Island Guide Bantayan: 10 amazing things to do

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Dreaming of white sand beaches, crystal-clear waters, and laid-back island vibes? Look no further than Bantayan island, a hidden gem off the northern coast of Cebu in the Philippines. This island guide Bantayan will tell you exactly why we fell in love with its untouched beauty, and slower pace of life. Whether you’re after epic sunsets, fresh seafood, or a break from the crowds, Bantayan is the perfect escape. And once you’re there, you’ll wonder why it took you so long to visit!

We stayed on the island for 3 weeks, which is a lot longer than most people do, but we really got taken by the quiet vibes and made friends across the island. Because we stayed so long (on such a small island) we got to know it intimately and have lots of knowledge to pay forward!

Island Guide Bantayan

How to get to Bantayan?

• The way pretty much everyone travels is coming through Cebu. From the Cebu North Bus Terminal, there are multiple (approximately 2 per hour in the daytime) buses a day traveling to Hagnaya Port. The best buses are the green airconditioned Ceres Liners. The ride takes anywhere between 4 and 5 hours and costs around 300 pesos. It will drop you off right at the ticket office at the port. From there you will buy your ticket, have a little bit of a wait (check ferry times here and time your arrival accordingly) and get on the boat. The boat will take 1.15 hour to Bantayan Santa Fe Port from where it will not take you a single minute to get a ride to your accommodation.
• Back in March this year, there was a twice weekly 30 minute flight from Cebu to Bantayan and vice versa. Availability varies wildly and bookings need to be made in advance (we were too late with 10 days before) but it’s a fun thing to do for 1000 pesos. Inquiries have to be made through their Facebook.

Where to stay on Bantayan island

Bantayan is really not big, and most, if not all travellers stay around Santa Fe. We stayed a little further down the road in Okoy and while we loved the location, we did not love our accommodation, so I won’t list it here. But because of that we shopped around a lot and stayed in a few different places.

→ Anika Island Resort is the most popular hotel on the island. The rooms are basic, but it has a great swimming pool, clean beach and a good restaurant.

→ We liked Everyday Sunday Hotel a lot; they have a great rooftop cafe with good, healthy food, are in a perfect location and the staff is very sweet.

→ Anahaw Seaside Inn is right in the middle of Sante Fe and on the beach. The perfect combination.

How to get around on Bantayan

As always; a scooter! Though if you’re only on the island for a few days and stay in Santa Fe, you could opt not to and book a tour with your accommodation should you want to somewhere; but for us a scooter is always the way to go.

We rented ours from JEK Motorbikes, a young couple that had just started their business. We got a good bike and they were super friendly and helpful, and gave us a discount for long term rental. Scooters on the island should cost around 300/400 pesos per day.

What to do on Bantayan island

The beaches

• Baigad Lagoon Beach is the prettiest and most comfortable beach, though it comes with a price. For 250 pesos you get a clean beach, lounge chairs and hammocks, lifeguards, shade and a lagoon. It’s very Instagrammable. You can either take a boat there (another 150 pesos) or park your scooter just over the bridge and walk down the beach. If you do the latter, keep an eye on the tide. Come high tide and it will be impossible to walk back.
• Bobel Beach, the stretch in front of the Anika Resort to Sorana Island Villas is a white sand, deep blue sea beauty. The Anika Resort sells day passes as well if you want to lounge on a chair and use their pool.
• The southern beaches of Kota Beach and Sugar Beach are the long stretch of beach where everything happens. Lots of little bars and food stands, locals hanging out, and sea activities. The further west you walk, the quieter it becomes.
• Sandira Beach is a beautiful small beach that we really loved. It’s also the most known because of its beauty, though we never found it crowded.

Obo-Ob Mangroves

Definitely one of the most popular things to do on the island. It’s a neigborhood community project to preserve the ecological area. You can talk a walk along the boardwalk cutting through the mangroves, or see them from the water by kayak. It’s a peaceful place, but very well known by Filipinos for the filming of ‘Camp Sawi‘, a local film.

Dragon fruit farm

Not far from Bantayan town is the Teresito dragon fruit farm. We love visiting local farms and being a dragon fruit lover myself; this was so much fun! The people here are great. The farm itself is open to exploring and if you’re lucky and they’re harvesting; you can help out.

They have several dragon fruit products that you can try; our favorites were the dragon fruit jam and the ice cream!

