2025 Bantayan Island Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in May)

Bantayan Island Cebu is an excellent spot for relaxation with its exquisite beauty. It has white sands, clear blue beaches, tranquil mood, and hospitable people. Truly, locals and foreign tourists alike have sought for this hidden gem! Thus, if you make right choices, you can enjoy Bantayan Island at an affordable cost. If you wish to get to Bantayan Island Cebu at a favorable time, get to North Bus Terminal between 5:00 AM to 7:00 AM. There are many buses (with airconditioner or without airconditioner) you can board to transport you to Hagnaya Port. However, the most recommended bus would be Ceres (Yellow) Bus. It would cost P 170. Also, at the North Bus Terminal, you may opt for a van. The van would cost P100 higher than the Bus’. After all, you have just had a lengthy travel to Bantayan Island Cebu. Thus, you can just wear your swim attire and dip in the refreshing, cool waters. Since the water has pure sands (not rocks or mud), you can take pleasure in water dipping or swimming. You can enjoy this until dusk. During dusk, the place becomes romantic. Lovers can walk by the shores during this time.#staycation #foodie #awesomepic #beachlife #summervacation

Paradise Beach Bantayan, also known as Sandira Beach, is one of the best beaches on the island and a must-see during your visit to this incredible destination in North Cebu! I spent around 1-hour or so enjoying the idyllic vibes at Paradise Beach Bantayan and have put together this complete guide which includes where it’s located, how much it costs to visit, and what to expect when you arrive. Paradise Beach can be found on the southeastern coastline of Bantayan Island. When you arrive at Paradise Beach, there is a small tourist office where you will have to pay the 50 pesos entrance fee before continuing down to the beach. The tourist office also sells snacks, drinks, and other small items that you can purchase to take down with you to the beach and potentially have a picnic along the shoreline.#awesomepic #foodie #beachlife #summervacation #mytripvlog

I have lived all over the world and traveled to many of the beaches. Presently, I would rate White Beach one of the best. What makes the beach so special is that it is so big and you can walk or swim out and any where you touch bottom it is white powdery sand. If you like the beach scene and people watching, the middle of the beach is great. But if crowds make you nervous then at the ends there is plenty of empty beautiful sand. It makes me feel goo just to think about it. #barocayisland #philippines #partyfun #travel

Who wouldn't love to go to a very relaxing, budget and nature friendly resort like the Bantayan Island Nature Park and Resort!! All the amazing amenities that you need are here plus there was a huge cave that has crystal clear water, ready to swim by many locals & tourists! Also, the statue of Sr. Santo Niño was also seen inside the cave. ☺️ As you arrived inside the resort, many animals were seen plus there was also a fish spa where you can relax and enjoy! a huge swimming slide was also there, restaurants, unique colorful benches and a long wide swimming pool! you will surely enjoy your time here with your family and friends!! very recommended indeed!!! 💖🥰🥰🥰 #staycation #beachlife

Located in Bantayan Island which is renowned for its white-sand beaches, Santa Fe Beach Club is undoubtedly one of the places you should visit! Bantayan Island may be small compared to Cebu, yet it is home to a few of the best beach resorts in the province! One of the must-visit beaches is Santa Fe Beach Club, which is just a 10-minutes of walk or a 5-minute tricycle ride from the Santa Fe Port. Warm white sand welcomes you the moment you step into the resort! While white sand beaches are common in Cebu, it’s not so often you can find one with pristine and immaculately clean sand.

Starting from Cebu City, you can take a bus in the Cebu North Bus Terminal bound to the Hagnaya Port. This is the port where ferries that can take passengers to the island take off. Travel time of the bus is around three hours where average fare for each head is P180 for air-conditioned buses and P150.00 for non-air-conditioned ones. Most buses bound to Bantayan have rides as early as 4AM, with last trips at 5PM. Once you’re in Hagnaya Port, you can catch a public ferry to Santa Fe, where the ferry ride is estimated an hour travel time and has P200 approximate fare per head. Ferries from this port depart as early as 7AM and with last trips at 5PMl

Anika island resort is one of the best resort in Bantayan Island in Cebu. It is Sta. Fe's newest resort destination. A 7,000 square meter property with 40 distinctively custom appointed container van accommodations set amid the lush tropical greenery of the resort town of Sta. Fe, Bantayan capturing the expansive white sand beach, refreshing crystal clear waters and breathtaking sea views. #cebu #itsmorefuninthephilippines #beaches #bantayan

