Bantayan is an island in the northern part of Cebu where you can do sightseeing, swimming, cliff-diving, kayaking and even skydiving. You may copy our itinerary good for two days just to maximized your stay in Bantayan Island.
Hagnaya to Bantayan Island and vice versa Passenger Fare
Bantayan Island Ferry Schedule
Day 1: Island Hopping
Normally, the check-in time to any hotel is in the afternoon but we decided to arrive as early as possible on the island just to maximize our time, get loose and relax. We had a sip of coffee in a small store near the entrance of the port and waited for 3-hours to book an island hopping to nearby islands. The booking for island hopping is centralized, you can only book at the Tourism Desk just in the port.
The waiting hours since we arrived so early was so long but it was all worth it as we witnessed the beautiful sunrise and we were the first tourists to take the island hopping tour starting from Hilantagaan Island.
Hilantagaan Island
I was so excited to take my morning dip so I immediately jump off to the water as soon as we set foot on the Hilantagaan Island. The small sandbar was emphasized as the tide was not yet high when we arrived. As I can see from the beach that it is a home to a small fishing village. A number of fishing boats were lining up the shore which reminded me of my hometown. I regretted I wasn’t able to roam around and have some small chat with the villagers. Oh, how I miss my hometown.
Virgin Island
Our next destination was Virgin Island. The name as it suggests, it is like an untouched island with crystal clear turquoise water, wide stretches of very fine white sands, and a very accommodating staff that welcomed us, as we were the first guests to arrive on the island that day.
You can stay on the island for 4 hours. We had a short hike along their little forest as I may see it, and ended up at the perfect spot for cliff-jumping. The water was so clear that they also have a spot for some snorkeling and you can even spot different kinds of fish swimming freely just by soaking in its clear water. It brought out the kid in me as I didn’t feel like getting off the water. The entrance fee for this island is P200 per person.
Cost for island hopping
The island hopping in Bantayan costs P1300 in total, P200 docking fee, P800 for the boat to Virgin island, and an additional P300 for every extra island, Hilantagaan Island. Island hopping can be so cheap if you are a group to divide the cost, so if you are a small group like us (we were 3 in the group) we needed to spare some cash but it was all worth it. We were supposed to add Bilibid lagoon but were too tired jumping off the cliff and swimming so we just went back directly to Santa Fe after Virgin Island to have some rest and prepare for our next adventure.
Our Accommodation
We stayed at Bantayan Summerhouse, a homestay beside VillaCastin Resort for a night. You can book it at AirBnb or through their facebook page. Miss Johanne, the owner of the homestay is very responsive and will go beyond to help you enjoy your stay.
The House
The house is nice, the room is cozy and cute. It is a 2-story house with 1 room and storage on the 1st floor and 2 rooms on the 2nd floor. We booked a small room but it was upgraded by the owner. Thanks to Miss Johanne, we were able to stay on the first floor in the bigger room.
They also have a cozy lounge with chairs, tables, and a hammock where you can meet and chill with other travelers. You can also do barbeque in their place which is perfect for the beach vibes. A shared kitchen is free for guests to use with all the utensils, rice cooker, heater, oven, and refrigerator.
Nearby location and attraction
The location is perfect for those who want to experience living like a local, as it is situated along the local neighborhood but is also just a few steps away from the beach. Kota sand bar is just a walking distance and just a minute drive to some famous attractions such as The Ruins, OMAGIECA Oboob Mangroove where you will find the famous Camp Sawi sign (Camp Sawi is a famous Filipino film, a group of heartbroken individuals who had their retreat in a beach called Camp Sawi, which was originally the Kota Beach Resort).
Video Credit to our friend Jieido.
Night Sleep
I had a good night’s sleep, maybe because I was so tired as I couldn’t sleep the night before and went directly to island hopping. But on the other note, the bed was so comfy with its white sheets which were so important for the hospitality industry according to some experts. The room also has good air-conditioning, an air purifier, and a ceiling fan.
Value for Money
It was a good value for money as it is way less than most beach resorts are charging. Resorts won’t allow their guests to cook their food but in Bantayan Summerhouse we surely can. It only costs P1799 a night for 3, around 600 pesos per person.
Stroll on the beach
In the afternoon, after we were able to recharge, we took a stroll along the shore. Walking from our homestay passing by different resorts such as Villa Castin, Yoonek, Buyong and Kota.
