In my previous post here HERE, I have shared that I went to Bantayan Island twice this year. My very first time going to the island was in May 2021, and I stayed for three days and two nights with my sister Sway. I went back last June 2021, and I stayed for three days and two nights with my sister Gwen and her beautiful family. I could say that I can keep going back there for as long as I have the opportunity to do so—Yes, the island has literally caught my heart. You will know why, as I share the photos of this gorgeous paradise in Cebu.
HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR YOU
Breakdown of Expenses from Cebu City to Bantayan Island: (For those who will commute going there)
130 PHP - Taxi fare from Banawa to SM
250 PHP- V-Hire fare from SM City to Hagnaya Port
185 PHP- fare for the Barge from Hagnaya to Santa Fe, Bantayan
10 PHP- Terminal fee
10PHP- Ecological fee
OUR “LAND TOUR” EXPERIENCE: HELPFUL DETAILS
The next day, we decided to have a Land Tour. We paid 500 PHP to the tricycle driver. The land tour was inclusive of the following tourist spots:
OGTONG CAVE
- Entrance Fee is 200 PHP: access to their swimming pool, beautiful beach and of course their famous cave
THE RUINS AND CLIFF DIVING SPOT
- No entrance fee to visit these places
PARADISE BEACH
- Entrance fee is 50 PHP: Their beach is amazing!!!! Truly a paradise, I tell you.
CAMP SAWI MANGROVES
- Entrance fee is 50 PHP: You get to see so many mangrove trees and the famous "Camp Sawi" signage from 'that' movie
I would recommend that you stay here for one day. For only 200 PHP, you can avail of their swimming pool, beautiful beach and their famous cave! You may bring food with you, too.
If you are the type of person who is crazy about cliff diving, then you must not miss this tourist spot! You get a great view of the island, plus you can jump your heart out and enjoy the crystal clear water.
When I first stepped onto the paradise beach, my heart did a little somersault. I was captivated by its beauty! Plus we were so blessed to enjoy the beach for ourselves—it was only the two of us who were there at that time! No crowd! OMG! I was so happy to enjoy a summer day in paradise.
I hesitated if I want to visit this place since Sway told me it’s just a bunch of mangroves, that’s all to see. But the driver insisted that we should visit since it’s one of the tourist spots in Bantayan. I was glad I went. My overall experience was pretty peaceful because I was surrounded by so many living things—the mangroves—and the hot salty air of the sea lingers as I walk the rather long bridge of the Omagieca.
There is a place called MJ Square in Santa Fe, Bantayan Island that you can go to for your food cravings. There are lots of food stalls and restos to choose from and there is a variety of food that will certainly fuel your appetite. There are cheap food choices and there are also those of the expensive kinds as well.
I was not able to take photos of most of the food we had because I keep on looking at the beach and soaking every ~present moment~ that I am on the island lol. For me, every second count! I want to be ~fully pressent~ and totally experience the island's salty air.
In the above photos are me and my sister Sway. Sway is a YouTube vlogger and a Tiktoker so she is so fond of taking selfies/ grouphies every time she has the time to do so lol.
Ever since my trip to Bantayan, I would always bring it up in conversations with friends and encourage them to go there lol. This is not me exaggerating. The island captured my heart and would love for my friends to experience Bantayan the way I have soaked its magnificent beauty. If you’re a Cebuano and has not yet visited, I strongly recommend that you buy that ticket and cross the ocean. For those who want recommendations for places to visit in the Philippines, I would definitely suggest you visit Bantayan. If you are familiar with the all-famous “Boracay Island”, then you would definitely love Bantayan because it is as BEAUTIFUL but not as pricy! The hotel accommodations and the food in Bantayan are much cheaper compared to Boracay. It is also much less crowded in Bantayan. DISCLAIMER: Nobody has paid me to advertise Bantayan lol. I am just sharing my wonderful experience so that you might have a great summer vacation, too.
BANTAYAN ISLAND IS WAITING FOR YOU. THE WAVES ARE LITERALLY WAVING. THE SHORE IS CALLING YOU. YES, YOU. I wish you can visit this paradise soon!
‘Til the next post, hivers! Remember that you are loved beyond borders and beyond time & space. Okay? Okay. 💛❤️
Ciao for now! 🤗🥰
Hive-llo, everyone! Welcome to Jong's little buzz-y corner in Hive. Jong believes that every person she meets can teach her a thing or two (or three, or more) about life. She shares her love for life here-- the captivating beauty of life! To be more specific, but not necessarily in this order, she's interested in: wisdom, love, poetry, single life, books, travel, health&fitness, fashion, gratitude, unspoken hurts, heartbreaks and healing. Lastly, she loves Jesus.
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