Destination was Kota Park, located north of the island in the town of Madridejos around a Spanish fort in Bantayan where we spent the afternoon enjoying this historic site and of course each others company
A small fishing village is there.
We stayed at Santa fe located south of the island, so it was quite a drive to get there.
Hired a motorcycle which was very cheap, it took roughly one hour to travel from Santa Fe to Kota Park, you will pass by Bantayan Island's rural landscapes, tree-lined roads and the island's commercial centre.
Kota Park, was built in the 1790's, by the Spanish to served as a Spanish fort (kota, kuta = fort).
It was used by the locals, to protect themselves from pirates, and by Spanish militiamen as a camp and a watchtower, given its strategic location at the northernmost tip of the island.
After the Spanish occupation, the fort became a public cemetery, making it the burial ground for many of the locals' departed beloved. It remained a public cemetery until the 1950's. Obviously now, the fort has been rehabilitated into a park. Still, inside the structure, we found relics and artefacts displayed in each of the four corners, including a tall wooden cross marking this fort's historical value to the island.
Just past the fort, but still part of the park, is a small narrow beach.
You will see all the locals.
Recommend a visit to this island if you are in Visayas Region
How to get to Bantayan Island:
From Cebu City. You can take a ferry directly from Cebu City to Santa Fe, Bantayan or take a bus to the port at Hagnaya which is at the north tip of Cebu island, then a ferry to Santa Fe. You'll have to check the ferry schedules in the Cebu Sun-Star