We were staying at budyong next door but kept coming here for halo halo every afternoon. The halo halo is okay, and the ingredients were different one day and different on another but it was a great way too cool off. We loved the ambience. Food takes a very long time to be served, even just the young coconut juice. We had breakfast here on our 2nd day. 5the food took 45min to an hour to be served. We ordered pancakes and the filipino breakfast. The banana pancakes and mango pancake were especially good. The filipino breakfast however was served cold. When we sent back our food to be heated, it took them another 30-45 min to get them back, but still it wasn’t hot enough. The eggs and tapa were warm at best and the rice was neither hot nor cold. The tapa was not at all what i expected it to look and taste - it was tapa-ish but not really tapa. I wished I ordered the pancakes instead. The resto staff did not seem very friendly and we had a hard time calling/ getting their attention and when we needed something we had to walk over to the counter. Overall this is an okay place to eat if you’re not picky or particular about having food served hot. The ambience is good. I would still eat here, but would be picky with what i order. #bestislandtraveltowns#culturalattractions#beaches

Bantayan Island is an off-the-beaten-path tourist destination in Cebu and is said to be the Boracay of the south! There are so many awesome things to do in Bantayan Island including white sand beaches, saltwater lagoons, mangrove boardwalks, cave pools, old ruins, skydiving, and island hopping, to name a few. The 4-hour bus ride to Bantayan Island from Cebu City can get cold too because of the air-conditioning unit, so a scarf and light jacket is advisable as hand-carry while traveling. I recommend renting a bicycle to explore the island.

#omagieca #ecopark #mangroves #bantayan #summervacation#hikingtrails#urbanexplorer OMAGIECA💥 A nice two-hour adventure on Bantayan Island is the Obo-ob Mangrove Eco Park. The eco park has a bamboo walkway through the mangroves which makes for a refreshing stroll with good photo opportunities. You can also go kayaking or take a tour of the mangroves on a small boat. OMAGIECA's RESTAURANT The Eco Park has a restaurant right on the water which makes for a cool atmosphere while you dine. Park Entry amd Fees Adults – 50 pesos Students and Children – 20 pesos Kayaking – 150 pesos Boating – 350 pesos How to get there? From Santa Fe, travel on Santa Fe – Bantayan Road toward Bantayan Municipality. Pass under the “Welcome to Bantayan” sign and start looking for Obo-ob Road on your left. Turn left on Obo-ob Road. There are a couple of signs there that mention the eco park. The Mangrove Eco Park will be down on your right or you can check-out in the google map.

Westdell Mini Park amd Resort is located in Barangay Oboob in a beautiful island of Bantayan. It is a restogrill with a miniresort ambiance. Looking for a safe place to chill out? It is a perfect place to go with friends and families. The place is monitored by CCTV amd they have 24/7 security guard on duty. And hey, THERE IS NO ENTRANCE FEE! Yay! They are a restaurant so if you go there eat, drink and chill only.. you only need to pay what you ordered. But we need to pay if we wanna use there pool. FREE VIDEOKE! NO ENTRANCE FEE! Sing your heart out or enjoy the tranquil ambiance of Westdell Minipark Resort!❤️ Enjoy affordable food & drinks! RH Litro for only 99 pesos only Mucho king 89 pesos only FREE VIDEOKE!🎤 So it's your time to shine!☺️ #summervacation#beachvacation#hikingtrails#hotelstay#urbanexplorer

Located in the northern part of Cebu in Bantayan Island. This resort is really a great place for vacation and relaxation. Powdery white sand and prestine turquoise water best showcased here. Lovely beach front with a great view of the sunrise. I appreciate the staff and how they keep the place clean. Highly recommended place! #summervacation #itsmorefuninthephilippines #summervacation#beachvacation#hikingtrails#hotelstay#urbanexplorer

Such a wonderful place where you can enjoy their beautiful white sand beaches! And the people are are very friendly 😍 #easylife#seasidephotoguide#naturalwonders#summervacation#beachvacation

This place is amazing! it has the longest stretch of beach in the island. Placid also has an open air restaurant with a bar that features Free Videoke provided you purchase some drinks while enjoying singing. If you are shy, then you can just listen while sipping your favorite drink somewhere at the corner. Placid resort also offers one of the best beach accommodations for your perfect holiday’s rest. #summervacation#beachvacation#hikingtrails#hotelstay#urbanexplorer

Kota Beach Resort is a facility established on this tropical white beach area of Bantayan Island, Cebu Province. It is known for its curve-shaped white sand shoreline making it great for swimming and other fun beach activities. The resort is specially located on a vast beach stretch with a fantastic sand bar that metamorphoses every day.At Kota’s location, you have the beautiful lagoon, sandbar, surreal eight shades of blue sea with a background of dancing coconut trees. The staffs were accommodating and warm! Our stay here was my most memorable trips ever! #urbanexplorer #summervacation #summervacation#beachvacation#hikingtrails#hotelstay#urbanexplorer

