Bantayan Island famously known as the home of Camp Sawi is located at the Northern part of Cebu. It can be reached through a three-hour bus ride and an hour and a half ferry ride. It's not a long trip if you want to have a relaxing vacation.
This itinerary is for you to relax. There aren't too much activities done, more of strolling at the long white shore and appreciating the beauty of nature offered by this island.
Day 1:
- Inland Tour Itinerary:
- Mangrove Garden
- Paradise Beach
- Cliff Diving Spot
- Ogtong Cave
- Kota Beach/Sand Bar
DAY 1 EXPENSES:
- Bus Fare to Hagnaya Port: 200/pax (Aircon Bus)
- Ferry Fare to Sta. Fe Port: 170/pax
- Tricycle to APH: 10/pax
- Adelaida Pensionne Hotels: 1900/night with free breakfast/2pax
- Inland Tour: 500/pax (You may haggle this price upto 350/pax)
- Entrance Fees:
- Mangrove: 50php/pax
- Paradise Beach: 50php/pax
- Ogtong Cave: 100php/pax
TOTAL: 2980
DAY 2:
DAY 2 EXPENSES
- Fare to MJ Square: 10/pax
- Lunch: 150/pax
- Fare to Sta. Fe Port: 10/pax
- Terminal Fee: 10/pax
- Ferry Fare to Hagnaya Port: 170php
- Bus Fare to Cebu City: 140/pax (Non-aircon Ceres Bus)
TOTAL: 490/pax
OVERALL TOTAL
EXPENSES: 3470 ~ 3500/PAX budget.
TIPS:
- Book a room using Booking.com, Agoda.com, Airbnb or Trivago.com which also have a mobile app.There are great deals with those apps. Ours was booked using Booking.com, got a room with a free breakfast deal.
- Travelling in groups is much cheaper when you travel, travel with your friends or loved-ones.
- For the inland tour, Paradise Beach is a must-go place, spend most of your time here rather than wasting your time at the Kota Beach (Camp Sawi --you can’t go inside the resort, they will just let you take a picture with the signage)
- Also, octong cave is overrated. I was not really fascinated by the place. Fifty pesos entrance fee at Paradise beach is much worthy than the hundred pesos fee at the Ogtong Resort (though it already includes the usage of other facilities like swimming pool and the beach)
- Learn how to drive a motorcycle/scooter, you can use a bicycle to tour the island but definitely the latter are more convenient.
- Again, pack lightly (a backpack for your clothes and a sling bag for the important things)
- Stay longer. You will appreciate more of the island if you do so.
- Lastly, be friendly and act like locals.
THAT'S IT! ENJOY YOUR STAY IN BANTAYAN!
