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Bantayan Island is a beautiful tiny Island, and currently Cebu's not-so-secret little Island Paradise (small numbers of travelers over the years have slowly been putting the word out) located just off the northwest tip of Cebu's mainland, and I live here when I’m not in the USA.
Largely un developed and definitely not over crowded and over priced with the commercialization of some other Islands; it’s a perfect place for those seeking peace & quiet, blue skies & clean air, with spectacular turquoise water & great white sand beaches.
There aren't any huge corporate hotel chains here; there are smaller hotels/resorts with cottages & rooms in just about every price range from less than $8.00USD to $40.00USD per night & up through $100+ through a lovely South Sea studio Villa on a very beautiful property, and all the way to a honeymoon styled studio Villa on a gorgeous property (all listed & photographed below) so Bantayan Island really has something to offer everyone, on just about any budget.
About ‘Island Life’:
It's also very old fashioned and peaceful on Bantayan Island, and life is slower here as there are no big city shopping malls, mega movie theaters or metro discos, etc. (get your fill of those on Cebu’s Mainland)
Island Life here is slower and more relaxing, but that’s really the beauty of it all, as some roads are still yet to be paved, and locals who farm & raise livestock live very simply in bamboo & coco wood houses; the warmth and friendliness of the local people here only serves to make Bantayan a more unique & very special place for all who visit.
I’ve worked hard personally researching, photographing and putting together all the information and images here which basically began as email responses to people all over the world who were contacting me for accurate Bantayan Island information after searching online for that information, and seeing my scenic photography and writing of the Island on www.pbase.com/pauljames so you’ll find that this website goes well beyond the few paragraphs written about Bantayan Island in publications (many times presenting old and inaccurate information) so from that standpoint it’s quite unique.
This website is also a work in progress that is currently undergoing a redesign process, with room for adspace/Sponsors/vendors & businesses, more content, pages/links and images being added as that process gradually happens throughout May 2008.
Thank you, and welcome to Bantayan Island.
PJAMES
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How To Get Here:
Flying into the Philippines: Manila & Cebu
If you first fly into Manila Philippines as many travelers do, Cebu’s Mactan International Airport is a 1hr.10min. flight south from Manila, and there are many hotels to choose from in Cebu City, which is a 35 to 50 minute taxi ride - depending on traffic - from Mactan Int’l Airport in Lapu Lapu City, Cebu. (I've flown USA to Manila on a few different carriers, and on Cathay Pacific Airlines via their hub in Hong Kong)
In this past year I've chosen to stay with Cathay Pacific, as they take care of you with a superior level of service and hospitality like a 5 star hotel would - the total flying experience with Cathay Pacific is simply the best.
I also recommend Plaza Premium & Travelers Lounge at Hong Kong Int'l Airport, for everything you'll need inbetween your connecting flights: wonderfull meals, relaxing & well furnished seating areas, 4 terminal internet cafe plus WiFi for your notebook, shower & comfortable sleeping rooms, day spa & more. (Plaza Premium Lounges are also at the Int'l airports of Vancouver, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, Beijing Capitol Airport and Guangzhou Baiyun Airport)
It's also possible to fly directly into Mactan Intl. Airport Cebu on many International Airlines, as well as from many Philippine Domestic Airports within Luzon, The Visayas & Mindanao, and if you need specific recommendations on hotels in Metro Manila or Cebu City, please contact me.
Domestic Flights: Manila to Cebu
If for example, you fly into Manila and then need a quick 1hr. 10min. flight to Cebu, there are many travel agencies all over Metro Manila (as well as Cebu City) that can ticket you in a heartbeat, as you can walk in & request a same day flight, and the most popular domestic carrier is Cebu Pacific, and they offer good service, new planes and many flights per day from Manila to Cebu beginning around 5:30am and running every 90 minutes or so, into the evening, and you can even book online at:
Cebu Pacific's prices for 1-way flights are aprox. P1,600 (Promo Rate) up to aprox. P5,000 as of Spring 2008 and most flights fall between P3,000 & P4,000…the earlier you book, the better the rates can be.
Other carriers are Philippine Airlines & Air Philippines - infact, the lowest price I ever paid for a Manila to Cebu ticket was a P900 Promo Fare on Air Philippines in Nov.2006 (please see my section on Travel Agents)
After Landing in Cebu:
Inside Tip: Metered & Fix Price Taxis @ Mactan Airport, Cebu: As you exit the Domestic Terminal in Cebu, all the taxis you'll see are FIXED PRICE at rates up to P500/P750+, so if you want a METER taxi at a better price you'll have to walk accross the pavement and up the stairs accross the street (the Security Guards can direct you) to get in line for a metered taxi at aprox. P150 - P250 depending on your hotel destination and traffic.
The currency in Philippines is the Philippine Peso (PHP) and the US Dollar exchange rate has recently been hovering around 42 [May 2008 rate at 42+ Pesos to the Dollar]
$100US gets you aprox. P4,200 and you can change a small amount of currency in the airport for taxis & incidentals, then your hotel can direct you to where the Money Changers are, to get the better exchange rates.
