What could make me get out of my warm bed way before the sun comes up? Taking a flight to one beautiful island destination is one of them. Having been to Cebu several times but never out of the city, I figured it was time to explore more of the province. So when Air Asia launched their Red Hot Php0.01 Sale last year, I didn’t even think twice about booking flights to Cebu.
There’s really so much more to see in Cebu and one of those is Bantayan Island. Located off the northern coast of the province, this island has been voted by CNN Travel as the fifth best island beach in the Philippines. It is described as a place with inviting white sand, aqua-colored waters and red-gold sunsets.
So if you’re looking for a place where you can just laze on the beach and get a good dose of Vitamin Sea, look no further than Bantayan Island.
Here’s our travel experience with our recommendations.
The night before our departure, we first finalized our Cebu itinerary before we even started packing. We made sure we choreographed the things we want to do into a schedule guide. We then set our alarm at 4:30 AM to allow us to do last minute checking on the essentials. By 5:30 AM we were already on the road to the NAIA Terminal 4 to catch our 7:10 AM flight. Since we did self-check in via the web and printed our boarding passes at the airport kiosks, we had about an hour in the departure area for breakfast. For more information on how to perform web check in for your Air Asia flights, check out the instructions here.
We arrived at the Mactan Cebu International Airport at 8:15 AM then proceeded to the taxi bay located just a few meters walk from the arrival area. We took a regular white taxi and told the driver to drop us off at the Cebu North Bus Terminal in Subangdaku, Mandaue City. Since it was a weekday morning in a bustling metropolis, traffic heading to the terminal was slow. For a 9 km drive, it took us an hour and a Php169.50 fare to get there.
Cebu Airport Terminal |
Cebu Airport Terminal |
Regular taxi bay outside the arrival area |
Cebu North Bus Terminal Waiting Area |
Bus Service to Bantayan Island |
We arrived at the Hagnaya Port just in time for the 2:30 PM trip of Super Shuttle Ferry to Sta. Fe. We purchased our ferry tickets for Php170 per person, paid the Php10 terminal fee, listed our details in the manifest and boarded the ferry. The ferries are small non air-conditioned ships with multiple floors and seating areas. We made sure we positioned ourselves in the middle of the vessel and grabbed a seat in a shaded but open area for a steady supply of fresh air.
Super Shuttle Ferry to Sta. Fe Port |
Ferry and terminal tickets |
Since we booked a room in Sta. Fe, we got off the ferry at Sta. Fe port and walked through the long covered walkway of the terminal to the exit. We were supposed to be picked up via the free transfer services offered by the resort but while on the ferry, the front office staff advised us that their driver went on half day and advised us to just take a tricycle to the resort. We took a tricycle for Php20 per person. We arrived at the resort at around 4:00 PM in the afternoon.
Our resort was blessed with its own private beachfront and was advantageously located as it was only a few minutes walk from the town center, market, and restaurants. It offered generous sundecks for hours of relaxation under the sun as well as beachfront pavilions with a spectacular view of the Visayan Sea, where guests can lounge with a book or simply take in the fresh sea breeze.
Sand, sea and sky |
Deserted beach |
Gorgeous beach resort |
Beachfront pavilion |
Loungers for relaxation |
Beachfront cottages |
Beachfront cottages |
Suites |
Open-air restaurant |
Restaurant |
Adjacent bar with a view of the sea |
A quiet beach |
Look of the absence of big hotel chains and fancy clubs |
By 2:00 PM, we needed to catch a ferry back to the mainland Cebu. We took the Island Shipping Ferry to Hagnaya Port. From there, we took a van going back to Cebu City for Php170 per person.
Ferry and terminal tickets |
Are you thinking of visiting Bantayan Island? We would highly recommend it! It may not be the easiest place to get to, but it's definitely a source of Vitamin Sea well worth the travel.
To get more information about the island, please visit their official website here.
For the curious, here's also a summary of our expenses to Bantayan Island (excluding food):
For the curious, here's also a summary of our expenses to Bantayan Island (excluding food):
Bantayan Island Particulars
|
Total in Php
|
Flight (Manila - Cebu - Manila)
|
392.81
|
White Taxi (North Bus Terminal)
|
84.75
|
Bus Terminal Fee
|
5.00
|
Ceres Bus Fare (Cebu City - Sta. Fe)
|
200.00
|
Super Shuttle Ferry Fare (Hagnaya Port - Sta. Fe Port)
|
170.00
|
Hagnaya Port Terminal Fee
|
10.00
|
Tricycle (Sta. Fe Port - Resort)
|
20.00
|
Accommodation (Deluxe Room)
|
890.72
|
Tricycle (Batobalonos St. - Sta. Fe Port)
|
20.00
|
Island Shipping Ferry Fare (Sta. Fe Port - Hagnaya Port)
|
170.00
|
Sta. Fe Port Terminal Fee
|
15.00
|
Van (Hagnaya – SM Cebu)
|
170.00
|
Total Per Person
|
2148.28
|
What do you think of our trip to Bantayan? Please leave your comments in the box below.
No comments:
Post a Comment