Bantayan Island in Cebu

If there is one beach spot renowned worldwide in Cebu, it would  be Bantayan Island.

Anika Beach Resort, Santa Fe, Bantayan Island

Summer 2013. I was then on Day 5 of my tour and I just finished touring at Malapascua Island. My last beach spot after visiting, Oslob, Moalboal, Olango Island, Malapascua Island and Camotes Island was Bantayan Beach. I saved the best for last!

How to get there

From Cebu City, you have to go to the North Bus Terminal.

Once there, you have to board a bus going to Hagnaya.

You can choose from either Ceres or Rough Rider.

I've always chosen Ceres as my bus whenever I travel in Visayas or Mindanao.

From either Camotes Island or Malapascua, you can also go to Bantayan Island (I made a separate blog for this)

From Cebu City, travel time is 3 hours. Fare is P150.00 for aircon buses.

But I came from Malapascua Island, so I went back to Don Pedro (intersection of going to either Maya or Hagnaya). I hired a tricycle for P100.00 and went to Hagnaya Port.

There are only 2 shipping companies operating at Hagnaya Port.

Schedule of trips
Super Shuttle Ferry

Hagnaya to Santa Fe
4:00 am, 7:00 am; 8:00 am; 10:30 am; 12:30 pm; 2:30 pm; 4:30 pm

Santa Fe to Hagnaya
6:00 am; 8:30 am; 10:30 am; 12:30 pm; 2:30 pm; 4:30 pm; 6:00 pm

Contact Nos. 
Santa Fe- 0909-258-2875; 0916
                                                                          Hagnaya - 0916-905-2348

For Island Shipping Corporation (the interval of 30 minutes as against Super Shuttle Ferry)

Fare is P170 for ordinary and P185.00 for aircon room. The ro-ro trip is 1 hour only.

After an hour, I reached the Port of Santa Fe in Bantayan Island.

I had no plans of staying in Bantayan due to my tight schedule last summer.

I have to finish this tour in 2-3 hours only.

There are so many resorts in Santa Fe and Bantayan. But I chose Santa Fe only due to lack of time to visit the next town (Bantayan).

I've visited only 6 resorts/accommodations while in Bantayan Island and I'm going to rank them according to the best resort.

1. Anika Island Resort 

Newest and nearest to the port

Room rates
Lowest - P1,750.00
Highest - P3,000.00

Contact nos. - 0917-328-4898; 0922-843-9517

2. Coral Blue Oriental

I love the place. Very cozy and accommodating

Room rates 
Lowest - P5,500
Highest - 9,950.00

Contact nos. - 0912-498-6746; 032-438-9009

3. Santa Fe Beach Resort

Simply amazing!

Room rates
Lowest - 900.00
Highest - P6,000

Contact nos - 032-4389090; 032-438-9107; 0928-778-7770; 0932-541-2954

World-class accommodations

4. Beach Placid

Nearest to the port

Room rates
Lowest - 1,500
Highest - P7,000

Contact nos. - 0917-722-2993; 032-406-5686

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5. Marlin's Beach Resort

Room rates

Lowest - P1,950.00

Highest - P4,900.00

Contact nos. - 0921-760-3857; 438-9093

6. And the last one, Coco Beach

situated in the town proper

It's a bit far from the beach

If there is another thing I love about Bantayan, it's the food! Imagine this squid (which measures 12 inches) was worth P150.00 only. I wanted it grilled but the owner of the restaurant told me that it will take them half an hour to grill it, but only 10 minutes to cook it in Adobo. So I chose the Adobo.

It's Really More Fun in Bantayan Island!!!

LATEST IN BANTAYAN (April 2015)
Ceres Aircon - P200
First trip - 12 am
Last trip 12 noon
boat trip is 3 hours to Hagnaya
boat trips - 3 am - 5 pm


Side trip - WHALE WATCHING IN OSLOB

How to get there

From Cebu City
Option 1 (best option)

Board a flight to Cebu. Then, go to South Bus Terminal. Board a bus (preferably, Ceres) to Oslob. Fare is P155. Travel time is 3 - 3.5 hours or 124 kilometers. Alight at MB Sunrise View Resort. Hire a habal-habal for P140 to Tumalog Falls. Travel time is 10-15 minutes. Trek to the falls is 10 minutes only.