Ground Directions to Bantayan Island - from Cebu City,
Philippines:
North Bus Terminal Via taxi from Cebu City: make sure it’s a METERED taxi to avoid a price gouge, and insist the driver actually uses the meter (if not, just get another taxi; there's plenty to choose from without a long wait time)
Go to the North Bus Terminal in Cebu City - modern Ceres aircon coaches run all day at P90 from very early in the morning, to the port town of Hagnaya in northern Cebu, and from there you'll hop a 75min. Ferry to Bantayan Island.
*Aircon Bus Service Running Intermitantly as of Spring 2008: The Ceres Aircon Coach service has been recently experiencing interuptions in service, and I'm hoping it's only temporary - for now the NON Aircon busses are running as scheduled, priced at P55 - with only an occasional Aircon bus running.
Holy Week pricing for these non aircon busses was P150 for March 2008, so expect the same for Holy Week 2009.
Security Note: as your taxi pulls into the North Bus Terminal, be sure to pay your driver right before the taxi comes to a stop - and exit your taxi quickly to get to your luggage in the trunk, as Porters/baggage handlers will see your taxi pulling in, and will swarm it hoping to wrangle your luggage for a fee (this is a normal occurrence)
…if you don’t do this quickly, you may find your luggage has already been removed from the trunk, and is en-route to the busses before you’ve even exited your taxi - worse case, you may not recover your luggage at all.…have the driver keep the trunk closed until after you exit the taxi and are ready to wrangle your own luggage, then decide if you need help from the baggage handlers...if they become insistant with you, just tell them 'NO' firmly.
Look for the yellow & white CERES modern aircon coaches, marked HAGANYA in the windshield - step in & ask the driver to confirm Hagnaya/Bantayan Island.
*
Travel time is generally 3 hours (on occasion 2:45min) including the 10
minute stop in Carmen Cebu for a restroom break, food &
refreshments - non-aircon busses are P55 and the aircon bus price is
P90 if you can manage to get one.
So if you're on a 7am bus, you'll arrive Hagnaya by 10am, in time for the 10:30am Super Shuttle Ferry to Santa Fe, Bantayan Island - you’ll dock at the Port of Santa Fe at aprox. 11:45am and can be at most hotels by about 12noon/12:15pm just in time for check in.
* Note: The Ceres Bus schedules are subject to changes, so just arrive early and ask for the next bus, then get a breakfast sandwich from the Dunkin Dounts booth there & relax. (busses have been known to leave as early as 4am for Bantayan right before Holy Week begins in April)
Please be advised that these busses tend to fill up quickly, and once seats run out they'll sell the isles as standing room so it's going to be cramped - I suggest arriving early to get a seat by the exit doors, so you can be first on/first off - and you may also want to consider buying the empty seat or seats next to you if you'd like a bit more room for you & your bags.
Security Note: If you’re traveling alone with luggage that’s been loaded into the bays under the bus, you’ll need to stay with that luggage and not leave it unattended while the bay is open, instead of sitting onboard waiting to leave. And yes - that means physically standing outside by the bay doors until the driver closes & locks that bay.
Remember, you’re still in Cebu City - things happen, so don’t let them happen to you.
Same goes for luggage stored inside the bus in the overhead bins - if you’d like to step off the bus (to go to the CR/comfort room/restroom or to get a soda or newspaper in the Terminal a few feet away) after you’ve chosen your seat, take your gear with you.
However with 2 or more people traveling together, securing your gear & luggage is easier as one person can stay with the luggage while the other steps away to get snacks or use the CR (if you dare) that’s all the way at the rear of the Terminal.
Keep in mind, the last Ferry Boat from Hagnaya to Santa Fe leaves at 5:30pm, so don't take a North Terminal bus later then 2pm, or you might be stuck in Hagnaya for the night. * If you get stuck in Hagnaya, there's a small Pension House there by the Pier with very small, plain rooms for aprox. P300 a night, but don't expect any amenities at that price.
Taxis from Cebu City to Hagnaya Port: It's also possible to hire a Taxi to drive you all the way in comfort to Hagnaya for aprox. P1,500 to P2,000.
I suggest choosing the car carefully & make sure it looks brand new (some taxis are quite beat up with bald tires & poor aircon; you obviously don't want those) and even better are the new 2008 KIA SUV's (bigger then a taxi but smaller then a van) with more room for passengers & luggage, and you can simply stand outside your hotel and have your pick of any of these taxis that drive by & honk at you for a fare - it's a buyers market here, as they chase YOU (I'd offer them P1,500 plus lunch in Carmen Cebu at the bus stop, and P2k for the KIA SUV's - that formula seems to work most times)
Tell them the deal is 1/2 payment at the start of the trip and the balance when they drop you in Hagnaya (this protects you during the trip if your driver 'goes bad' and starts asking for more money to continue the ride (don't ever let a driver tell you to also pay additional for his fuel - he knows fuel is his responsibility & is part of your negotiated fare) and although I've never had a driver 'go bad' from Cebu City to Hagnaya, I have had this happen elsewhere in Cebu)
I personally don't use the V-Hire 12 passenger Vans anymore from Cebu City to Hagnaya, as they will wait for the van to fill up before deciding to leave, and they also over-sell the capacity for a very cramped ride priced at about twice the non-aircon buss fare...on the other hand, you can hire the entire van "special trip" for yourself & companions at aprox. P2,000, and about P3k if that van is obviously brand new in show room condition.