KOTA BEACH with & Mini Sandbar (Resort Hopping) when you vidit the place, there’s an entrance of P50 per head among visitors who are not checked in. But this can be waived when you eat in their restaurant. And sometimes, some staff are generous enough to allow guests to enter with no entrance fees and let them enjoy the beach. With or without the entrance fee, you will never regret visiting this paradise. Because surely, your Bantayan experience won’t be complete without this. location: F. Duarte St, Santa Fe, Cebu #urbanexplorer #summervacation #urbanexplorer #hotelstay #beachvacation #summervacation#beachvacation#hikingtrails#hotelstay#urbanexplorer

1.1) BOOK A HOTEL IN ADVANCE (1 month) and GET A CHEAPER PRICE - this for me, is not recommendable as border controls, local government policies of your origin and destination and hotel policies changes from time to time depending on the number of Covid cases in the area. Make sure to take screenshot of the booking. (1.2) BOOK A HOTEL 1 WEEK OR DAYS BEFORE THE TRAVEL DATE - this is what we did since there was a storm and i was skeptical if i will push through thr trip or not kay checkpoint in Bogo was suuuuper strict. (intense) According to my research, gi tangtang na ang checkpoint After booking a hotel, (2.) CONTACT THE HOTEL - don't wait for them to contact you. If possible, book directly to their website NOT on Booking Apps. Example: We booked Kota Beach - we exchanged Emails and normally they will ask for payment first to secure your booking. Since I was skeptical, I didn't pay and asked if we could pay cash once we check in, they refused. Two days before the travel date, they emailed me back said they will reserve a room for us and i could pay when i get there. They will ask for (3.)VALID IDS, we gave passport (Brgy. Bantayan, USA) Visa nalang kuwang. 😂 You will SEND a picture of YOUR GOVERNMENT IDs to them and they will be the one who will contact Sta. Fe Tourism. After one day, they will send the (4.)QR CODE. This QR CODE IS YOUR A MUST UPON ENTERING STA FE. No QR CODE, labay kas dagat. 😂😂 Again, it's the hotel who will process this and send it before the travel date. Should you wish to transfer hotels like we did, you should do all these twice. PS. Make sure to book the accredited hotel/resorts. Not all establishments have the permit to operate. You are also required to bring GOVERNMENT IDs. But now, you have to BRING COMPANY ID AND COE. If you have travel pass, quarantine pass, judt bring them too (for border checkpoints purposes) (5.) FACE MASK AND FACE SHIELD #uniquehotel #maydaytrip #urbanexplorer

Bantayan Island We never had the chance to celebrate birthday and anniversaries, achievements for a long time plus this trip was really for me to find healing and clear my thoughts and enjoy because we missed so much from the outside world. Budget: 2000php - Fare Cebu - Sta Fe Vv 2 persons (estimate) 300php- taxi north bus to apartment VV 650php - Tour + Tip 5000php - food 😂 4500 - hotel and airpufier 1000 - other expenses plete, junkfoods, beer, tip ----- total is divided by 2 persons #bantayan #travellocal #maydaytrip #urbanexplorer #urbanexplorers

Perfect place to unwind especially now we are stressed about the situation today. Just be safe always wear mask and keep your distance. Leave no trace just enjoy and appreciate the beauty of nature. #holidayvacation#staycation#tripinspired

Philippines can be a bit overwhelming with the amount of islands to visit, but choosing bantayan Island for holidays couldn't be better. Either jumping from a cliff side, helping the local to get out the boat from the island or relaxing in a local tour, anything is ok. #givethanks

One of the best sunsets I've ever seen in my life. Spending a week here is not enough, maybe moving entirely to this place will make it up. Bantayan Island in Phillipines, a place that you'll never forget and the cocktails in every bar are so cheap you can't imagine. #givethanks

More amazing views from Bantayan Island in the Phillipines, cristal water, white sands, amazing cocktails and wonderful seafood all over the island. Be prepared to experience a special trip to this place. #givethanks

