Bantayan Island, Cebu, Philippines — located in the northern part of mainland Cebu, Bantayan Island, along with Malapascua Island, is one of the two major beach destinations in the province of Cebu. The island is famous for its powdery white sand beaches and its rich history and traditions dating back to the Spanish colonial era.
The sunset is like a painting, almost a dream.
Bantayan Overview
As mentioned before in my blog entry about Malapascua Island, Malapascua and Bantayan are the top two places I’d consider for a quick getaway whenever I go to our Cebu office. Both have an amazing vibe, beautiful white beaches, and good food. If Malapascua is hip, independent, and adventurous, then Bantayan is reliable and relaxed. Bantayan is a family-friendly destination. It has the standard sight-seeing and beach itineraries which cater more to Filipino taste. Malapascua’s offering highlights scuba diving which appeals more to an international crowd. Bantayan is the perfect place if you love to just chill by the beach while drinking your piña colada.
- Geography: Bantayan Island is situated at the northern end of Cebu island. It is composed of three municipalities, namely, Bantayan, Sta. Fe, and Madridejos. Bantayan Island is seventy times bigger in terms of land area when compared to Malapascua Island.
- Culture: Since Bantayan is a large island surrounded by coastal areas, locals are mostly agricultural, fishing, and tourism communities. With its history dating back to the Spanish colonial era, influences of catholicism are present in the locals’ way of life.
- Language: For international visitors, we got you. Most Filipinos speak and understand basic English.
- Flights: Cebu has direct flights from other local hubs in the country and some international airports, just check with the airlines. If direct flight to Cebu is not available, take a plane first to Manila (the country’s capital) and then Manila to Cebu. Flights from Manila to Cebu are available throughout the day on airlines such as Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and Air Asia. The flight takes around an hour.
- Transportation: To reach Bantayan Island, you need to ride a bus or van from Cebu City going to Hagnaya Port. Hagnaya Port serves as the terminal for all the barges going to Bantayan Island. The travel time takes around four to five hours, depending on the traffic. The barge takes around 90 minutes from Hagnaya Port to Bantayan Island. Since barges carry all kinds of vehicles, going around the island is easy with jeeps, motorcycles, buses, or motorcycles.
- Activities & Attractions: The island is famous for its smooth powdery white sand beaches located in Sta. Fe and Silion Island (also known as Virgin Island, Hilantagaan Diot, or Pulo Diyot). Other main attractions include Sts. Peter & Paul Church, Omagieca Obo-ob Mangrove Garden, Paradise Beach, Ogtong Cave, German Ruins & Cliff, and Kota Park. During holy week, the island is a popular tourist destination due to its festive way of celebrating the lenten season.
- Food: Aside from the usual Filipino cuisine, there are also some cafes and restaurants that serve international dishes. Bantayan is famous for its dried fish and squid. If you’re bringing home dried fish or squid, make sure it’s vacuum-sealed. Most airlines allow goods with strong odor on airplanes only when it’s vacuum-sealed.
- Hotel & Accommodation: There’s an abundance of hotel and accommodation establishments in the area, however, they tend to be fully booked, so make sure to reserve your accommodations at least a couple of months before your vacation. It helps to use booking sites such as Agoda or Airbnb.
- Tourists: Expect a lot of local and foreign tourists in the area.
- Cellular Network: Smart has a strong 4G LTE signal in the island. Globe has 4G LTE signal but could be intermittent in some areas. For international visitors, you can buy at stalls located at airport arrival exit.
Best Time To Visit Bantayan
- Peak Season: February to May, dry, warmer weather, these are the best months to visit the island. Expect a huge influx of tourists in the island during Holy Week, which unlike other places, has a fiesta instead of fasting (a tradition and a misconception which evolved from the papal permission, allowing people of Bantayan to eat meat). Accommodation rates are also higher and are usually fully booked.
- Shoulder Season: August to January, still within the rainy and typhoon season but could also be sunny. These are the months where you have to check the weather forecast before planning a trip. These are the best months to visit if you want lesser crowd. (Word is, avoid January. It’s particularly rainy during that month.)
- Off-Peak Season: June to July, start of rainy season. Best accommodation deals and lesser crowd but rain could get torrential.
Bantayan Map & Location
Where To Eat & Drink In Bantayan
Bantayan has a decent repertoire of restaurants from local dishes to seafood to a few international cuisines. I would say that it is a little bit behind its neighboring island, Malapascua, in terms of the quality of the offerings. This is pretty understandable since food is relatively cheaper.
