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Demystifying Bantayan Island Jan 4-10, 2017

Demystifying Bantayan Island

GPS waypoint: 11°09'39.9"N 123°48'21.8"E
Location Google Map: Bantayan (municipality), Cebu (province), Philippines

Word on the Travel Route
Bantayan keeps getting mentioned by local travellers I bump into. Despite my repeated and long stays in Cebu City, I never got the chance to visit. From Gigantes Island, I saw on the map that Bantayan wasn't too far away. I abandoned my quest to circumnavigate Panay and instead headed for this isolated island north of Cebu.

Arriving Bantayan
The boat left Estancia at 9am and arrived shortly after 1pm in Bantayan Port. The 4-hour ordeal was nauseating at times when there were swells. Bantayan Island is made up with 3 municipalities - Bantayan Proper, Sante Fe and Madridejos. Normally, travellers arriving at Bantayan Proper take the jeep or tricycle to Santa Fe. Santa Fe is where all the action takes place - beach resorts, wifi, restos and traveller community. Not feeling rushed, I decided to stay a night in Bantayan Proper first, to find out what life there is like.

Demystifying Bantayan Island
beach life at North Ville Beach Resort

Bantayan Proper
There were no big hotels in Bantayan proper. Finding wifi was only by accident - at an obscure Batchoy place! The only cafe is town was Kermit's, but even that didn't have wifi. Trisikad (pedal-powered tricycle) is cheap at P5/ride. The small lodging places were charging P500 for a fan room. But Island Hotel and Sacred Heart, both near each other, charge as low as P250/room. Island would be my home for the night. I tried looking for oyster places, but there were none. Now, I could understand why travelers don't stay in Bantayan proper.

Santa Fe
First thing the following day, I took the tricycle ride to Santa Fe (P25). It's a fairly established tourist destination with its long and wide white sand beach...make that fine white sand, as in Boracay-fine! The beach itself is lined by an array of resorts ranging from spartan to luxurious. Ground-zero in Santa Fe is near the church. All the restos and bars are concentrated here and this is where the night life happens.

Night Life
Santa Fe has a vibrant night life along the main drag near the church. Live music is available at Bavarian Beer Garden / Randy's Grill with popular hits, acoustic at Caffe del Mar and rock classics at Blue Ice Bar. Pizza places, lechon manok carts and European cuisine are offered by a diverse array of restos. The place enjoys a healthy mix of transient travelers and local tourists.

Expat Denizens
Bantayan enjoys a regular crowd of expats who chose the island as home. They have their own community and bars to chill with. Mostly, they are senior expats with young Filipina girlfriends/wives - much like most of the country's small cities (e.g. Dumaguete). They bring with them capitalization and expertise when they put up resorts, restos and bars. This cultural fusion brings its own dynamics that the town is already too familiar with ranging from tolerance to embrace.

Homeless Again
I was back to my usual quagmire upon arrival. Where do I stay? As usual, I pounded the beaches talking to resort-staff seeking audience with the owners. I don't waste time making the proposal to non-decision makers. My program is viable, unique and powerful. The question is, will I get to talk to the decision makers? That has always been the challenge.

North Ville Beach ResortNorth Ville Beach Resort
Fortunately, I came upon North Ville Beach Resort and talked to the owner. It was serendipitous. The owner was at a pivotal point to make major steps requiring what I was offering. It was a good fit.

My a/c room was very comfortable, just steps to the beach. The resort has an alfresco beachside resto with wifi making it the coolest place to do some online stuff or surf the web. The place is not glitzy but it's got the basic amenities to make life comfortable. Best part is by the beach on lounge chairs on the groomed fine white sand.

Typhoon Auring
Nothing more gloomy than being in a beach resort when a typhoon is brewing - no sun but cold wind, rain and foreboding sky. Not exactly ideal beach weather. 2 days in a row, I was inside my hotel room as the boat trip for the mainland has been cancelled. It's a good thing North Ville has amenities to while away the time - wifi and cable tv. With the typhoon lifting up, I could finally leave Bantayan Island after 6 days.

Ending Thoughts
Bantayan Island is a beautiful destination given its fine long white sandy beaches. The addition of an expat community, night life, restos, bars and resorts lend itself to being home as well to those looking for a slice of paradise away from the (city).

--- Gigit (TheLoneRider)
YOGA by Gigit Yoga by Gigit | Learn English Learn English | Travel like a Nomad Nomad Travel Buddy | Donation Bank Donation Bank for TheLoneRider



Next stop: Virgin Island

I was seated next to a big noisy engine it was deafening. My construction ear muff helped keep my sanity we didn't dock. A small dingy took us to port reaching the Bantayan Port scallops are bountiful at the Bantayan market
P40 shaven head roadside barbeque, P40 chicken leg pedicabs are popular and cheap - P5 for a short ride but they go up P20 at night some resorts can be luxurious and stunning
live music at Randy's Grill every Wed and Thur meeting the salesmen of Ila Erna biscuits. They gave me a handful of samples. Thanks guys this serving of cooked scallops at P35 from a walking vendor beach life at North Ville Beach Resort
night life at town center a refreshing coldie as I listened to the band community parish Bantayan under the weather with a typhoon hitting the country

Bantayan FYI / Tips

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Bantayan Cost Index

(US$1 = Php 49.58 as of Jan 6, 2017)
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Google Map Bantayan Island, Cebu, Philippines

tourist attractions in Bantayan tourist attractions
  • Virgin Island in Bantayan Virgin Island - island with marine sanctuary, P250/pax entrance fee for first 2 pax, then P100/pax
  • St. Peter and Paul Church in Bantayan St. Peter and Paul Church - built in June 11, 1580, it is claimed to be the first and oldest parish established in Cebu
  • Paradise Beach in Bantayan Paradise Beach - stretch of white sand beach on the south east of Bantayan Island
  • Omagieca Obo-ob Mangrove Garden in Bantayan Omagieca Obo-ob Mangrove Garden - mangrove forest, P25 entrance
  • Fort of Kota Park in Bantayan Fort of Kota Park - fort built in 1790 with limestone, coral and eggs!
hotels in Bantayan beach resorts

Bantayan, Cebu Blogs by TheLoneRider

  1. Visiting Virgin Island, Bantayan Jan 7, 2017
  2. Demystifying Bantayan Island Jan 4-9, 2017
Suggested Destinations in Cebu
  1. Camotes Islands - caves, beaches
  2. Cebu City - rich in culture and history, 2nd largest city in the Philippines
  3. Moalboal - amazing coral reef system, sardine bowl, deep drop-off for freediving
  4. Oslob - Butanding (whale shark) watching
  5. Bantayan Island - long stretch of fine white sand beach, Virgin Island for snorkeling
  6. Malapascua Island - divers' paradise for seeing the rare Thresher Shark
  7. Cantabaco Cave - Toledo
  8. Barile Waterfalls - Barile
  9. Whale Shark Tour - Oslob
  10. Carcar - chicharon and lechon in public market

Reader Comments:

Marila Castro-PabloMarila Castro-Pablo
(Jan 12, 2017) Maganda dyan! I miss Bantayan! Friendly ang mga tao

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