Option 2

Board a flight to Cebu. Then, go to South Bus Terminal. Board a bus (preferably, Ceres) with the signboard Bato via Barili. Fare is P191 (aircon) or P177 (non-aircon). Travel time is 4 - 4.5 hours or 147 kilometers. Alight at Bato Terminal and board another bus going to Oslob.  Fare in the bus is P30 (aircon) or P20 (non-aircon). Travel time is 15 minutes or 16 kilometers. Alight at MB Sunrise View Resort. Hire a habal-habal for P140 to Tumalog Falls. Travel time is 10-15 minutes or 6 kilometers. Trek to the falls is 10 minutes only.

From Dumaguete City

The other one is from Dumaguete City. From the city, ride a multicab bound to Sibulan port (fee is P11.00 only). Then, ride a fastcraft to Santander. The boat trip to Santander is 20 minutes only. Fare is P60.00. Reaching Santander port, ride a bus going to Cebu (the bus is just waiting at the port). The trip to Oslob is 20-25 minutes only. Fare is 60.00 aircon. Then alight at Barangay Tan-awan, Oslob, Cebu.

PLACE TO STAY

There are so many resorts/accommodations in Tan-awan. But I stayed at MB's Sunrise View Resort (one that has the yellow gate). Lodging fee is P800 for non-aircon (negotiable up to P500) and P1,500 for aircon (good for 3 pax). The other resorts are charging P1,500 - P2,000 for aircon.

Contact Nos. - 0906-586-9895 / 0923-297-1176

ACTIVITIES IN OSLOB

Whale watching is the number one activity

Local (Filipinos) -

      Viewing only at the boat - P300.00

      Swimming with the whale shark and snorkerling - P500.00 (life vest and gears   included) 

Foreigners -

      Viewing only at the boat - P500

      Swimming with the whale shark and snorkeling - P1,000.00

Island Hopping - depends on the number of persons (minimum P1,500 - 1-5 pax)

During the island hopping, you can do fish feeding, snorkeling and swimming.

Diving

Foreigners - P3,500

Local - P2,600

Tumalog Falls

Passing in Moalboal

Just came from Oslob, Cebu and was still amazed then by the fact that finally I was able to swim with the "Butanding" or whale sharks. I headed-off to my next destination. It's Day 3 of my Summer 2013 tour and I'm going to MOALBOAL! 

My trip to Moalboal was very timely since the national beach volleyball competion was being held then in Moalboal and I was given the opportunity to be a spectator in one of my favorite sports.

How to get there

From Cebu City, you  have to go to South Bus Terminal and head off to Liloan Port. The trip is 3 - 3.5 hours (99 kilometers) from Cebu City. You will alight at Moalboal, not in Liloan.

There is a direct trip at Librando Bus Terminal near E-mall at Cebu City.

From Dumaguete, you have to go to Sibulan Port (20 minutes from the City) and ride a fastcraft (worth P62.00) to Santander (20 minutes). From the port of Santander, ride a tricycle (P10.00) towards the main highway. Then, in the highway, flag down a bus going to Bato (Fare is P60.00 ordinary bus). From Bato, ride a Ceres bus to Cebu. The trip is almost an hour and alight at Moalboal.

I came from Oslob and I took the second option. From Oslob, I boarded a bus to Bato and then, Bato to Cebu and I alighted at Moalboal.

Reaching Moalboal bus stop (near the Moalboal church), you have the option to choose either a tricycle ride worth P200.00 for 4-5 pax or ride a habal-habal worth P100.00. I chose the habal-habal.

But I hired the habal-habal for P200.00 as my return trip to the town with the condition that he has to give me 2 hours in the beach. The driver agreed.

The trip towards the beach is more or less 15 - 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, I reached the Moalboal Beach. Moalboal is known for its white-sand beach and one of the best diving spots in the Philippines.It is even referred to by the locals as the Boracay of Cebu.

There are many beach spots in Moalboal. But the best spot is Basdaku White Beach.

 I took some pictures and videos of the spot and stayed for 2 hours to wander and rest.

I watched the national beach volleyball competition while I was in Moalboal.

And there was this local "banca" (boat) race among the locals which was hosted by the local government.

In the span of two hours, I enjoyed Moalboal. I'd love to stay for the night but I had to go to Cebu City for my next stop - Olango Island.

It's More Fun in Moalboal!