Hello Hive Friends! Wazzup?

Last week, me and my friends went to the famous destination in Cebu which is Bantayan Island. It was my first time to visit so I comply an itinerary to help first time travelers out there who wish to go and visit this tropical paradise up North.

Bantayan Island is renowned for its pristine white-sand beaches, crystal-clear turquoise waters, and warm hospitality. I hope this 3-day, 2-night itinerary will guide you through the island's must-visit spots, provide you with essential information about costs, and offer reviews to ensure you make the most of your first-ever visit to this enchanting destination.

Let's Go!

3D2N Bantayan Island Itinerary 2023

DAY 1

    Rent a motorcycle 

    Late Lunch at MJ Square
    
    Places we visited:
    The Ruins 
    Sandira Paradise Beach 

DAY 2

    Places we visited:
    Omagieca Obo-ob Mangrove Garden
    Ogtong Cave 

    Coffee and chill at Balay Café 

DAY 3

Tip: It's much better to do the island hopping on the second day, that was our original plan however the serving time for our ordered lunch in Ogtong Cave took awhile before it arrived so we were unable to go back to the hotel at 1pm for the island hopping. It's best to order the food in Ogtong upon arrival so it's all prepared by lunchtime since there are a lot of guest in the place.

ACCOMODATION

Stevrena Accommodations
F. Rosa Street, Talisay Santa Fe, Bantayan Island, 6047 Cebu
Rate: 2,168.00php per night for one room good for five people

Rating: 6/10
Review: There were no toiletries available in the room, not even toilet paper in the CR. One of the four towels they gave us has a very big hole in it. The AC was working, but it’s not that cold, and there were many mosquitoes in our room. I'm not sure if it was just mosquito season. There were also no cabinets to hang our clothes inside the room, nor mirrors. There was only one staff member whom we found accommodating, and that was Ate Nene; she helped us with the island-hopping tour and processed the motorbike rental for us. The place was just average, but it’s not something that I will book again for my next visit.

Places we visited

The Ruins
Entrance Fee: Free

Sandira Paradise Beach
Entrance Fee: 70.00php

Baod's Best Sandbar and Sunset
Entrance Fee: Free

Omagieca Obo-ob Mangrove Garden
Entrance Fee: 65.00php

Ogtong Cave
Entrance Fee: 225.00php

Balidbid Lagoon
Entrance Fee: 150.00php

Virgin Island
Entrance Fee: 300.00php

Food and Bars

Kelly’s Grill
Hagnaya Port, San Remegio
Rating: 8/10
Review: Good value for money; budget-friendly; the place is clean and very accessible. There are lots of food options to choose from; they also serve burgers. The staff were friendly, and service water is also available.
I spent only 70.00 for my breakfast on our first day before we boarded the ship to Bantayan Island.

Chef Panyang
Rating: 5/10
Review: They have a buy one, take one" promo for their seafood, but the serving is really small. It’s like one regular serving cut in half. The chicken was not tender, the shrimp was also not deveined, the serving time was too long, and there were also a lot of flies in MJ Square, but we were told that it was just because of the season, and besides, this is near the beach, so it’s quite understandable.

Hello Spank

Rating: 10/10
Review: The Best Halo-Halo and Gelato in Town This is really a must-try. Although a bit pricey, it was so worth it. The price starts at 110.00php. Make sure to stop by this shop for a yummy dessert. I ordered their coffee-flavored gelato and mango gelato, and it’s one of the best gelatos I've ever tried.

Coucou Bar Hotel & Restaurant

Rating: 9/10
Review: The place has a chill vibe and is very Instagrammable. The food serving was also big, and the cocktails were affordable and tasted good. It was almost perfect, except for some minor ordering mistakes. We ordered carbonara, but the staff failed to get back to us and let us know that the order was not available since they ran out of sauce. All our other orders were already served, and we told them the carbonara would just follow, but it has been an hour, so we made a follow-up, only to find out that they just forgot to inform us. I loved their watermelon margarita, though, and it was only 165.00php.

World Touch Café

Rating: 10/10
Review: I Love the Coffee! The staff was super friendly; they are very accommodating, and they make sure that every customer is taken care of. They always greet you with a smile, and serving was also fast. The place is clean, the price is affordable, and they also have free wifi. This is a must-visit when in Bantayan. Since we loved their service, we decided to come back the next day for our last breakfast in Bantayan, and guess what? They upgraded the free coffee that comes with the breakfast meal to a bigger size.

Restaurant inside Ogtong Cave Resort

Rating: 10/10
Review: This was my favorite restaurant that we have tried on the island. We were amazed at how affordable the prices were, as the resort itself looks classy. The serving was legit good for 3–4 people. We were surprised with their lumpia; we didn’t expect that big of a serving. I personally loved the calamares; they were just perfect. The pork in the sinigang was very soft and tender, although I would prefer if they added more sourness to it. I like my Sinigang maasim kasi, and don’t get me started with their hotpots; it was only 150.00, but my, oh my, was it so worth it. We weren’t able to finish all our orders and had to take home some lumpia and calamares. We only spent 270.00 each (we were a group of 4) for that sumptuous meal, compared to the 330.00 in Chef Panyang's

Meldys Eatery
Rating: 7/10
Review: They serve a variety of barbecue and seafood dishes. The price is within my budget, but I just don’t like the setting. Maybe it’s just me, but the self-service counter where the utensils and sauce were located could use a little bit of tidying up. They also didn’t have tissue when we asked for one since the soft drink bottle had some rust in it and straws were not provided.

Balay Café at the Hungry Beach Co.

Rating: 9/10
Review: I love the setting in the Hungry Beach Co. Food strip: there are a lot of food choices, and the place gives off a chill vibe. Balay Café is on the beach; you get to enjoy a cup of coffee with a beautiful view. I like that they are environmentally friendly; they use stainless steel straws for their dine-in coffee orders, plus they have a promo where if you give them a bag of trash or plastic you have collected on the beach front, you will get a free juice. Isn't that amazing?

Black Pearl Restobar

Rating: 10/10
Review: Best pizza I've had in a while! Great music, nice setting. The DJ was super cool the night we visited. It was all good vibes; the cocktails were also great. It was a great party to end our epic last night on Bantayan Island.

The reviews and ratings provided in this itinerary are based on our own personal experience during our visit to Bantayan Island. Please note that individual experiences may vary, and the opinions expressed are subjective. We encourage you to consider these reviews as a reference and conduct your own research to ensure your travel decisions align with your preferences. Your experience on Bantayan Island may differ from ours, as every traveler's perspective is unique.

That's it for my First Timer Itinerary and Guide in Bantayan Island. See you on the next blog! Stay Amazing!

xoxo
Yza