An entire V-Hire Van ('special trip'/just you & your group) can be had for about P2,000 at the Port in Hagnaya Cebu, for your trip back to Cebu City when it's time to leave Bantayan Island (be sure to negotiate the price with the driver only & not with the Porters) and if you're really lucky you might be able to get a taxi in Hagnaya (if you spot one who's just dropped off passengers) for about P800/P850 or so, back to Cebu City.
* If you're curious as to what the actual taxi meter will read from Cebu City to Hagnaya Port, it's normally between P850 & P950, depending on traffic.
* Annoying Porters & Negotiating Taxis & V-Hires at Hagnaya Port: Avoiding the Stress
Make sure you always talk directly to the vehicle DRIVER ONLY, as a select group of Baggage Porters may barge in and loudly attempt to negotiate/renegotiate the vehicle & price with you, so don't let them waste your trip time.
Unless you want your price negotiations interrupted by a dozen Porters (who all want a piece of the action because they all think you're a BANK), ID the actual driver and walk him away from the Porters to negotiate your price - you need to verbally take control of the situation & conversation by speaking only to the driver & by firmly telling any Porter who interrupts you to go away - look them in the eye, tell them to get lost (you may have to repeat yourself more than once) and they'll leave you alone.
Always remember you CAN be civil yet FIRM at the same time; and believe me this always works when you need to save your time & your money and you don't want headaches from people who you are not specifically doing business with.
Don't ever let a Baggage Porter or group of Porters interrupt your personal business and negotiate anything for you except carrying your bags - further more, unless you're traveling with a half dozen pieces of luggage, just carry your own bags - if they were to drop a bag of yours & break something of value inside, you'd end up giving yourself a huge headache trying to get the matter resolved, so it's always better to avoid the stress & confrontation in the first place, so that your trip will go smoother and your time & money won't be wasted.
* Inside Tip: If you miss the last Ferry of the day:
Most people aren’t aware that there are Palm boats from Hagnaya Cebu to Santa Fe after the last Ferry leaves at 5:30pm - just ask around at the Pier, and fares can range from about P250 to P500 depending on how many people show up.
Porters/Baggage handlers are available to carry your luggage on/off the bus - currently it's appropriate to give them aprox. P50 per bag (but I've already shown above why you should wrangle your own bags) and there are also plenty of vendors at the North Bus Terminal in Cebu City, where you can get coffee, soft drinks, snacks, phone loads, DVD/CD's etc., even Dunkin Donuts is there.
Hagnaya Port Area Ground Conditions: just be advised when you step off the bus here that the ground is dirt and sand, with uneven surfaces in places - so your feet might get a bit dusty (not really a big deal) and if it's rained recently the ground will be muddy, so be prepared for muddy feet & luggage.
In Hagnaya Cebu:
In Hagnaya, Ferry Boats run all day to Santa Fe on Bantayan Island starting at 5:30am, and please remember the last Ferry of the day leaves Hagnaya at 5:30pm.
Travel time for Island Shipping & Super Shuttle Ferries is 1hr. 15min, and for the FastCraft it's aprox. 35 - 40 minutes.
Current Fares are P140 for a regular fare on the Island Shipping Ferries, and P150 to P170 for an aircon cabin (get a regular fare & enjoy the breeze)
*FastCraft
fares are now P150 (reduced from P168)
* the terminal fee for leaving Hagnaya is P5
* movies are shown on most Ferries except the FastCraft, and
drinks/snacks are available, as well as cold San Miguel beer.
Porters/Baggage handlers are available to carry your luggage on/off the
boats here as well.
They can be very aggressive when coming aboard (sort of looks like a SWAT Raid by guys wearing green-blue 'Porter' t-shirts), so just smile & shake your head 'no thanks' if you're not going to be using them - if they become annoying or persistant, tell them 'NO' very firmly.
Also, don't be near the front of the line waiting to get off a fully loaded boat when it docks - the SWAT baggage handlers storm the plank and are climbing/tripping over people & baggage at this point, turning it into quite the little chaotic scene, so just stay clear.
There are also plenty of vendor stalls at Hagnaya Pier, where you can get BBQ, coffee, soft drinks, snacks, phone loads, before you board the boat.
At Santa Fe Pier, Bantayan Island:
* INSIDE TIP: Debus from the Ferry and if you have
called ahead to your hotel (or arranged a vehicle pick-up) you're all
set.
