21 Best Bantayan Island Tourist Spots

Bantayan Island, located off the northern coast of Cebu, is a quiet paradise known for its pristine white-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters.

Despite its promise as a relaxing beach destination, the slightly longer journey to reach it means Bantayan Island can be enjoyed without the crowds found at many of the Philippines’ other beach destinations.
There’s more to do than just relax on the beach here though. The island’s name bantayan, meaning watchtower, alludes to its historical role as a lookout point to guard against Moro pirate raids in the 17th century. Sadly the island’s old lookout towers and Spanish forts have largely sunce been forgotten. Today, the island’s main hub, Santa Fe, is home to a number of quiet resorts and plenty of food options, with a number of nearby attractions including island hopping, beaches, and exploring beautiful caves.

I’ve visited Bantayan Island multiple times and am proud to say that I think I’ve put together the most comprehensive list of things to do on the island, whatever your interests.

Have any questions? Feel free to ask them in the Facebook Group and I’ll personally do my best to help you out.

When to Visit Bantayan Island

I recommend visiting Bantayan Island between December and April, the dry season when the weather is ideal for outdoor activities and exploring the island’s attractions. There aren’t really a lot of indoor activities on Bantayan, so it definitely makes sense to aim for the sunniest weather conditions.

Dry Season (December to April): This is the best time to visit Bantayan Island, with warm, sunny days and average temperatures ranging from 25°C to 32°C. The clear skies and calm seas make it perfect for beach activities like snorkeling at Virgin Island, exploring the Ogtong Cave, and visiting the famous white-sand beaches of Kota Beach. If you visit during Holy Week (March or April, depending on the year), you’ll witness the island’s renowned Semana Santa celebration. This is one of the island’s biggest events, and is also by far the busiest time of year.

Wet Season (May to November): The southwest monsoon brings heavy rains and occasional tropical storms, particularly in July and August. While it doesn’t rain constantly, downpours can be frequent and make outdoor activities less predictable. The seas are often rougher during this time, which can impact ferry schedules. However, the wet season offers a quieter, less crowded experience for those who don’t mind the occasional rain. The Kinhason Festival, a celebration of the island’s shellfish industry, usually takes place in November and offers an opportunity to enjoy local seafood, cultural performances, and community festivities.

How to get to Bantayan Island

Planning on booking a car to the ferry? Here are some great options that can be organized ahead of time.

Make sure to check the ferry schedule before you leave. I suggest checking the shipping companies’ Facebooks for the most recent information though.

Buses: For budget-friendly travel, buses are a reliable way to reach Hagnaya Port from Cebu City. Head to the Cebu North Bus Terminal and buy a 300 PHP ticket to Hagnaya. Beware of fixers standing outside who will swarm you and try to sell you tickets for three or four times the real price. Buses are available with or without air conditioning, and the journey takes about 4 to 5 hours, depending on traffic and stops. I highly advise catching the bus as early in the morning as possible – the biggest difference in how long the bus ride takes is whether or not you get stuck in traffic on the way out of the city. Once at Hagnaya Port, transfer to a ferry for the 1 to 1.5-hour ride to Bantayan Island. Ferry tickets are either 300 PHP or 360 PHP, plus a 25 PHP Terminal Fee. Upon arrival at Santa Fe, tricycles and motorcycles are available for hire to take you to your accommodation.

Private Car or Van: Traveling to Bantayan Island by private car or van is a faster and more comfortable option than taking the bus, though it’s definitely more costly. Rates are anywhere from 4000 PHP to 6000 PHP. From Cebu City, it’s a 3 to 4-hour drive to Hagnaya Port. Once at the port, transfer to a ferry for the 1 to 1.5-hour ride to Bantayan Island. Ferry tickets are either 300 PHP or 360 PHP, plus a 25 PHP Terminal Fee. Upon arrival at Santa Fe, tricycles and motorcycles are available for hire to take you to your accommodation.

How to get Around Bantayan Island

Scooter – If you’re planning on renting a scooter, you can either ask your accommodation to arrange a rental for you, or alternatively there a bunch of guys right at the port who will offer to rent to you right when you arrive. The benefit to that option is that you can drop it off back at the port when you leave, but the downside is that these scooters tend not to be taken care of quite as well as the ones you might get from your accommodation. I’ve never had any problems, but it’s up to you.

Motorbike Taxis (Habal-Habal) & Trikes – If you’re just planning on staying in Santa Fe and don’t really want to explore the rest of the island, then renting a scooter may not be necessary. Within town it’s fairly easy to get trikes and habal-habals to take you where you want to go.

Where to Stay on Bantayan Island

Truth be told, Bantayan Island is small enough that if you have a scooter then it doesn’t really matter where you stay – basically everything is half an hour away no matter where you are. That said, 99% of tourists stay in Santa Fe. You’re closest to the island’s most beautiful beaches, plus that’s where the majority of the accommodation and touristy food options are.

