Bantayan Island, Cebu – Unravel the 3 municipalities of the island paradise!

Bantayan Island holds some of the best treasures of the province of Cebu. It is endowed with fine white beaches, rich marine resources, and unique cultural practices. This island is also composed of three municipalities, each with their respective charms to offer. Santa Fe will offer you world-class beaches. Bantayan is where you can find most of the island’s cultural practices. While Madridejos will show you the island’s best seafood catches!

This article will show you the true charm of Bantayan Island. It is more than just white beaches, like most of the people think. We will also give you an overview and also give you tips on what activities to do on the island.

How to get there and away

From Cebu, take a bus from North Bus Terminal to Hagnaya Port. There are two types of buses that you can access. The fare of the air-conditioned bus starts at PHP 160.00, while the standard one starts at PHP 140.00. The travel time lasts for an estimation of 4 to 5 hours, depends on the city traffic too.

After the bus, you will then take a watercraft. There are also two shipping lines that are available; the Island Shipping Corporation and Super Shuttle Ferries. The fare starts at PHP 170.00. Travel time usually takes 1 and a half to two hours depending on the current too.

You will then arrive at Sta. Fe Port. Tourists will have to pay thirty pesos before stepping in the island for the development purposes.

The main mode of transportation around the island are tricycle and motorbikes. The minimum fare is P10 depending on how far you want to go. There are also jeepneys and multicabs that go around the island but the trips are limited. Motorbikes (starts from P300/day) and bicycles (starts from P150/day) are also available for rent in most resorts/hotels.

Santa Fe

Santa Fe is the most famous municipality of Bantayan Island. It is where most tourists stay too. Fine white beaches and resorts are situated here too. Multiple bars where people could chill at night are also available here.

One of the activities that you could do is a refreshing walk along the long stretch of white sands shoreline. Also, you could rent a bike on any resort and cycle around the municipality. The municipality is pretty accessible through bike because it is not crowded and traffic is never an issue there too.

You could also do an overnight in a tent in beach fronts. It is a perfect activity for people who love to go stargazing at night. You could also maybe talk with your friends for a little while before ending the day.

The beach areas of Santa Fe also is perfect for its quiet and authentic atmosphere. It is not so crowded and also the company of small fishes and jellyfishes makes your swim more enjoyable! No need to worry about the jellyfishes, they ain’t poisonous, they’re very cute too.

You could also visit the cliff at the tip of the municipality. Many go there for a jump and some just go there for the picture taking.

All in all, the municipality is amazing with all its crystal clear waters and relaxing aura.

Bantayan

The municipality of Bantayan is the largest among the three. It is also where the locals from the three municipalities meet to buy goods and other products. It is the central area of the island where products and other goods are amalgamated. One can find a variety of products in their market; like clothes, seafood, delicacies, groceries and more. The market is pretty big and clean too.

The Parish of Saints Peter and Paul is also a famous tourist destination due to its cultural significance. Their practice during holy week is often misunderstood as their fiesta because of their glamorous atmosphere. This has been the general impression about the island’s celebration of the passion and death of Jesus. But to the Bantayanon, this is the way they celebrate Lent.

OMEGEICA is also one of the best attractions that you can find in the municipality of Bantayan. It is a declared eco-tourism destination. OMEGEICA is an income generating organization of the locals. They offer kayaking, swimming and sightseeing activities too. Their main attraction is the sustained mangrove forest. They also have their own restaurant which is located just right at the entrance of the forest.

Maia’s Beach Resort is one of the famous resorts of the island. If you want to stay in a quiet area, this resort is perfect too. Though they are not a beachfront resort, still they also have billiards, karaoke and swimming pool. Their area is also full of lovely plants that is a perfect background for picture taking.

Madridejos

Madridejos stores rich marine edible resources because it is located just beside the Visayas Sea. Though they are growing slowly economically, they still also have their own charms that you should witness.

Lawis was the last name of the municipality. It is the barangay which stores one of their tourist destination, Kota Park. Kota is a Filipino word which means “Fort”. It is where they look out for Moro invaders and give signal through playing the “Budyong”. A budyong is a musical instrument with a short length of bamboo with both sides open.

Today, locals made the fort a park and into a tourist destination. Sadly, it was severely damaged by the super typhoon Yolanda last 2013. Now, the locals are still reinforcing and beautifying the park but are still open to the public.

List of Hotels in Bantayan Island

Kota Beach Resort
Sugar Beach, Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island
Contact No: +63-32-4165013 [Cebu City Office] / +63-32-4389042 [Santa Fe]
Email: kotabeach@gmail.com

Maia’s Beach Resort (Non-beachfront)
Basawon, Sulangan, Bantayan
Contact No: +63918-5714297 / +63917-6358612
Email: maia.becker@gmx.de