were a lot of dried seaweeds on both the shore and waters during our visit. The water was also surprisingly not that cold and felt warm which didn’t help in relieving our sticky feeling from the heat of the afternoon. Personally, if you’re going to ask me, you can skip this part and go straight to your next destination instead. But if you want a place that will provide you with peace and quiet, this spot may be for you.
Our third stop turned out also to be a bit of a disappointment because of the low tide during our visit. Known for its cliff-jumping activity, our experience at The Ruins turned out to be a brief one due to the tide. However, this also paved the way for a little cove to show beneath the cliff creating a picturesque coastal scenery.
Our journey to our last destination for the day made me wish that we should have skipped Sandira Beach and The Ruins and headed to Ogtong Cave instead.
After making our way back to the tricycle, our guide announced that we won’t be able to drop by it anymore since it was late and it was already closed at that time adding up to the day’s disappointment. However, as I stepped out of the tricycle to go to our last stop, my dismay was instantly gone upon taking a look at its beauty.
True to the claims of everyone, Kota Beach is indeed beautiful. Its wide and broad powdery white sand shore sets up the scene of an ideal tropical getaway complete with beachfront restaurants and bars where one can grab a seat and enjoy the scenery in front of them. Contrary to Sandira Beach, its clear blue waters are cool and refreshing that can wash away one’s disappointments and stress. The view of the sunset from the place is also beautiful and is a perfect sight to seal a long day.
We actually dined in one of the beachfront restaurants there, specifically at Kadlawon Resto Bar, which provides al fresco dining and offers a view of the nearby beach. I actually had a very good time at this place because their Classic Margarita (₱195) tasted so good that it was probably the first cocktail that really made me tipsy. The servers were also very kind and hospitable despite me slightly creating a mess on the porch as I kept on stepping in and out of the beach while dining at their place—probably one of my good memories that really defines the meaning of chilling by the beach.
Our day ended after our dinner at Kadlawon and when our driver returned to pick us up and dropped us back again at our hotel.
Island Hopping Tour
Aside from being a destination itself, Bantayan is also the jump-off point to its other nearby islands and to visit it, we decided to hire the same guide from yesterday who arranged the tour for us.
For ₱2000, we were able to rent a boat including its boatman and gas, and a tour guide who led the way in showing the different sights of each island. This price is also not limited to a specific headcount and can actually be shared by several people that would safely fit inside the boat. Before boarding, we also bought fresh seafood in one of the nearby stalls close to the beach which our tour guide cooked and prepared for us when we reached our lunch spot.
Our first stop for the day was Hilantagaan Island which was just a few minutes away from Bantayan. Known as a popular snorkelling spot, the place is visited for its rich marine life and clear blue waters. The whole island is also a residential area and home to a handful of locals which coincidentally included our boatman and guide.
I was impressed with the island’s clear blue waters especially when we started snorkelling and realized how well-preserved its marine life is underneath. In fact, when compared to the reef found in the famous destinations of El Nido, I found Hilantagaan’s better as its corals are way more colorful and far from suffering from coral bleaching. There are also a handful of fish in the area especially blue tang hippos which I have seen several times during our stay.
Probably the only downside of my experience on the island was the struggle to swim in its waters since we went snorkelling in the morning which was also high tide. The waves were also difficult to beat so it really took us time to swim back to reach our boat.
Our second destination for the day turned out to be a charming surprise as I wasn’t aware of its existence. Located along the sidelines of Bantayan Island, Baigad Lagoon really fueled the tropical atmosphere of our tour with its clear turquoise waters and line of coconut trees in the background.
There are actually two points to enter the place—one is through the resort that sits beside it and requires an admission fee and the other is across it which is free of charge and open to the public. Of course, as budget travelers, we opted for the latter which didn’t disappoint especially when I took a dip in its waters and experienced its refreshing coolness.
However, since this part is untouched and unmaintained, there were a lot of dried seaweeds floating near its bank and a few thrash probably littered by previous visitors. I also encountered a sea snake here for the first time which scared me a bit since it is one of my fears when in the sea.
Our third and last stop for the day turned out to be one of my favorite memories of our Cebu trip due to its natural beauty.
