Bantayan Travel Guide
Hi there! 👋 I’m Benj Tupas and welcome to another Philippines Travel Guide where I write DIY and budget-friendly guides on how to travel to all 82 provinces of the Philippines!
For today’s guide, let’s explore Bantayan in the province of Cebu!
If you have any questions, you may message me on Facebook. 😍
My 25 Best Travel Essentials
Summary
I've been to Cebu around 10 times (a mix of speaking engagements and leisure with family).
I've also explored all of Cebu's prime tourist spots such as Temple of Leah, Sirao Garden, Simala Shrine, Whale Shark Watching, Tumalog Falls, Kawasan Falls, and Badian Canyoneering.
Bantayan Island is a great destination if you want to avoid the crowd of these prime locations.
I explored Bantayan for about a week to explore more restaurants, cafes, and to enjoy the island life. If I were to do it again, this will be my new and compressed 4-day travel guide to save money and time.
Day 1: Travel to Bantayan and Food Trip
🚙
Grab to NAIA Terminal 3
✈️
Flight to Mactan Cebu International Airport
🚗
Book a Grab going to North Bus Terminal
🚌
Bus or van going to Hagnaya Port
⛴️
Ferry to Santa Fe, Bantayan (Book Here)
🛵
Tricycle to accommodation
🏠
R & D Island Lodge (Book Here)
🥄
Bantayan Burrito at MJ Square
🍦
Twisted Ice Cream at MJ Square
Day 2: Island Tour
☕
Tapa Master in MJ Square
🤿
Hilantagaan Island (Snorkel)
🏝️
Baigad Beach Lagoon
🏝️
Virgin Island
🥄
Late-lunch at Tiki Bar in MJ Square
🥄
Dinner at Tinderpoint in MJ Square
Day 3: Land Tour
☕
Breakfast at Panyang
⛪
Bantayan Church
🌳
Omegieca Mangrove Garden
🏛️
The Ruins
🏝️
Paradise or Sandira Beach
🏊
Ogtong Cave
🏝️
Santa Fe Sanbar
🥄
Dinner and drinks at Panyang in MJ Square
Day 4: Go Home
☕
Breakfast at World Touch Cafe
🛵
Tricycle to port
⛴️
Ferry to Santa Fe, Bantayan (Book Here)
🚌
Bus or van going to North Bus Terminal
🚗
Book a Grab going to Mactan Cebu International Airport
✈️
Flight to NAIA Terminal 3
🚙
Grab to home
Island and Land Tour:
📱 Kuya Junie: +639508131135
Expenses Breakdown: P15,910
✈️ P2,675 - Flight with Cebu Pacific (With SuperPass)
🛖 P4,000 - R & D Island Lodge (Book Here)
🛵 P4,250 - Island and Land Tour
Day 1: P1,740
P300 - Grab
P299 - Bus
P150 - Lunch
P350 - Ferry
P50 - Tricycle
P470 - Burrito
P120 - Twisted Ice Cream
Day 2: P945
P200 - Breakfast
P290 - Lunch
P455 - Dinner
Day 3: P780
P175 - Breakfast
P150 - Lunch
P455 - Dinner
Day 4: P1,520
P370 - Breakfast
P50 - Tricycle
P350 - Ferry
P150 - Lunch
P299 - Bus
P300 - Grab
My 25 Best Travel Essentials
Day 1: Travel to Bantayan and Food Trip
🚙
Grab to NAIA Terminal 3
✈️
Flight to Mactan Cebu International Airport
I only paid P2,675 for my round trip ticket via Cebu Pacific with Super Pass
🚗
Book a Grab going to North Bus Terminal
- Fare: P300
- You can also ride a taxi or a bus going there. Just ask the guard at the exit.
🚌
Bus or van going to Hagnaya Port
- Fare: P299
- The North Bus Terminal is just beside SM Cebu so you can eat first before the long ride or eat at the bus stop.
🥄
Lunch at a bus stop
- Mostly pinoy food
- I ordered puso (a local rice wrapped in leaves) with BBQ for around P150
⛴️
Ferry to Santa Fe, Bantayan
- Fare: P350
Important Reminders:
⏱️
It's a 5-hour trip from the North Bus Terminal to Hagnaya Port to Sta Fe so bring your headphones and ready your shows on Netflix.
🥄
Don't worry about the food and bathroom breaks, there's a bus stop midway and before you board the ferry.