They can pick you up in a vehicle right at the boat, as long as you’ve told them specifically “do not wait for me in the car park - please drive your vehicle past the Security Guard’s Gate and fetch me along side the Ferry” - otherwise it’s a much longer walk to beyond the Terminal as pictured, to the very crowded car park where all vehicles will normally park to wait for you. (this is exactly what I do, and 99 percent of all other travelers are not even aware of en-bussing/de-bussing this way)
This will save you a HUGE amount of time and get you to your hotel quicker.
Otherwise walk towards the Terminal, to the left under the canopy up to the area where tricycle drivers will be waiting to take you to your hotel, or wherever you want to go, for about P50 (to hotels in town).
Along that walkway, you'll also be bombarded by "canvassers" holding photos of local hotels, with their rates, all trying to get you to choose a particular hotel - they get a small commission for that, but if you're not interested just smile & no thanks; walk past them - put your cell phone to your ear & pretend you’re taking a call, or else they might shadow you for the rest of the walk, trying to sell you.
The closest Hotels to the Pier are Santa Fe Beach Club (right outside to the right) & HoyoHoy Resort (further up the road on the left) but the tricycle drivers will happily take you anywhere you’d like to go.
Don’t get into the conversation with your tricycle driver about renting motorcycles at this point, wait until you get to your hotel and ask where to rent motors for P250 per day - you’ll be offered motors at P500 outside some hotels, but the real-world price is still P250 as of Spring 2008 - see the section on motorcycles below (hourly rentals are available at a couple of places for P50 to P70 per hour if this is what you require)
Ferry Boat Schedules: (times subject to change)
Hagnaya to Santa Fe:
Super Shuttle Ferry: P140:
7am, 10:30am, 2:15pm *75 min. travel time.
Island Shipping Corp. P145 (Island Express V, Island RORO I & RORO II)
630am, 9:30am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm & 5:30pm *all 75 minutes travel time, aprox.
* The Big Ship RORO II is "roll on, roll off" with a large access ramp that accomodates people, cars, motorcycles, trucks, etc.
Santa Fe to Hagnaya:
Fast Craft: P150
10:15am, 1:30pm, 4:30pm - 35-40 min. aprox. travel time.
Island Shipping Corp. P145
(Island Express V, Island RORO I, Island RORO II)
5:00am, 7:30am, 9:30am, 11:30am, 3:00pm *all 75 minutes travel time, aprox.
Super Shuttle Ferry: P140 - 75 min. travel time - at 8:30am, 12:30pm, 4pm
* Please Note:
The Ferry Boat times are subject to change, and they do.
Once in a while a boat is cancelled, or leaves 30 minutes earlier/later etc. sometimes frustrating locals & tourists, so it’s best to check ahead before departing Hagnaya, and vice/versa.
Hagnaya ticket booth: 032-435-2078
Santa Fe ticket booth: 032-438-0080
Cebu City Office: 032-422-6330 & 6331
Also, during Typhoons or windy weather causing high-seas - all boats to & from the Island are cancelled by the Coast Guard, and there’s nothing that can be done about that.
…boats resume once the storm passes and the seas calm down; that’s a part of “Island Life” so we just learn to deal with it.
Ferry Boats to Bantayan Town Pier from Negros:
Ferry’s come & go to Bantayan from Cadiz & Sagay in northern Negros several times during the week - usually every other day for about P200 - departures on pump boats (3.5hrs./rougher ride) & big Ferries (4hrs/very smooth ride) from Negros are at 10am in Cadiz/Sagay, and those boats also depart Bantayan Town Pier at 10am bound for Negros.
*
I personally recommend traveling via the larger/heavier Ferry, as
opposed to
the smaller pump boats - even at 50ft/60ft. long, these pump
boats
are in open water (deep water) - and are more suseptable to waves
&
high seas, so it's a rougher ride.
Schedules & departure days sometimes do change, so you’ll need to check the day before, or just arrive early by 8:30am. and wing it. (in Bantayan Town, just ride up to the Pier and confirm when the boats are leaving/arriving)
* Ferry boats to Negros do not leave from Santa Fe Pier; only from Bantayan Town Pier.
Typhoon/Inclement Weather Security Note: While on the Island during an approaching storm, you’ll need to stock up on drinking water, pre-paid phone loads, candles, dry goods, keep your cell phone fully charged, fuel up your motorbike and always have a top brand reliable flashlight/torch with you, and I’m not talking about a Mini MagLite (too dim & unreliable for serious Tropical use) with lo-power 1.5 volt Alkaline batteries (they self-discharge & can’t maintain their voltage and light output well enough to be considered totally reliable for emergency use here in the Tropics)
I personally use & recommend the best quality SureFire brand hi-power incandescent & LED (long run time) flashlights with 3 volt Lithium CR123 batteries that have a 10 year shelf life, and you can read about this essential travel tool below, made popular by Executive Protection, Law Enforcement & Military Personnel.