★★★☆☆ Chef Panyang, MJ Square
They have a wide range of Filipino cuisine. The ones you would want to eat are the made-to-order seafood dishes. Their menu includes different kinds of fish, shrimps, crabs, squid, and scallops. The food tastes great but much is left to be desired in terms of service and presentation (cleanliness, maybe).
★★★☆☆ Chloe Cafe, Anika Island Resort
The thing with Anika’s restaurant is that the food is either hit or miss. I’d recommend their local dishes such as the seafood and if you are in a group, try the boodle feast. The ambiance is nice and clean.
★★★★☆ Shake Me, MJ Square
A good one and cheap too. The place is famous for its shakes. I also love their fresh fruit juices.
★★★☆☆ Hellas Taverna, MJ Square
They have Mediterranean and local seafood dishes. Their Mediterranean offerings are good but the seafood dishes are somewhat a miss. Nice ambiance and presentation.
★★☆☆☆ HR Music Bar & Native Restaurant
My experience wasn’t good. I felt that their dishes were overpriced and much is left to be desired in terms of quality.
★★★☆☆ La Playa Estrella Beach Resort Restaurant
It wasn’t bad at all. A lot could be improved like the serving size, expanding the menu, and a little fine-tuning of the quality but overall it’s a nice place to eat regularly. Their bar drinks are good too.
| Meal Type | Average Spend Per Person |
| Café, Snack | USD 1 to 4 |
| Fast Food, Casual Dining | USD 2 to 5 |
| Premium Casual, Fine Dining, Buffet | USD 4 to 8 |
| Beer Per Bottle | USD 1 to 3 |
| Cocktail Per Serving | USD 3 to 6 |
| Wine Per Glass | USD 3 to 7 |
| Spirit Per Bottle | USD 16 to 30 |
Flight To Cebu
Mactan–Cebu International Airport (CEB) is the main port for flights in and out of Cebu Province. Regular flights from Manila to Cebu would cost around PHP 1,500 to PHP 4,000 one-way on major airlines such as Air Asia, Cebu Pacific, and Philippine Airlines. Flight from Manila takes around an hour and they are available almost every couple of hours daily. I usually get my round-trip ticket to Cebu for only PHP 3,000. Check Google Flights for your preferred schedule and airline. A smaller airport is also located within the Bantayan Island which services chartered flights. You can check Air Juan for direct flights to the island. See estimated flight hours below.
| Point Of Origin | Estimated Flights Hours |
| Manila, Philippines | 1 Hour, Direct / Nonstop |
| Singapore, Singapore | 4 Hours, Direct / Nonstop |
| Dubai, UAE | 9 Hours, Direct / Nonstop |
| London, UK | 20 Hours, Connecting / With Layover |
| New York, USA | 24 Hours, Connecting / With Layover |
| Los Angeles, USA | 20 Hours, Connecting / With Layover |
| Sydney, Australia | 15 Hours, Connecting / With Layover |
Transportation To Bantayan
From Mactan–Cebu International Airport, you can ride a taxi or Grab Car to North Bus Terminal. It costs around PHP 150.00 to PHP 200.00. At the bus terminal, you can ride a bus or a van going to Hagnaya Port which normally costs around PHP 200.00. The travel time takes around 4 to 5 hours.
At Hagnaya Port, the first boat leaves at 3:00 AM. Boat transfer costs PHP 180.00 and travel time takes around 90 minutes. At the terminal, they collect a PHP 10.00 terminal fee. Upon arrival in Bantayan Island’s Sta. Fe, they will collect an environmental fee of PHP 30.00.
Where To Stay In Bantayan
Hotel and accommodation usually range from PHP 2,000 to PHP 4,000 a night for two. Most accommodations have gorgeous beach fronts so it boils down to location, maintenance, amenities, and services. If you prefer a nice view of the sunrise and lesser crowd, go to the side where Anika is located. For a beach more suited for swimming, go to the side where Kota Beach Resort is located. You can use booking platforms such as Agoda or Airbnb to check prices and book a place.
If you expect to arrive early, ask your hotel if they allow early check-in. Most of the times I visited the island, I’ve been granted early check-in. Once checked in, go ahead and eat breakfast, rest, or chill by the beach until lunch. Most hotels arrange motorcycle rentals for the island tour and boat rentals for the island hopping, just ask your receptionist. Check out some recommended accommodations below.