🛵
Tricycle to accommodation
- Fare: P50
- It's only a 15-minute walk to R & D Island Lodge if you don't have a luggage
- I went here in one of my morning runs
🏠
R & D Island Lodge
Great location:
- Just beside of MJ Square, the central place for restaurants and bars.
- 1-minute walk away from Sta Fe Beach
- 8-minute walk away from Kota Beach
- 15-minute walk away from the port
- With table and chairs, towels, a clean bathroom, and aircon
- Only P1,000 per night
🥄
Dinner at Bantayan Burrito in MJ Square
- Their burrito tastes really good!
- Sample order: 12-hour smoked beef brisket (P320) and calamansi juice (P150)
🍦
Twisted Ice Cream at MJ Square
- Home made ice cream
- Sample order: Strawberry Lady (P120)
Just chill so you'll have energy for your tour.
Before we go to Day 2 and 3, I booked the island and land tours with Team Bantayan Island days before the trip.
I paid only P4,250 for both tours. It was really cheap for exclusive and solo tours. The cost of living there is also really cheap.
Thanks to Kuya Junie (+639508131135) of Team Bantayan Island for being an awesome driver and guide, for taking my photos, for following my custom itineraries, and for keeping my gadgets safe while I'm enjoying the activities. ❤️
My 25 Best Travel Essentials
Day 2: Island Tour
☕
Breakfast at Tapa Master in MJ Square
- Start early to beat the crowd
- Sample order: Tocilog with brewed coffee for P200
🛵
Pickup and Hire a Boat
- Someone from Team Bantayan Island will pick you up from your accommodation
- Since this is a solo trip, a habal was assigned to me
- They will also organize the boat for the island hopping tour
🤿
Hilantagaan Island
- First destination of the island tour
- Beautiful underwater world for snorkeling
🏝️
Baigad Lagoon
A river meets the sea with comfortable and decent beach chair
🏝️
Virgin Island
I've been to Boracay twice and I can firmly say that Virgin Island is a close competitor with its white sands and clear waters
If you want fewer people, go to the back part of the island, where you'll pass by the famous cactus trail and can sketch your name.
You can also do 10ft, 20ft, and 30ft jumps
🥄
Late Lunch at Tiki Bar in MJ Square
- The tour will most likely end at around 02:00PM
- My suggestion is to buy snacks before the tour
- There are grocery stores and bakeries just outside of R & D Island Lodge
- I order calamares (P180), rice (P25), and mango shake (P85)
🥄
Dinner and drinks at Tinderpoint
Sample order: baby back ribs (P380), rice (P25), and beer (P50)
My 25 Best Travel Essentials
Day 3: Land Tour
☕
Breakfast at Panyang in MJ Square
- Wake-up early to beat the crowd
- Pancake (P125) and coffee (P50)
⛪
Bantayan Church
Beautiful church with a beautiful mural
🌳
Omegieca Mangrove Garden
You can find the famous sign from the movie Camp Sawi with Yassi Pressman, Bela Padilla, Arci Muñoz, Kim Molina, and Sam Milby
🏛️
The Ruins
You can jump from the cliff here
🏝️
Paradise Beach and Ogtong Cave
These are separate places. I just ran out of photos. 😆
🏝️
Kota Beach
If you still have the energy, go to Kota Beach.
🥄
Dinner and drinks at Panyang in MJ Square
- Sample order: garlic shrimp (P280) with rice (P20)
My 25 Best Travel Essentials
Day 4: Go Home
☕
Breakfast at World Touch Cafe
- Aesthetic and work-friendly cafe with plugs and wifi
- They serve all day breakfast, sandwiches and wraps, soups and salads, main courses, and pastries.
- Sample order: Westen Omelette for P210 + Large Iced Latte (P160)
🧺
Coin Laundry Plus Cafe
- If you're staying longer, try this laundry and cafe
- Very affordable rates per kilo and fast. You can get your clothes after 1 hour.
- I was traveling continuously during this time so I need to wash my clothes.
Go home! Get ready for the 5 to 6-hour trip. 😆
Please see the rates on the summary above.
If you still have time and energy, you can stay overnight in Cebu City! Do a day tour to visit Sirao Garden, Temple of Leah, and Rico's Lechon.
🚗
Book a Grab going to Mactan Cebu International Airport
✈️
Flight to NAIA Terminal 3
🚙
Grab to home
My 25 Best Travel Essentials
Thanks for reaching this far!
👋
Say hi on Facebook if you have any questions about the guide
🗓️
Travel dates: October 23 to 27, 2022