Pssst – if you choose to book your accommodation through this map, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you! Thank you for helping me keep this travel blog going!

Best Bantayan Island Tourist Spots

1. Kota Beach

If there’s one beach you need to visit during your stay on Banatayan, then this is the one. Kota Beach is known for its postcard-perfect powdery white sand, crystal-clear gentle turquoise water, and the distinctive sandbar that emerges when the tide is right. It’s also the closest beach to the center of town, so if you’re staying right in Santa Fe you’ll easily be able to walk here. Kits Beach is definitely among the top beaches I’ve been to in the Philippines, and I hope it maintains its charm by not becoming overdeveloped as many once-nice Filipino beaches have been.

The beach is lined with humble locally-owned accommodations, as well as a giant luxury resort that’s currently being constructed as the tallest building on the island by far. There are a number of small bars and restaurants (and the ruins of an abandoned Spanish fort, but more on that later). In my opinion Kota Beach is one of the absolute best places to be for sunset on Bantayan.

Kota Beach on Google Maps

2. Sugar Beach

Technically Sugar Beach is just Kota Beach except just further west. The sand here isn’t quite as powdery and fine as Kota, but the beach is a little quieter and less developed. Expect to see more fishermen here and fewer tourists. The water is just as beautiful blue. There are lots of spots here where you can just sit and relax underneath the shade of a palm tree and be left alone.

Sugar Beach on Google Maps

3. Sandira Beach

Sandira Beach is the only Bantayan beach on this list with a fee to enter (60 PHP), and it’s also the smallest shortest beach. The other three beaches are all long stretches of sand where it’s very easy to walk far enough in either direction to get away from other people, but I can’t necessarily say the same for Sandira. It takes no more than ten minutes to walk this beach end to end. Fortunately Sandira is a little further away than the other tree beaches so it doesn’t get crazy busy.

What is cool about Sandira Beach is the short rocky cliffs that border it. Among the cliffs are Tom’s of overhangs and little caves where it’s possible to rest in the shade and have a certain amount of privacy. At the west end of the beach is a cool rocky intertidal area where you can see tons of crabs and starfish living among the rocks. Look but don’t touch – that way the next people get to see the same wildlife undisturbed.

Sandira Beach on Google Maps

4. Alice Beach

Alice Beach is the north-facing stretch of the same beach that turns into Kota Beach and Sugar Beach. Alice Beach is super untouristy, and is mostly just used by local fishermen and island hopping boats. As you can imagine that also means that this isn’t the cleanest Bantayan beach.

The view north from Alice Beach features both Virgin and Hilantagan Island, two popular destinations for island hopping from Banatayan.

Alice Beach on Google Maps

5. Ogtong Cave

Ok, I might get jumped for what I have to say here. Ogtong Cave is a super cool spot that is ruined by the people you end up sharing it with. I like to think I have a certain reverence for nature, and a dazzling emerald cave pool is the kind of place that I’d like to quietly take in the beautiful rock formations and tranquil atmosphere. Unfortunately if you get to Ogtong Cave any time other than right when it opens you’re likely to find it full of people splashing and shouting and really just kind of ignoring how cool their surroundings are and not being very respectful of the other cave visitors. The cave isn’t large, meaning that when you’re sharing it with other people, you’re very aware of that fact.

The entrance fee is 200 PHP, and for that price the only time I’d say it’s worth it to go is right at 8am. Unless you’re planning on being noisy in which place please go later in the day with the rest of the noisy people. Fortunately the resort that the cave is located in is just on the edge of Santa Fe, so it’s probably very close to where you’re staying anyway.

Ogtong Cave on Google Maps

6. Lalio’s Cave

Lalio’s Cave is probably the most off-the-beaten-track attraction on Banatayan Island, but it might just be my favourite spot on this entire list.

The cave is about half an hour north of Santa Fe, and the ride there involves following some not-fully-clear signage down a bumpy dirt track, but it’s so worth it when you arrive at this hidden gem. Less of a fully developed tourist attraction and more of a cave on some guy’s land that you can pay to visit, Lalio’s Cave is an authentic and exciting experience that blows Bantayan Island’s other cave out of the water. (It’s also about twice as big). Entrance is 50 PHP, and the owner is super charming and friendly. What I really appreciate is how uncommercialized and undeveloped the experience is. While a pathway through the cave down to the pool has been cleared, it’s been done so minimally. Instead of pouring two giant obnoxious concrete staircases (I’m looking at you Ogtong Cave) only enough changes have been made to make the cave safe, but without detracting from the caves natural beauty. The majority of caves that you visit in the Philippines are in bad condition, with most of the stalactites snapped off as souvenirs for selfish people. Fortunately Lalio’s Cave is super clean and well-preserved.