We took some photos with the Kota sand bar and passed by Marlin’s shoreline going to MJ Square to grab some dinner. It was low tide during that time so we just walked along the shore. There are a lot of food choices and restaurants in the MJ Square. We had our dinner at Big Jel’s Restomeat, an unlimited seafood restaurant for P 398. There were also a lot of scallops vendors roaming around the shore, which we tried and bought 3 plastics of scallops for P100. That was so cheap! Few pieces of scallops costs more than 200 pesos at some restaurants in Cebu City.
We planned to chill at the lounge with other guests when we went back to the Summerhouse but we had fallen asleep immediately after hitting the bed. It was such a good night’s sleep.
Day 2
We get up early to have some stroll on the beach. Of course, I still can’t get enough of the sea so I had my morning dip near Kota’s sand bar. It was still low tide that time but I couldn’t resist the sea’s invitation.
After the dip and some photos taken, we head back to our homestay buying coffee and puto along the way. We had our morning coffee in the lounge while preparing to check out. Check out time is 11am but we checked out early and just asked the owner if we can leave our bags in the storage as we may not be able to come back at 11am for check out. Of course, one thing I learned in Japan that we should put into practice is the Japanese mindset of not leaving everything untidy. As guests, we must be responsible to put everything in order, put it back the way it was and not just leave all the responsibility to clean to the caretakers.
Land Tour
You can book transportation ahead, rent a scooter (300 pesos) or bicycle (150 pesos), or even book a trike to tour you around the island (400-600 pesos). We rented a trike and had a tour of some famous spots.
Obo-ob Mangrove Garden Eco-park
Our land tour starts from Obo-ob Mangrove Garden Eco-park also known as OMAGIECA. The entance fee is 50 pesos and an additional environmental fee of 5pesos. It was so calming to walk on the bamboo bridges under the mangrove tunnel. You can find some trivia about mangroves along the walk, take photos on the famous ‘Camp Sawi’ and ‘Camp Wagi’ boards or just chill on their resting place, feeling the ocean breeze which brings inner peace.
Sandira Beach
If the cost of going to Virgin Island or island hopping is too steep for you but you want to feel the same vibes, our next destination- Sandira Beach also famous for its name as Paradise beach is the best beach for you. The entrance fee is 50 pesos for a hidden paradise after an off-road adventure. The road going to this beach is not that bad but it was not developed yet.
The welcome sign is not so welcoming but wait and see until you get to see its hidden beauty. The water is also crystal clear, the sand is very fine and the beach umbrellas lining up the shore are perfect for your beach buddies to relax and just feel the vibes. The sea, sun, and the sand are in perfect harmony with each other. This beach is one of my personal favorites.
The Ruins
One of the famous spots in Bantayan is “The Ruins”. This is the ruin of a house owned by a German citizen who just left due to trauma after being robbed, according to our trike driver who is a Bantayan local. This has been one of the must-see spots in the island. It also has a jumping cliff where you can jump off and enjoy the sea. If you are faint-hearted and jumping off the cliff is not for you, you can take the stairs down the ocean and soak to the clear waters.
Going back to Cebu
As we arrived at the Santa Fe Port, the fast craft to Medellin, Cebu was about to depart. So instead of taking the Ferry, we tried the fast craft which saved us time. They offer an aircon (P325) and a non-aircon ticket but on the same boat. We took the non-air as it is just a 30-45 minutes ride.
At Medellin port, you can take a bus or a van to Cebu City. We opted to take the van to SM Cebu for P300.
Sta. Fe to Medellin Cebu and vice versa Estimated Fare
Fastcraft
Full aircon – Php 325
Student – Php 275
Senior/PWD – Php 230
Child (3-9) – Php 160
Travel time – 45 Minutes
Roro
Regular fare – Php 250
Travel time – 1 Hour
Sta. Fe to Medellin Cebu and vice versa Schedule
Medellin Cebu to Sta. Fe Bantayan
Roro
6:30 AM
10:30 AM
Fastcraft AZNAR
9:00 AM
1:00 PM
Sta. Fe Bantayan to Medellin Cebu
Roro
8:30 AM
4:30 PM
Fastcraft AZNAR
10:00 AM
2:00 PM
Contact Number : 0948 639 1764, 0933 820 4544, 0917 631 9005
Bantayan Island Itinerary 2 days