Tricycle/trisikad
Fares (motorcycle w/small side car & bicycle w/side car)
Local tricycle/trisikad fares within Santa Fe to most
hotels/restaurants around town are P20 per person.
* from Santa Fe Pier to your hotel in town, give P50 per person; a bit more if you have big luggage - If you're not sure what to pay from where you are to where you're going, just ask inside a bakeshop or sari-sari store at Santa Fe Pier what the proper cost should be, before getting into a tricycle.
HOTELS in Santa Fe: updated Spring 2008
* Please note that during Holy Week (March 16 - 23, 2008) hotel prices go up sharply (double & sometimes triple regular rates) and tourists make their Holy Week reservations many months to one year in advance.
Note: The two priciest properties with First Class accommodation on the Island are Ogtong Cave Resort & HoyoHoy Resort, if this is what you require. (see listing below) Otherwise, rooms & cottages are generally available with fan & cold water bathroom/CR unless otherwise noted for aprox. $8USD or less to $40+ and up, depending upon location & amenities.
*Hard Kock Kafe: JingJing and Family have nice, newly built native style bamboo Nipa bungalows at the rear of the property; nicely landscaped with Palms & local Flora - inexpensive and very convenient, as a few seconds after leaving your kottage you can walk into the restaurant and bar to sit & enjoy your meals & drinks while watching the big screen Mitsubishi TV - you can even surf the web from your laptop while sitting in the restaurant.
Kottages: P450 with fan (5 meter x 5 meter)
Kottages: P650 with Aircon (6 meter x 5 meter)
All
with a nice front porch and CR/bathroom with shower
(Prices are current through October 2008)
Kottages have tiled floors & screened windows, and very
comfortable Deluxe Queen size beds with a real mattress.
The Aircon Kottages also feature nice hot water showers.
Spacious Restaurant & Bar with Big Screen SAT TV & WiFi wireless internet access for Guests, in addition to the HK internet computer for guests located above the restaurant.
Great food (the meal in the HK banner near the top of the page is Chicken Picatta) cold beer, drinks and a huge menu with daily specials; a very popular place.
...personally, I really enjoy their Burgers with tomato & onion; it's my favorite....and the Steak Pies (Steak/Steak & Mushroom/Steak & Cheese in a pastry crust) are also a current favorite of many of my friends here.
* An extra fold out bed can easily be added to any of the Kottages, at P100 addt'l.
* Motorcycle rentals at P250 per day - see their Promo above (110cc Honda XRM & 125cc Honda scooter style; easy to ride) HK is right in the center of town, 200 meters from the beach.
Contact Hard Kock Kafé: (032)438-9075 Reservation Landline
*Kota Beach:
P770 to P2,000 and up - Nipa bungalow style cottages set back a few
meters from the beach, with some right on the beach - with fan
&
cold water CR/bathroom - on a beautiful and peaceful stretch of White
Sand Beach, and the BeeHive building newly built in 2008 offering
smaller fan rooms w/CR for P770.
A nice, quiet property landscaped with different types of Palms and beautiful Flora.
* P770: Standard room w/fan
* P1,079: Superior Cottage w/fan
* P1,260: Cottage, Aircon Double
* P1,300: Economy Cottage w/aircon
* P1,560: Aircon Deluxe Cottage
* P2,000: Deluxe Beachfront Suite
*
Good service by an attentive staff.
* Great open-air restaurant: (pictured) food is
cooked fresh to-order, in a quiet relaxing environment - seafood
& local dishes from P160 - P230 and up.
…even just relaxing here with coffee in the morning, the ambiance & ocean view are wonderful.
Kota has a new, larger Multi cab for 2008 (miniaturized truck) giving them 2 vehicles to use for transfers to & from the Pier.
Contact Kota: +63-032-419-6135 & 032-438-9042
*Budyong Beach: Right on the beach next to Kota, with nice Nipa hut style bungalows from P500 (one unit) in various sizes, some with aircon, and an open-air restaurant on the same beautiful stretch of White Sand Beach as Kota.
* Non Aircon Cottages: single bed w/fan: P500 - Double w/fan: P1,000
Family Room Cottage: P1,600
* Aircon Cottages: Single bed P1,300 - Double Bed: P1,500
* Family Room Cottage: P2,000
Contact Budyong: +63-032-438-5700
*HoyoHoy Resort: I like to call it 'Tastefull Elegance' on a lovely property indeed - these Beautiful Villas are P5,000 and P6,000 for Ocean Side, and include breakfast for two.
Cebu's Gov. Gwen Garcia stays here when she comes to the Island; First Class with all amenities.
Modern 2nd. story South Sea style Villas have access into a tastefully designed, open air downstairs landing & furnished sitting area (this finished outdoor floor beneath the Villa is tiled in native stone) and a staircase takes you upstairs into your fully furnished studio style Villa with a terrace, SAT TV, Queen size bed, well stocked refrigerator, CR/bathroom with very nice, modern Jacuzzi style tubs.
