Bantayan Island

[tr|n|ty]

since i've already been to boracay (2x!) and puerto galera(2x!) this season, i have just confirmed another exciting beach trip to bantayan island. i'm super excited. bantayan is an island at the northern tip of cebu and it's been quite awhile since i've been to cebu. i've heard so many good things about bantayan and after seeing so many horrendous pictures of boracay this season, i am relieved to have found a seemingly gorgeous alternative. i guess when you get to our age, the hedonistic lifestyle that is boracay gets a little boring and old. you can only get stoned and drunk so much and the boracay waters are fugly with its moss. eek. and who wants a beach filled with the same faces you see on a typical night out in manila?

look at the beautiful beaches of bantayan!!




from what people have been telling me, bantayan is like boracay in the early 90's...without the zooming helicopters, without the spring break-like atmosphere, without the overpriced drinks, without the crazy banners littering the pristine white beaches. sounds like a great place to me. and we also got our package at such a good rate, PhP7,500(USD 136!!!) per person which includes airfare, accomodations(3D/2N), transfers, taxes,tours, daily breakfast and we're staying at kota beach. needless to say, my friends and i are very excited!

any who has been to bantayan already? care to share your experience? things of note? tips? suggestions? anything will be greatly appreciated!

[VersionTwo]

i really love bantayan! my family is from there and my uncle owns Kota beach resort. it's really laid back and the people are super friendly. my favorite place to go is Bantayan town proper. 15 minutes away from Sta. Fe (where the pier is). the usual mode of transportation there is these tricycles that can fit up to ten people. Kota can also arrange transportation if you guys are interested. In Bantayan town, there's a church there that's 425 years old! (one of the oldest i think). When you're in the town, everything is walking distance from the town plaza. there's an ukay-ukay street, and of course the wet and dry market. If you can, try this little pastry shop called Froggy's. yummy!

[ginski]

Trinity, where did you get the P7,500 package? Contact details of the travel agent, please. Thanks.

[tr|n|ty]

ginski-it's actually from a company memo. if you can post me your email or send me a private message, i will send you the office memo sans the private corporate details(the company i work for is the major sponsor of this cebu promotion). i'm not so sure though if it's open to people from outside my company.

[tr|n|ty]

thanks, VersionTwo for all your tips!! really helpful i'm very excited na talaga!!! we'll be going in the last week of may. will post pictures!!

[adlaw]

bantayan island is really beautiful. i have a lot of friends who are native of the island so everytime we go there, free ang accomodations. yay for friends! ahaha.

and true, the beaches are gorgeous! pagdating na pagdating mo pa lang roon you will get awed by the beautiful beach line that will greet you while the ferry boat approaches the island. may time when we went there may bonus pa na rainbow over the island. super wow! you get misty eyed.

maraming choices of beach resorts there na simple lang ang amenities pero nice pa rin kasi nadadaig sa ganda ng beach front. you can try ogtong cave beach resort. they have a cave where you can swim. ang lamig ng tubig at sobrang linis. maganda din ang kota fort. white sand beaches as far as your eyes will take you.

i love it there.

[VersionTwo]

you're welcome! have fun! go beach hopping...heehee... ay onga pala, uso dun ngayon yung skimboarding. try niyo din

[tr|n|ty]

adlaw, ano ba! excited na ako sobra. i've heard nga that sa port palang, ang ganda na ng tubig. whoopeeee!!!!

[orangepink]

been hearing so much about bantayan. could somebody pls tell me how to get there? and where to stay, etc?

[orangepink]

btw, my cousins from cebu told me that madami tao na pupunta sa bantayan and most of the time, these tourists just throw trash anywhere and start bonfires along the beach.

So please kung pupunta tayo, let's keep the beach clean. Sayang kasi pristine white sand daw **** dun and when people start a bonfire, it makes the sand turn black so papangit na.

Let's help save the Philippine beaches! Thanks!

[tr|n|ty]

orangepink-OO NAMAN! i hate it when people leave their crap on the beach..nasisira yung beach. it's one of the most beautiful things about living here in the philippines..all the great beaches. that's why it makes me sad when i'm in galera or bora..there's so much trash(specially in galera)

[adlaw]

trinity, tama rin si versiontwo, try to visit the town proper. the old church is really beautiful.

[salman]

Been to Bantayan a month ago and I was so excited after my trip that I wrote in this site that the place is fantastic. After the euphoria had died down however, I couldn't say the same thing again. It's true that the island is blessed with a powdery sand, green seawater, serenity, etc. but that's all in it. Sadly however, it doesn't have the same magic, nay enchantment, that Boracay in the mid 80's used to have. I think because the island is huge (three towns comprise the island) unlike Boracay.Or maybe because it doesn't have good snorkeling sites. Or maybe because i have been to so many places already that I have become stoic to small delights. But don't get me wrong. The town plaza of Bantayan is fascinating, especially at the time we visited it (around 6 pm). The church and the people of Bantayan are ,imo, the greatest tourist attractions of the place. I think the next big thing is Malapascua.

[cornonthecob]

TRINITY,

I have been to Bantayan in 2002 I spent 7 days there before and during Holy Week. Back then, I noticed that tourist were really scarce. And that sometimes it came to a point that it was boring. People only came in only during Holy Week Weekend. We stayed at Budjong Beach Resort, right beside Kota - were we usually had our breakfast. Well, Kota, I must say is the best resort on that end of Bantayan. I say on that end, coz Batanyan is such a big island.

There were times that the beaches were so empty before Holy Week that we found it scary to swim - dahil nga walang tao. Unforgettable are the restos there, such as D'Jungle which had there fruitshakes witn rum and El Paso, the Thai place that for me had the best Sate sauce And the full moon during good friday that was so big.

Try visiting the underground caves in the area. Tricycle drivers will definitely offer you that destination.

Try eating the Bali-ad, its a cross between an oyster and a mussel, and its big. And guess what, some have pearls which I personally confirmed. So be careful when you chew on it.

And better visit Malapascua too while your at it. Its far but its worth the discovery. The cemetery, which is as old as the island, is a quite unique and a must see. I even so sun bleached bones.

I miss Bantayan. Send me the package details if you may. Pleeez.

[VersionTwo]

Recently lang ata (like the last ten years or so) naging vacation option yung Bantayan (for the general population). It's more of a "rest and relaxation" type of place. Holy Week is the busiest part of the year for the town but other than that, it's quiet. Honestly, I'm hoping that it doesn't become another Boracay.

orangepink: to get to Bantayan, it's a plane ride to Cebu, then a car ride to the northern most point of Cebu (Hagnaya), then a ferry ride to Bantayan. It's kinda tiring but the trip is worth is. Maganda yung view. All in all it's about a 5-hour trip.

[quinone]

kanya-kanya lang talaga yan. yung iba gusto tahimik yung iba gusto magimik na vacation. nung nagpunta kaming bantayan, off-peak & tahimik, i loved it! as if we had the beach to ourselves. for snorkeling sa bantayan ang alam ko lang e yung area near virgin island. visit virgin island, tr|n|ty!!!

[bigbadblue]

Bad trip talaga trabaho - panira sa pag-gimik.

Wanted to go to Bantayan too this month, but the darn work gets in the way.

[ginski]

trInIty, sent you a PM. enjoy your trip to bantayan. thanks.

[tr|n|ty]

ginski, i didnt get any PM

[VersionTwo]

tr|n|ty, i just remembered something. the bath water in the Kota side is kinda brackish. i think it has something to do with the filtration system. don't worry, the water is clean, it's just on the brackish side. use mineral water for brushing your teeth etc.