Hello everyone! I'm sure all of you have heard about Bantayan Island. It's a place located in North Cebu. At first, I doubted the beauty it can offer 'coz all I see in pictures I googled is purely white sand beaches and palm trees. But hey, after my trip there, Bantayan Island exceeded my not-so-high expectations, making me wish I could stay there for long. Let me show you why. :)
Three Days, Two Nights Whereabouts
Arrival. What a feel-good way to welcome tourists. In this world full of black smokes and commercial beaches, I can't believe seeing turquoise blue water at the port. We didn't expect this coz it was rainy season (July) when we visited the place. But expect though, a series of unfiltered photos of the beautiful Bantayan on a rainy season. How much more on sunny days!
We arrived at Bantayan Island with no strictly laid plans coz we want to let our feet just take us. (But, honestly, to have some piece of idea, we researched some spots while we were on the ferry :D) A lot of several trike drivers greeted us as we exit Sta. Fe port. And there's this Kuya Joel who persistently convinced us to take his tricycle. So we said yes and asked him advise on where to stay. (budget friendly and touristy, please). So there's this Tip Number 1 we got from him: Depending on the weather, it is best to stay at the side of the island where the sea is still. So he took us to these neighboring resorts, Anika Island Resort and Beach Placid Resort. The choice was ours.
 |
| Anika Island Resort, beachfront |
 |
| Anika Island Resort, walkway |
 |
| Beach Placid Resort, entrance |
 |
| Beach Placid Resort, Rent-a-Bike Space |
We chose Beach Placid Resort since they have room suited for our budget. They have friendly staffs and yes, cool bamboo cottages. The place is silent and perfect for family quality time or couple getaway!
ExploreBantayan. There are two types of tour we could make the most out of Bantayan Island at a limited time -------- Island Hopping and Land Tour. The main modes of transportation on this island were bicycle (with a basket), motorcycles, and multicabs. Almost all resorts offer bikes and motorcycles for rent to guests. Unfortunately, none of us knew how to drive a motorcycle. However, good news for us coz Kuya Joel offers one day tricycle land tour with a fee of P1,200 at our chosen convenient time and places. And since we have no idea where to start, we let him take the lead and tour us. ^_^
Land Tour
1. Sta. Fe Beach Club, Ogtong Cave. This beach club allows non-guests to visit the known Ogtong Cave located in the middle of the resort. Non-guests have to pay P100.00 entrance fee per head and one can enjoy their facilities throughout the day!
 |
| Sta. Fe Beach Club, Ogtong Cave, Entrance |
 |
| Sta. Fe Beach Club, Reception Area |
 |
| Sta. Fe Beach Club, swimming pool |
2. Omagieca Mangrove Garden. For nature lovers, this is a must-visit place. Here you can see a lot of mangroves and it has a relaxing ambiance where you can reflect. This is also a great date spot for lovers. *wink* It has an entrance fee of P50.00 per head, btw.
3. Sts. Peter and Paul Church. Lucky to have visited the oldest parish in Cebu. This church has become an inspiration for me since this church was destroyed many times but was able to stand back again and protect its people. We should become one too, in life. :)
4. Kota Park. Located at the northernmost part of Bantayan Island in the town of Madridejos. I found this one interesting since it is historical. However, with my visit there, the park was not well-maintained. It was though a beautiful chance for me coz I got to see a piece of the Philippine history.
Near the park is a beach front where your eyes can feast on thousands of colorful shells. Aside from enjoying the sight, I ended up collecting a handful of shells! They're just too cute and fancy to be ignored. :)
After our photo sessions, we headed back south and enjoyed our dinner. We took our rest by the beach, had some chitchats about life and went to sleep ready for the 2nd day of adventure! :)
Comments
Post a Comment