Bantayan Island

A white-sand island off the northern tip of Cebu, with clear water and few crowds at Kota and Paradise beaches and island hopping to Virgin Island and Hilantagaan — a slower pace than Boracay.

Bantayan Island lies off the northernmost tip of Cebu in the Philippines. Covering about 116 sq km, it is divided into three towns: Santa Fe, Bantayan and Madridejos. The island is flat with no real mountains, and its coast is known for fine white sand and pale blue water. Resorts, backpacker hostels and beach bars are concentrated in Santa Fe in the southeast, where Kota Beach, Sugar Beach and Paradise Beach are all within walking or tricycle distance. Bantayan town in the west is the historic center, with the Spanish-era Saints Peter and Paul Church and a bustling market for seafood and dried goods; Madridejos at the northern tip has the remains of a watchtower fort built against pirates. The dry season runs from December to May, with the best sea conditions; June–November is the rainy season, with possible typhoons. Holy Week (the week before Easter) is the island's busiest time: by tradition, eating meat is permitted on the island, and visitors pour in from across the Philippines, so book ahead. Getting there: take a bus from Cebu City's North Bus Terminal to Hagnaya Port (about 3–4 hours), then a ferry to Santa Fe Port (about 1 hour); there are also small flights to Bantayan Airport. On the island, get around by tricycle or rent a motorbike to loop the island, about 60 km in total. Plan 2–4 days, mostly lounging on the beach, island hopping and snorkeling (Virgin Island, Hilantagaan Island) and watching sunsets. Note that ATMs are scarce on the island, so bring enough cash in pesos.

Top sights

• Kota Beach – The most famous white-sand beach in Santa Fe, with fine sand, shallow water and rows of palm trees. It is the picture-perfect Bantayan Isla…
• Paradise Beach – A hidden beach on private land southwest of Santa Fe, with white sand, blue water and few visitors. It is often called one of the most beau…
• Sugar Beach – A long white-sand beach south of San Francisco town, with sand as fine as sugar and resorts lining the shore, ideal for strolling and watch…
• Ogtong Cave – A limestone underground water cave inside a resort, where you can swim in a cool, slightly salty pool, a unique experience on the island.
• Virgin Island – A privately owned islet off Bantayan's northeast coast, with white sand and shallow coral waters. It is the highlight of island-hopping sno…
• Hilantagaan Island – A fishing-village islet northeast of San Francisco, with stilt houses and snorkeling waters, where visitors can experience local fishing li…
• Saints Peter and Paul Parish Church, Bantayan – One of the oldest parishes in the Philippines, with a 19th-century coral-stone church and bell tower. Its Holy Week procession is spectacul…
• Bantayan Public Market – A seafood and dried-fish market in Bantayan town, where you can buy the island's famous dried fish and dried squid.
• Obo-ob Mangrove Garden – A mangrove reserve between Bantayan and San Francisco, with bamboo and wooden boardwalks running through the trees to the sea. The nearby b…
• Kota Park, Madridejos – Ruins of a Spanish-era watchtower fort at the island's north tip, built to guard against pirate raids. It has seaside stone walls and sea v…
• Bantayan Island Nature Park and Resort – An eco-resort in Madridejos with a saltwater lake, a cave pool and mangrove trails.

Where to eat

• Bantayan Burrito Company – The most-reviewed restaurant on the island and consistently top-ranked, with house-made ham and bacon burritos and fres…
• Thai Phoon – A highly rated Thai restaurant in Santa Fe, with well-reviewed pandan-wrapped chicken, Thai stir-fried rice noodles and…
• Igbaw Rooftop Grill – A rooftop open-air grill in Santa Fe serving local seafood such as scallops and grilled tuna jaw, with live band perfor…

Itineraries

• North Cebu Twin Islands White Sand & Diving Route – A North Cebu route combining the slow-paced white sands of Bantayan Island with thresher shark diving in Malapascua.