Lalio’s Cave on Google Maps

7. “The Ruins”

The Ruins is a popular ocean viewpoint, cliff jumping spot, and Filipino instagram hotspot. Truth be told, if you haven’t seen the 2016 Filipino film Camp Sawi, then this half-constructed and abandoned concrete frame of a house probably doesn’t seem all that special to you. Locals are pretty into it though. Nonetheless it is a really nice sunset spot – feel free to head slightly west though to get a shoreline spot away from the house all to yourself.

The Ruins on Google Maps

8. Hilantagaan Island

Hilantagaan Island is the standard first stop of local island hopping packages, though don’t expect to visit the actual island itself. Instead, you’ll find yourself just off the shore at a popular snorkelling spot. Guides will throw crackers in the water to attract fish, but I asked my guide not to; I wanted to view the fish behaving as normally as possible in their natural habitat. I wasn’t just after an instagram photo.

Truth be told, I was fairly disappointed by the snorkelling off of Hilantagaan Island. 99% of the coral was dead and broken into tiny pieces drifting along the ocean floor. Sadly dynamite and cyanide fishing are still practiced in this region, and my guide suggested that it was local practices like these that had destroyed what must have once been a lovely coral reef.

9. Diahican Beach

Diahican Beach is a spot on the east end of Hilantagaan Island that is an optional add-of to island hopping packages. While the beach itself is very nice, what’s really cool is exploring the overhanging cliffs with stretch for kilometres south of the beach. It’s a really cool spot, especially where the cliffs have collapsed, forming little caves and sheltered areas. This is a spot that is rarely visited, so if you choose to go here you’re likely to have it all to yourself. Just make sure the tide is out!

10. Virgin Island

Virgin Island can be visited as part of an island hopping package, but it’s also equally popular to just spend a whole day at the privately-owned resort island. The entrance fee is 250 PHP. This is in addition to whatever you end up paying for your boat.

The island has been responsibly developed by the resort, and I can definitely see the appeal of spending a relaxing day here. There’s a blindingly white sand beach, a cliff-jumping spot, lovely seagrass meadows to snorkel in, and facilities including picnic huts, restrooms, and restaurants.

11. Balidbid Lagoon

This beautiful tidal lagoon, located north of Alice Beach, is one of the newest attractions on Bantayan Island. Surrounded by mangroves and coconut palms, the clear waters are perfect for exploring. The best ways are by kayaking or paddle boarding, but you can also always just relax on the beach. It’s possible to visit Balidbid Lagoon as a stop on an island hopping tour, but it’s also possible to drive here yourself. Entrance is 150 PHP per person, but there’s an extra 100 PHP boat fee if that’s how you arrive.

Balidbid Lagoon on Google Maps

12. Omagieca Mangrove Garden

Omagieca Obo-Ob Mangrove Garden, located in Bantayan’s Barangay Obo-Ob, is a popular eco-tourism site that features elevated boardwalks through mangrove forest. Mangrove forests are vital nursery habitats for fish and other marine life, but are increasingly threatened. It’s an unique environment that’s really enjoyable to walk through.

Truth be told, most of the visitors to the mangrove garden are there to take instagram selfies and move on. The spot’s real claim to fame is being featured in the 2016 Filipino film Camp Sawi. I suggest taking the time to walk a bit more carefully and to notice a little bit more. You can hear dozens of different birds, and I saw at least half a dozen. Also look down, and between the mangrove roots you’re likely to see fish as well.

Omagieca Mangrove Garden on Google Maps

13. St. Peter the Apostle Parish

St. Peter the Apostle Parish, located in the town of Bantayan on Bantayan Island, is one of the oldest and most significant churches in the Visayas, with origins dating back to the late 1500s. The church is an active center of religious life on the island, hosting daily Masses and festive celebrations. The church sees most of its visitors during Holy Week, when Bantayan Island becomes a major pilgrimage site.

St. Peter the Apostle Parish on Google Maps

14. Danggit

Danggit, or sun-dried rabbitfish, is known for its salty, savory flavor and crisp texture when fried. It is a breakfast staple in many Filipino households, typically paired with steamed rice, vinegar dipping sauce, and fresh tomatoes. The fish is cleaned, butterflied, salted, and dried under the sun, preserving it for extended periods and intensifying its flavor.

Bantayan Island is one of the prime sources of danggit in the Philippines, and is a popular pasalubong, or souvenir, for Filipino tourists visiting the island. Local public markets offer danggit (along with a wide variety of other dried fish) freshly packed and ready to take home, or you can find it on any breakfast menu that hasn’t been designed solely for white people.