The view from your Villa terrace is wonderful, overlooking the beautiful Coco Palms and other Flora on the property - stroll out to the beach around 5:30am and watch the beautiful sunrise.
Spacious and relaxing open air restaurant with prices between P65 to P830, on a nicely landscaped property that has their own beach and reclining sunchairs.
* Contact HoyoHoy in Santa Fe: +63-032-438-9223 - in Cebu: 63-32-416-0905 - mobile: 63-917-326-1068
*Ogtong Cave Resort: Beautiful Studio style cottages, some with terraces, many looking like small luxury Condos, starting around P1,600 to P18,000
A very large, beautiful & landscaped property (the Island’s largest Resort) lush with Palms & local Flora, with a Great Restaurant featuring an extensive menu and 2 huge swimming pools (no beach here, but you can get down into the water - and Sugar Beach is 3 to 5 minutes away via motorbike) great service and First Class all the way.
It's a beautiful property for just a casual stroll, or to sit outside on the terrace of your cottage with your morning coffee, etc.
Amenities & ambiance increase in relation to the price.
* P1,600: Cottage, non- aircon (only 1 cottage like this available)
* P3,200: Garden Villa - twin bed, ref & TV
* P3,200: Row House - ref & TV
* P3,200: Family Room Twin - with extra side bed & TV
* P3,500: Sea View Villa - ref & TV
* P4,300: Family Room Triple - ref & TV
* P4,300: Deluxe Cottage - ref & TV
* P5,200: Duplex - ref & TV
* P7,000: White House - 2 bedrooms & kitchen
* P18,000: Newly built Deluxe with Jacuzzi (pictured) lavish Queen Bed, fully furnished with all amenities; a must see (a separate, large private pool is reserved for these 3 Deluxe Jacuzzi Condos)
Ogtong Cave & Santa Fe Beach Club also have nice full size passenger vans to fetch you & your luggage, where most smaller hotels use Multi Cabs.
Contact Ogtong Cave: +63-032-438-0165 & 438-9129
Mobile: +63-920-899-9456
*Santa Fe Beach Club: Right on a great stretch of The Beach near the Pier - nice rooms, some with refrigerator aprox. P900 to P2,600 - with pleasant service and a very good restaurant with a varied menu.
* P900: Twin Cottage w/fan, non aircon
* P 1,000: Triple Cottage w/fan, non aircon
* P1,200: Cottage with adjoining room
* P1,600: Clubhouse Twin
* P2,000: Clubhouse Triple
* P2,200: Clubhouse Quadruple
* P2,600: Duplex Triple
Nice full size passenger van for transfers.
Contact Santa Fe Beach Club: +63-032-438-9090 (fax) & 438-9107 land line
Mobile: +63-918-919-9101
*Yooneek Beach Resort: right on the Beach - Owners Juan & his wife Bernie know what Great Service & Hospitality means, so they know full well how to take care of their Guests.
They've built a nice property with modern rooms, some with kitchenette, Seaside open air outdoor Bar with outdoor thatched huts on the property for dining, drinking & watching the beautiful sunsets.
* P1,500: Standard Room w/aircon: Balcony & Sea View (peak season P1,800)
* P1,800: Vista Grande Room: aircon, Terrace, Ocean View (peak: P2,100)
* Peak Season is November 1 to April 30.
Restaurant & a nice outdoor bar, overlooking the sea.
The lounge has a small internet café with 3 terminals for your convenience.Yooneek has a Multi Cab vehicle for transfers, plus a nice Nissan Frontier pick up truck.
Contact Yooneek Beach Resort: +63-032-438-9124 Mobile: +63-917-999-3829
Yooneek Inn: Juan & Bernie present their brand new place to stay, newly built in 2008 - one block from the beach and few blocks away from Yooneek Beach Resort.
* P990: Standard Room w/Fan (peak season P1,290)
* Peak Season is November 1 to April 30.
This includes a daily Continental Breakfast for two at Yooneek Beach Resort & round trip transfers to and from the Pier in Santa Fe.
Contact Yooneek Inn: +63-032-438-9124 Mobile: +63-917-999-3829
*Sugar Beach: small bungalows starting at aprox. P500 (on Sugar Beach) for very simple accommodation.
No landscaping like other properties, but it’s on a very nice & wide portion of Sugar Beach, offset with many rows of beautiful Coco Palms.
* Basic Cottage: P500
* Basic Cottage w/Balcony: P500
* Basic Ballister Cottage: P700
* Basic Family Cottage: P800 (first photo)
* Basic Duplex Cottage: P1,400 to P1,500
* Newer Aircon Cottages: P1,500 (middle photo)
There's no restaurant here, but the staff can take care of either cooking or getting meals for you; just ask them.
Contact Sugar Beach: +63-921-775-5058
*Marlin's Beach Resort: very nice modern rooms on a nice landscaped property, starting at P900 to P2,800 right on the Beach, and they can arrange Island Hopping, boats, jet skis, fishing & all water sports, etc. in-house.