★★★★★ Anika Island Resort (Check Rates)
Anika, for me, is one of the best places to stay on the island. It has the most beautiful, well-maintained beachfront and its amenities are great. I’ve stayed multiple times at Anika and was never disappointed.
★★★★☆ La Playa Estrella Beach Resort (Check Rates)
La Playa Estrella is still being developed when I stayed there but it shows a lot of promise. They have a nice location, far from the crowd and the amenities I’ve seen could rival Anika.
★★★☆☆ Beach Placid Resort (Check Rates)
Beach Placid Resort is located beside Anika Island Resort. It has the same amazing beachfront but a notch lower in terms of amenities.
★★★★☆ Kota Beach Resort (Check Rates)
The beachfront is not as well-maintained as Anika but it is ideal for swimming. Kota Beach Resort’s location is ideal for watching beautiful sunsets.
★★★★★ Amihan Beach Cabanas Resort (Check Rates)
One place I’ve been wanting to stay at is Amihan Beach Cabanas but it is always fully booked. It has high ratings and amazing reviews from bookings sites and blogs. Let’s just trust that the feedback from multiple platforms is reliable.
| Classification | Price Range Per Night |
| Budget Accommodation | USD 10 to 40 |
| Mid Range Accommodation | USD 50 to 80 |
| Luxury Accommodation | USD 90 to 160 |
Things To Do & Places To Visit
The inner part of the island deserves as much attention as its white beaches. Check the list below of things to do and places to visit on Bantayan Island.
Island Motorcycle Tour
For the island tour, you have three options; rent a motorcycle, hire a tricycle, or avail an organized tour from your hotel. Renting a motorcycle gives you more freedom but of course, you need to drive. Hiring a tricycle or availing of an organized tour gives you convenience but it’s usually more expensive. For this itinerary, we’ll focus on renting a motorcycle since it’s what I did in the past. You can proceed with your island tour immediately after checking in or rest first until lunchtime so you have energy for the activity. Highlighted below are places that I think are a must-see.
Bantayan Island Nature Park & Resort
A resort on a seaside cliff, the property is surrounded by lush forests. There’s also a cave within the premises. If you are into nature, then this place is for you.
Sts. Peter & Paul Church
Sts. Peter & Paul Church is a dose of history. It’s one of the oldest parishes in the country, established in 1580 by Augustinian missionaries. The physical structure has gone through some destruction and rebuilding in the past.
The church contains very detailed ornaments and sculptures. At the museum, there are fascinating relics from the Spanish era. One of them was the actual papal indult, which permits the people of Bantayan to eat meat during Holy Week. According to our guide, this exemption was a result of the island’s livelihood. Most people rely on fish and other seafood for sustenance, so to ensure that people observe tradition (no work) during Holy Week, the church gave this permission. In recent times, it evolved into a more fiesta feel, attracting tourists from all over the country.
We climbed the bell tower which gives a breathtaking view of the island, don’t miss it!
Omagieca Obo-ob Mangrove Garden
Omagieca Obo-ob Mangrove Garden is a picturesque nature park. A PHP 50.00 entrance fee is collected, which goes directly into the maintenance and conservation of the eco-park. There is a restaurant, kayak, and boat rentals for guests. I would recommend visiting the park just before sunset, the sunlight has a deeper yellow tint which gives a dramatic feel to photographs.
Sunset At Paradise Beach & Kota Beach
As the last destination for the island tour, you can choose to watch the sunset at Paradise Beach or Kota Beach. Both are equally beautiful. The sunset sometimes has a deep orange color, which gives the impression that the sky is on fire.
MJ Square
You can have drinks at MJ Square (there are small bars within the area) or you can buy from the store or small groceries and have drinks at the beach, just don’t forget to bring mosquito repellant or lotion.
Sunrise At Sta. Fe Beach
If you are staying at Anika and want to catch a glimpse of a beautiful sunrise, make sure to wake up early. It’s a peaceful and calming experience.
Virgin Island
Have the boat you availed on your first day pick you up at around 9 AM, the perfect time after you’ve eaten breakfast. Most boat rentals start at PHP 1,500 and then go up depending on your headcount. You can also ask your boatman to prepare lunch at an additional cost (If not, you can bring your lunch). It would take around 20 to 30 minutes to reach the island. They will collect PHP 500 entrance fee for the first two guests and then PHP 100 for the succeeding. They also have cottages which you can rent for PHP 300.