Sandalo Vineyards

Speaking of local; did you know Bantayan has its own vineyard? Neither did we! Technically speaking there are no vineyards here (yet) but owner Michael has big dreams.

He works with a Brazilian vineyard to grow grapes altered to Filipino tastes, and imports the wine to Bantayan. This means that all the wine are very sweet, but even if sweeter wines are not your thing, this place is worth a visit. You can do a wine tasting and tour with Michael, and it is just such an off-beat thing to do, we loved it.

The plan is to eventually grow his own grapes and install a manufacturing process on his land!

Bantayan town

Bantayan town is the largest on the island, and this is where you’ll find larger supermarkets and your Watson’s. More importantly though, this is where St. Peter and Paul church is. It dates back to the 1500’s and is the oldest parish in Visaya and Mindanao. The ceiling paintings were only done in 2018 so quite new, but exquisite nonetheless.

Madridejos Town

The third town, Madridejos, doesn’t see much foreign tourism. It’s a proper local fishing village, but it does have Kota Park, that used to be a Spanish fortress in the 1790’s. You can take a walk out on the sea on a boardwalk and spot fish, or enjoy the sunset here, which is the best spot for it on the island.

Island guide Bantayan: cliff diving at The Ruins

Another ‘famous’ spot on the island; the ruins. The story goes that a German was building a house here, but abandoned it for unknown reasons. Today it’s a popular spot for youngsters who come to spray paint on the walls and take photos, but also because the cliff diving is really good here.

There are several concrete stairs hacked into the stones from which you can jump, but always check the water level before you go. You’ll find young local kids here enjoying the jumps here.

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Colina Isla de Bantayan

This jungle viewpoint at about a 25 minute scooter ride from Sante Fe, is owned by a lovely couple that have made their home into a creative space. There are quirky structures, a little cafe, and lots of art. There are multiple viewpoints, but the tower gives you an unparalleled view over the island. It’s the perfect place to relax for a little bit and enjoy the breeze and quiet.

Take a trip to Virgin Island

Located just a 15 minute boat ride off the east coast of Bantayan lies Virgin island. This is a privately owned island (access fee was 250 pesos in March ’25) that has the most beautiful beaches. You can do a 20 meter cliff dive on the north west side of the island, relax in a hammock on the beach and swim in the sea that to our surprise, was quite a bit cooler than across the bay. We also did not need our snorkels to see fish. They were so close to shore, and the water was super clear!

You could do this with a half day trip; unless you’ve got time and just want a day hanging out!

Snorkelling

Virgin island is the best spot for snorkelling, but other places to try out are Hilantagaan island and the Santa Fe marine sanctuary.

Things to know for a Bantayan island stay

• Power outages are frequent, always have some cash on you!
• Water ‘outages’ are also not uncommon. This has to do with extremely low tide and can cause the water to go out for a full day.
• Don’t walk around the towns half naked. Bikini’s and swim shorts are for the beach.
• During peak season (Christmas and Holy Week) the island is quite full; book your accommodations well on time.

The best restaurants on Bantayan

• Without a single doubt: Adam and Mary’s BBQ-at-home place Briz. The menu is small and SO good. Everything is fresh (they go to the markets in the morning) and Adam is a barbecue wizard. They have a small and cozy little garden restaurant where everyone sits together and just has a great time. You’ll be part of the family immediately. We went here about 5 times, and they were the people we had the hardest time saying goodbye to. Go here and you won’t regret it.
• It’s no surprise that the second best, Bantayan Burrito Company, is owned by Adam’s brother Jamie. It’s the best Mexican food we’ve had outside of Mexico.
• Thai-Phoon, an excellent Thai restaurant. Pricier than in Thailand, of course, but will satisfy your cravings!
• The Coco Cafe for healthy smoothies and breakfast
• World Touch Cafe does fresh breads (!) and serves good coffee, breakfast and lunch.

Island guide Bantayan: FAQ

What is the best time to visit Bantayan?

Dry season runs from November until May, and is the best time to visit, with peak dry weather in March and April

How many days do I need for Bantayan?

If you’re pushing it; 2 days can be enough to see the island. However, we recommend 3 to be able to slip into the island vibes and take a leisurely pace!

Are there ATM’s on Bantayan?

Yes, there are plenty of ATM’s in Santa Fe and Bantayan town.

Is Bantayan safe?

Very. Bantayan has a very low crime rate.

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