* Standard Room w/fan: P990 (Peak Season P1,500)
* Deluxe Room P1,800 - aircon, marble bath, SAT. TV, Balcony w/Ocean View (Peak: P2,400)
* Beach Front Room P2,800: (pictured) hot water, aircon, TV, radio, hairdryer, safety box, mini bar, Balcony Sea view (Peak P3,780)
* Up to 30% discount for guests staying 4 days or longer.
* Peak Season is Nov.1 to May 30
Marlin’s also have a nice full size passenger van & new Isuzu SUV to fetch you & your luggage, where most smaller hotels use Multi Cabs.
Contact Marlin's: +63-032-438-9093
*Maia's Beach Resort: North of Santa Fe on the highway going towards Bantayan Town, turn left at the Mayas sign just before Bantayan Town.
A nicely landscaped property about 25 minutes northwest of Santa Fe - nice concrete Nipa hut style bungalows with their distinctive pointed roof design are in a wood grain finish - The property goes right out to the sea and their shoreline is occupied with coral rock, so there is no beach per se - but yes, you can easily get into the ocean & swim from the property.
In & amongst the beautiful coco palms & flora you'll find a great swimming pool, and Maia's offers free transfers from Piers via their new Revo Tamaraw SUV and Mercedes Benz Passenger Van to transport you in comfort.
Good open-air restaurant, and the open air bar (right photo) has a gorgeous view of the sea.
Even if you are hungry at 3am, they’ll open the restaurant & cook just for you, with prior notice - a very nice touch indeed.
* All Maia's Cottages w/aircon & twin beds: P1,600 - breakfast
for two is included.
* Breakfast from P115 to P165
* Lunch/Dinner from P145
Contact Maia's: Mobile +63-918-571-4297 Landline: +63-32-438-0077
website: http://home.tiscali.de/maia.becker/
*St. Bernard Beach Resort: Intimate Native Style Cottages crafted out of concrete, on a property shaded by beautiful Coco Palms on a smaller beach - with Restaurant, Function Room w/SAT TV on the Dream Dish Network.
* P350: “backpacker” cottage, per person
* P750: Standard Cottage with fan - P1,000 w/aircon
* P950: Deluxe w/fan - P1,200 w/aircon
* P1,400: Big Deluxe w/fan - P1,800 w/aircon (middle image)
* P1,700: Deluxe Beachfront, with fan.
Contact St. Bernard’s mobile: +63-917-963-6162
website: www.bantayan.dk
*Tickety Boo Beach Resort: Bill & Thess are gracious hosts, and they've built a very nice property on Alice Beach with 12 modern & very comfortable rooms, with plenty of space outside on the property to relax or lounge in the sun.
Treat yourself to a great meal in their relaxing open air restaurant with SAT. TV, and enjoy their well stocked bar after a game of Billiards - they also feature LIVE Music every Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday.
Two things well worth mentioning about their Restaurant/Bar in the middle photo is that the breeze coming through here on the 2nd. floor is very refreshing on a hot day - and besides having great food, their meals are also presented so nicely.
* P850: Fan Room with double bed
* P1,300: Aircon Room with double bed (pictured) - lots of space here.
* P1,900: Family Room with Aircon - good for 4 people.
Tickety Boo has a Suzuki Multicab for Pier transfers.
Contact Tickety Boo's mobile: +63-920-749-0743 Landline: +63-32-438-9105
website: www.ticketyboo.110mb.com
*Seaview Apartelle: Newly
built in March/April 2008 and located just off the beach & east
of
Marlin's Resort - Seaview offers 12 clean, modern aircon rooms with
sliding glass doors & terraces (6 large & 6 smaller
rooms) Some construction
continuing on a planned business center & restaurant through
May/June 2008.
It's also possible to enjoy the sunrise from the 3rd. floor rooms as you step out onto your terrace.
*Tristans Beach Resort, Santa Fe: Simple but comfortable aircon rooms with tile floors, some with TV and fridge - Tristan's open air Restauant steps down right onto the beach and refreshing sea breeze, so you can enjoy the sunrise from either place.
P1,000: Single Room/aircon - good for 2 people (Peak Season P1,200)
P1,300: Beach Front room/aircon (Peak Season?)
P1,500: Family Room/aircon (Peak Season?)
P2,500: Family Room/2 beds, aircon with TV & fridge (Peak P3,000) Pictured.
Peak Season is November to April
Contact
Tristan's landline: 438-9041
mobile: 0919-537-1536
*D'Jungle, Santa Fe : Budget Rooms
"Friends & Family" BARKADA Budget Rooms with common CR at P250 per day (Discounted to P200 for more than 2 days) Details coming soon.
Contact Nina at D'Jungle: +63-910-908-9031 Mobile
*The Islander Cottages, Santa Fe: Nice Concrete & Nippa/Native style Cottages with CR/bathroom & shower with refrigerator and BBQ facilities inc. glasses, plates, etc. - these cottages are 5 meters x 5 meters and have a small terrace.