#aprilblooms #localguides Tucked away in Barangay Obo-ob on Bantayan Island, Cebu, the Omagieca Obo-ob Mangrove Garden is a serene eco-park that harmoniously blends environmental conservation with community-driven tourism. Managed by the Obo-ob Mangrove Garden Integrated Ecotourism Conservation Association (OMAGIECA), this lush sanctuary offers visitors a chance to immerse themselves in the island’s vibrant mangrove ecosystem while supporting local sustainability efforts. --- 🌿 What to Expect Bamboo Walkways & Scenic Views: Meander through elevated bamboo paths that wind amidst dense mangrove forests. Along the way, you'll encounter rest stops and photo-worthy spots, including the iconic “Camp Sawi” sign, a nod to the Filipino film partially shot here . Eco Activities: Enhance your visit with kayaking or boating, allowing for an up-close experience of the mangrove habitat. For a nominal fee, you can also participate in fish feeding, adding an interactive element to your exploration . #OmagiecaMangroveGarden #BantayanIsland #EcoTourismL#MangroveConservationo#CampSawic#NatureWalksa#SustainableTravell#CebuDestinations #PhilippinesNatureC#CommunityTourismuisine: Savor authentic Bantayan Island dishes at the on-site restaurant, offering a delightful culinary experience amidst nature . --- 📍 Visitor Information Location: Barangay Obo-ob, Bantayan Island, Cebu, Philippines Operating Hours: Daily from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM . Entrance Fees: Adults: ₱50 Children: ₱20 Cottage Rental: ₱150 for 3 hours . Contact: +63 929 727 8119 . --- 🚗 Getting There From Cebu City: Take a bus or van from the North Bus Terminal to Hagnaya Port (approximately 3–4 hours). From there, board a ferry to Santa Fe Port on Bantayan Island (around 1 hour). Upon arrival, hire a tricycle or motorcycle to reach the mangrove garden, located about 15–20 minutes away . Within Bantayan Island: Tricycles are readily available for hire. Simply inform the driver you wish to go to “Omagieca” or the “Obo-ob Mangrove Garden.” --- 🌞 Tips for Visitors Best Time to Visit: To avoid the midday heat, plan your visit before 10:00 AM or after 2:00 PM. The months of January to April offer the most favorable weather conditions . What to Bring: Wear comfortable footwear suitable for walking on bamboo paths. Don't forget insect repellent, sun protection, and a camera to capture the picturesque scenery. Support Local: Purchasing meals or souvenirs on-site contributes directly to the community's conservation and tourism initiatives. --- The Omagieca Obo-ob Mangrove Garden is more than just a tourist spot; it's a testament to community resilience and environmental stewardship. Whether you're a nature enthusiast, a photography lover, or someone seeking tranquility, this eco-park offers a unique and enriching experience on Bantayan Island.

Could not stress enough how beautiful the island is! Even more, the people are kindhearted and welcoming. Lastly, the seafood are fresh and cooked with rich flavors. #SummerBud #SummerBliss #SummerFun #BantayanIsland #StaFe #Beachfront

#aprilblooms #philippines #historicallandmarks #localguides Bantayan Island is a serene tropical destination located in the Visayan Sea, off the northern coast of Cebu, Philippines. Known for its pristine white-sand beaches and laid-back atmosphere, the island comprises three municipalities: Bantayan (the largest), Madridejos, and Santa Fe (the primary tourist hub) .  🐟 Bantayan’s Famous Delicacy: Dried Fish (Buwad) Beyond its scenic beauty, Bantayan Island is renowned for its dried fish, locally known as buwad. This delicacy is a staple in Filipino cuisine and a popular pasalubong (souvenir) for visitors. The island’s dried fish offerings include:  • Danggit: Dried rabbitfish, prized for its crispy texture and savory flavor. • Pusit: Dried squid, offering a chewy consistency and rich taste. • Fish Tocino: A sweet-cured dried fish variant, combining traditional drying methods with a hint of sweetness .   The best place to purchase these delicacies is the Dried Fish and Vegetable Market in Barangay Suba, located in the town of Bantayan. Here, visitors can find a wide array of dried seafood products, reflecting the island’s rich fishing heritage .  📍 Address Dried Fish and Vegetable Market Barangay Suba, Bantayan Town, Bantayan Island, Cebu, Philippines  🎟️ Admission Entry to the market is free.  🕒 Operating Hours While specific hours may vary, local markets in the Philippines typically operate from early morning until late afternoon. For the freshest selection, it’s advisable to visit in the morning. If you’re planning a trip to Bantayan Island, indulging in its dried fish delicacies offers a delightful taste of local culture and tradition.

#favouriteitinerary Bantayan Virgin Island Day Trip Itinerary 📍 Location: Off the coast of Bantayan Island, Cebu, Philippines 🕒 Best Time to Visit: Dry season (November–May), morning for calmer waters Morning: Travel to Virgin Island • From Bantayan Island, hire a pump boat (banca) from Kota Beach or Santa Fe Port (~30–45 min ride). • Boat rental cost: ~1,500–2,500 PHP (good for groups, negotiable). Midday: Explore Virgin Island 🏝 White Sand Beach – Relax on powdery white sand & swim in crystal-clear waters. 🐠 Snorkeling & Marine Life – Rent gear & explore coral reefs. 🚣♂️ Kayaking & Paddleboarding – Available for rent. 📸 Photo Spots – Famous Virgin Island Sandbar & Bamboo Raft. 🍽 Lunch by the Beach – Fresh seafood grilled on-site (bring cash for island vendors). Afternoon: Optional Side Trips • Sandbar Walks – Depending on tide levels. • Cliff Jumping – For the adventurous! • Relax in Cabanas – Perfect for unwinding before heading back. Evening: Return to Bantayan Island • Take the boat back & enjoy sunset at Kota Beach or dinner in Santa Fe.