Bantayan Dried Fish Market on Google Maps

15. Shellfish

Bantayan Island is known for its abundant and affordable shellfish, with saang (spider conch) and scallops among the most prized local catches. Scallops are sold by the pile at beachfront eateries and public markets, often sautéed in butter and garlic or baked with cheese. According to Filipinos, scallops from Bantayan are especially sweet. Saang is typically grilled or boiled and served with spiced vinegar. Other local shellfish include tuway (a type of venus clam), litob (rock oysters), and wasay-wasay (hammerhead oysters).

Often there are women selling local shellfish in plastic bags near the entrance to Kota Beach. Feel free to ask if you’re not sure how to eat them, and they’ll be happy to show you.

16. Santa Fe Fort

If you ask a local why Kota Beach is named Kota Beach, you’re not likely to find many who’ll be able to tell you. Kota, which is the local word for fort, refers to a forgotten and crumbling Spanish fort that is less than a ten minute walk from the Kota Beach entrance. Because I’ve found zero info on the fort, I can only make the educated guess that it was one of the many fortifications built in the 1800s to protect Banatayan from pirates.

Sadly, the fort today is used as a dumping ground by the neighbouring resorts, and is slowly being overtaken by the forest. It seems inevitable that the land the Santa Fe Fort sits on will eventually be sold off to developers, and it’ll be demolished to make room for a beachfront resort without anyone even noticing. Hopefully if more attention is drawn to this historic site then something will be done.

Santa Fe Fort on Google Maps

17. Kaongkod Watchtower

The Kaongkod Watchtower, located in Madridejos on the northern part of Bantayan Island, is the last known watchtower remaining on Bantayan. (In addition to two forts). Built in the 1800s as part of a coastal defense system, the watchtower was used to guard against pirate raids and protect the local community. Today it’s a popular hangout spot for local students. The ruins are in surprisingly good condition, and haven’t been graffitied fortunately. I’d love to see the local government make an active effort to protect it however.

Kaongkod Watchtower on Google Maps

18. Presidio de Lawis

Presidio de Lawis, or more commonly known as Kota Fort, (yes, that’s a bit like chai tea, bao bun, or naan bread) is located on the northern tip of Bantayan Island. It’s a small Spanish fortress that was constructed in the 1790s as a defensive structure to protect the island from frequent pirate attacks.

Today it’s a part of Kota Park, and has been developed into a public recreation area. Visitors can explore the remains of the fort, including sections of the walls and an open courtyard. The park surrounding the fort includes picnic areas, a children’s playground, and a boardwalk leading to scenic views of the coastline.

Presidio de Lawis on Google Maps

19. Bantay Baywalk

Bantay Baywalk is a lovely pier that stretches out from Kota Park. It’s a popular spot for locals to hang out during the day, and doesn’t see too many foreigners. I don’t think you could argue that there’s a single better sunset spot on Banatayan Island than here.

Bantay Baywalk on Google Maps

20. Taguangkan

The name taguangkan comes from the Cebuano words tagu, meaning womb, and anak, meaning child. Is that enough of a hint to tell you what this local Bantayan delicacy is? If you guessed grilled chicken ovary, you’re right. If you didn’t until this moment realize that chickens had ovaries then you’re a lot like me.

Taguangkan is a staple of local BBQ spots in Bantayan, and it’s pretty special – I haven’t found anywhere else in the Philippines that eats it. The best way to describe it is that it’s a meat sack filled with essentially hard-boiled eggs. It’s cooked over charcoal and coated with sauce, and is usually paired with rice and sawsawan.

If you’re looking for a place to try taguangkan, there’s a whole strip of BBQ stalls in a popular food park as a part of the complex housing the Bantayan Public Market.

Bantayan Food Park on Google Maps

21. Food Parks

Bantayan is becoming increasingly popular among retirees and foreign tourists, so there are actually a bunch of food options available, mostly concentrated in the centre of Santa Fe. There are two food parks in the area that offer a whole bunch of open-air eateries and bars in close proximity. They are MJ Square and The Hungry Beach Co.

Highlights of MJ Square include the calamansi shakes from Shake Me and the very famous burritos from Bantayan Burrito Company. There aren’t really any amazing options for Filipino food that I’ve tried here – a number of the eateries here have impossibly large menus including pizza, burgers, Filipino food, pasta, and a million other things. In my experience restaurants like this that try to appeal to every single tourist tend to be pretty bad, especially when it comes to the Filipino stuff for some reason. My #1 tip for trying Filipino food in the Philippines – if the place also sells burgers then stay away.

The Hungry Beach Co. Is a much newer food park, and it seems like it’s become the busier of the two. It’s right by the beachfront, and seems to offer a bunch of good Filipino options, though it’s also possible to find international fare as well. Make sure to eat lots of seafood!

MJ Square on Google Maps

The Hungry Beach Co. on Google Maps