P350 per day for these nice cottages, and there are weekly & monthly rates available.
The Perk: You'll get a 10 percent DISCOUNT dining at D'Jungle & The White Sands Restaurants while you stay at the Islander Cottages.
Contact Islander Cottages: +63-919-683-6327
*The White Sand's Beach Villa, Santa Fe: The private Residence of Robert Franco from The White Sand's Restaurant is a Native Bamboo Style fully furnished home built in & above the water, and features all amenities.
This home measures 95 sq. meters including the Terrace, and features aircon, hot water CR/bathroom & shower, kitchenette & fridge, SAT. TV & internet connection, and is tastefully appointed with modern and antique Philippine furniture throughout.
Master bedroom with aircon & Queen bed, aircon guest room with full size bed, and last but not least - the wide Terrace with its incredible view of the eastern sky for watching the spectacular sunrise.
Pricing: P2,500 per day in low season (May to Oct.) and P3,000 per day during high season (November to April) based on dual occupancy.
Email me directly to book this residence, or for this property's weekly & monthy rates.
*Lodging House, Santa Fe
(accross the street diagnally from SeaView Apartelle) Details coming.
Basic rooms in a converted small house with aircon at P1,000 per day.
Basic Fan room is P500 per day, with CR/bathroom.
*Jegra Johns Resort:
(currently
CLOSED)
RESTAURANT
LISTING in Santa Fe (updated Spring 2008)
* All the hotels
mentioned above have a restaurant, except Sugar Beach & Sea
View.
The White Sand's: The only Gourmet Restaurant On The Beach in Santa Fe.
Lonely Planet calls it "..a dining exerience straight out of the imagination..."
Renowned restaurateur Robert Franco offers a true gourmet experience featuring fine dining right on the beach, in a romantic shoreline restaurant and regarded as the best food on the Island.
Robert's a very gracious host, and the ambiance here is second to none - the menu features such delicasies as Scallops in brandy & cream sauce, US Angus Beef, Seafood Lasagna, Thai Inspired Grouper, French Crepes & Wafers, Sinigang & Tinola and much more - put The White Sands at the top of your list for comfortable, casual dining when you come to Bantayan Island.
The Jungle: Bring
Your Appetite! now offering a fantastic 40+
course nightly All You Can Eat Buffet for P245. "Eat all
you can - Eat
all you want" w/Bottomless Ice Tea.
Just opened April 2007 by Robert at The White Sand's, D'Jungle Mongolian Grill & BBQ features an open pit circular grill where you can watch your dishes prepared right before your eyes: Fresh Seafoods (shrimps/Visayan Oysters/scallops/crab/BBQ local fish) 6hr. slow cooked Spare Ribs, Roasted Pork Tenderloin, Italian Meatballs, Curry & Chili Dishes, Tropical Fruit Salads & Pasteries and local Pinoy Favorites (Crispy Pata, Pata Tim, Bicol Express)
The sheer number of entries offered here nightly only entices your appetite, and you can indulge yourself to your hearts content with what I call the best value dining experience on Bantayan Island for P245!
Portuguese:
Melo's place, an absolutely huge menu with Portuguese, German, Filipino & American foods of every sort including Pizza, and a good bar.
Hard Kock Cafe:
Great Curry, Burgers, Seafood, Filipino & American dishes with daily specials & great breakfasts - ice cold beers a specialty.
Blue Ice:
Great Steaks (Brazilian Beef) and a varied menu with Seafood, German, Filipino & American dishes, great breakfasts (pictured) and lunches as well as a wonderful place to have dinner - excellent well stocked bar.
If Andy's there - ask him what his specials are and what he recommends - he's a great host & passionate about his cusine & loves talking food.
El Paso: (currently closed)
Balikbayan:
On Batobalonas St., a lovely bamboo décor restaurant, that just opened an addition street side, in April 2007
Asian and Western style dishes, and many varieties of Pizza.
Good Bar, and a varied menu - this is a very popular place to eat.
Karlssons Gatukok & Fast Food:
The Floating Bar:
Owner Henrik from Sweden (pictured) opened his Floating Bar in Nov.2006 - right in the water, a few meters off the Beach at Yooneek Resort.
A small boat takes you right out to the bar, from the beach in front of Yooneek, and it’s a great place to relax and have a drink - enjoy the view and especially the sunsets.
The Floating Bar is a great place to have a drink and relax on the water with the refreshing sea breeze, and to enjoy the fantastic sunsets!
* Cold beers & great drinks on a bamboo platform bar floating offshore.
* Food specials from breakfast, onward.
* They also offer Island Hopping Tours with their own 8 meter Banka at P1,000 (max. 6 persons, and the passengers split the P1,000 cost)
The Floating Bar is open daily 9am - 6pm (and later if customers stay past 6pm)
While you’re there, be sure to pick up the FB Pirate logo t-shirt.
cebupacificair.com