Upon approaching its shore, one will be welcomed by Virgin Island‘s clear turquoise waters and powdery white sand that can match the beautiful beaches of Coron and Isla de Gigantes of Iloilo. Despite having man-made structures scattered on its beachfront, the spot still managed to retain its peaceful and off-the-grid tropical ambience perfect for unwinding and relaxing.
After paying the entrance to the island which costs ₱200 per head and bringing our things to our rented table for ₱300, our tour guide started preparing and cooking our lunch for the day while we took the time to take a dip and get refreshed by the island’s waters.
Before going in for a swim, I quickly noticed how rich the marine life is in the area with the presence of fish swimming near the shore which grew in number and size as I went to the deeper part of the bank. Our boatman later on verified this reiterating that the island is indeed rich in these and revealed that local fishermen are prohibited from fishing near the place’s vicinity retaining its large number. In other spots, there were also small crustaceans present which fully amazed me because it is probably the first time where I was able to encounter different marine species without going too far from land. Its clear turquoise waters are also undeniably beautiful which provided a cool relief from the noontime sun.
After a hearty seafood lunch by the beach and socialization with our guide and boatman, we continued unravelling the beauty of the island with its cliff jumping site found on the other side of it.
Located in front of a deep spot in the sea that boasts crystal clear blue waters, Virgin Island’s cliff jumping site is the place to be for people looking for an adrenaline-pumping experience in the area. Comprising of two 12-feet jumping spots and a 20-feet one, set of life jackets and two standby lifeguards, anyone is free to conquer their fear of heights and dive into the sparkling blue-green waters that await below him.
Personally, my experience at the place is memorable because it was the first time that I’ve ever done a cliff jump which I didn’t expect to become a battle with myself as I struggled to do the activity despite wanting to do it. But eventually, I was able to conquer my doubts and landed smoothly and successfully into the water after 30 minutes of contemplating.
There’s also an uncrowded and quiet beach near this jumping site for people who prefer to chill and lounge under a palm tree instead.
I realized that we really had a good and fun time on the island when we took a look at the time and noticed that four hours has already gone by since we stepped on the place, prompting us to make our way back to our boat so we can reach Bantayan Island before sunset and officially ending our second day of the tour.
Downtown Santa Fe
We weren’t able to explore the island’s downtown area until the end of our island hopping tour and when we needed to grab dinner and buy souvenirs before going back to Manila.
Our first agenda upon reaching the town center was to drop by Santa Fe Public Market as one of my friends needed to buy dried fish for her souvenir. Contrary to most markets in the country, Bantayan Island has a small dry public market that consists of a handful of stores that sell everyday food and essentials. Nonetheless, upon visiting, we realized that the prices of dried goods here are not that different from the ones offered in Taboan Market in Cebu City despite being one of the sources of this local delicacy.
A stone’s throw away from Santa Fe Public Market is the handful of stores and restaurants lined up along A. Batobalanos Street which is also the home of the well-known dining hotspot in the area, MJ Square. Upon exploring this stretch, I realized how different and commercialized this part of the island is as it is brimming with bars and people signifying its lively nightlife. I actually ended up buying my obligatory ref magnet here for ₱35 in one of the souvenir shops. For our last dinner on the island, we dropped by at Coucou Bar Hotel and Restaurant which turned out to be a mediocre experience for us.
Itinerary
For our whole trip, here’s the actual itinerary that happened to us in going to and exploring the island of Bantayan:
A shade darker and a little bit humbled—this was how I left Bantayan Island after one and a half days of experiencing its shores because, aside from receiving my yearly dose of summer sun and sea, I also realized that I shouldn’t have underestimated the beauty of Cebu.
Got your own experience in visiting Bantayan Island? Let’s hear them out in the comments below!
If you also find this post useful, you can support me in creating more travel and hiking guides in the future! Just tap on my Ko-fi or Buy Me a Coffee profile to get started or share this post with your friends or socials for free!
*All prices with asterisks are estimates of items as I couldn’t exactly recall the amount of these.
Read more Philippine destinations!
Any thoughts?