You can chill, swim, drink, or eat on the island until around 3:00 PM. Then go back to your hotel to prepare for the next attraction.
Sunset At Kota Park, Madridejos
Once you’re back in your hotel, you need to move fast. The travel time from most hotels to Kota Park is around 30 to 40 minutes since it is on the other end of the island and you need to be there before sunset. Again, you can rent a tricycle or a motorcycle. Take note that Kota Park is different from Kota Beach.
The sunset at Kota Park is like a painting, almost a dream.
Swim & Chill
You can spend your last day just chilling by the beach or go buy some dried fish and squid. Prices of dried goods increase exponentially once they are out of Bantayan. Just make sure to calculate the time you’ll spend traveling back to Mactan International Airport. Based on experience, there is heavy traffic during the afternoon so make sure to allocate at least 6 to 8 hours before your planned arrival at the airport.
Itinerary & Budget
This is just a sample itinerary and budget. Change things up based on your travel style. My pacing is relaxed and I sometimes explore based on my impulses or what I feel like doing on a certain day.
Itinerary For Bantayan
Bantayan Island is meant for a relaxing beach vacation. I’d say a three-day to a full week’s vacation is enough to explore and enjoy the island. Add other destinations to your itineraries such as Ogtong Cave and German Cliff’s & Ruins
| Day | Activities |
| Day 1: Arrival | Flight to Cebu City & Transfer to Bantayan Island |
| Afternoon Beach Bumming | |
| Dinner at Chef Panyang | |
| Day 2: Island Motorcycle Tour | Bantayan Island Nature Park & Resort |
| Sts. Peter & Paul Church | |
| Omagieca Obo-ob Mangrove Garden | |
| Sunset At Paradise Beach or Kota Beach | |
| Dinner & Drinks at MJ Square | |
| Day 3: Virgin Island Tour | Virgin Island Tour |
| Sunset at Kota Park, Madridejos | |
| Dinner at MJ Square | |
| Drinks by the Beach | |
| Day 4: Swim & Chill | Sunrise at Sta. Fe Beach |
| Morning Beach Bumming | |
| Shop for Dried Goods |
Budget For Bantayan
The estimates below are in American Dollars and Philippine Peso and the exchange rates are based on the closing rates at the time of posting. To convert to your home currency, visit this site. The airfare cost assumes that you are flying from Manila and booking mid-range accommodation. There is an ATM on the island but I recommend bringing enough cash to avoid running short if ever the machine goes offline. Bantayan is an economically developed area so you’ll find places on the island to buy your basic needs.
| 4-Day Budget | USD | PHP |
| Airfare | 80 | 4,000 |
| Accommodation | 168 | 8,400 |
| Food, Drinks, & Alcohol | 70 | 3,500 |
| Entrance & Activity Fees | 40 | 2,000 |
| Transportation | 24 | 1,200 |
| Tour Guide & Vehicle Rental | 20 | 1,000 |
| Random Costs & Souvenirs | 40 | 2,000 |
| Total | 442 | 22,100 |
Final Thoughts
Bantayan Island is one of my favorite places to recharge a bit before going back to work.
★★★☆☆ Food
The food is either hit or miss when compared to a more consistent Malapascua.
★★★☆☆ Culture
The unique Holy Week tradition is enough to make Bantayan Island an occasional cultural destination.
★★★☆☆ Nature
A few nature-related activities to give variety to your beach vacation.
★★★★★ Beach, Surfing, & Underwater
White powdery sand but no surfing or remarkable underwater activities as far as I know.
★★★☆☆ Nightlife
Pretty standard during normal days, not as special as the once you’ll experience in Malapascua but I heard Holy Week parties are hardcore.
★★★★☆ Relaxation
Depends on how you plan your itinerary, spending a lazy day just sitting by the beach and basking in the sun is very relaxing.
★★★★☆ Activities
No remarkable underwater activities compared to Coron or Malapascua, but there are many activities you can do within the island. There are no extreme water activities so it’s fairly safe for a family trip and the presence of commercial sea transport makes the island accessible.
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6 Comments
Hello, thank you for this. Definitely helped me in planning my trip!
Enjoy MJ and please make sure to check with the local government of Bantayan for COVID-19 travel requirements and restrictions.
Beautiful beaches!
Indeed! And not as crowded as the other popular beaches in the country.
I totally missed out doing a roadtrip around Bantayan. Did not know there’s more to see than the beaches.
There’s always a next time 🙂