PH · Cebu · 11.20°N 123.73°E

bantayan island

Santa Fe's sandy beaches, small fishing towns and seafood off northern Cebu.

Best time
February to May is dry, with calm, clear water, hottest towards May. July to October is typhoon season, when storms can cancel the ferries. Holy Week, around Easter, is packed with Filipino holidaymakers.
How long
3–4 days
Getting there
Fly direct to Cebu (about 4 hours from KL). Hagnaya port is about 3–4 hours north by road, then the ferry to Santa Fe takes about 1 hour. The Philippines is on the same time as KL.
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PH · Cebubantayan island11.20°N 123.73°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Santa Fe's sandy beaches, small fishing towns and seafood off northern Cebu.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingBantayan IslandPH, Cebu
KLbantayan island
≈ 2,589 km from KL, as the crow flies
Bantigue shore

Photo: John Martin PERRY · CC BY-SA 3.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

A flat, laid-back island off the northern tip of Cebu, with powdery white beaches around Santa Fe and fishing towns where the day's catch is dried in the sun. It's a few lazy days of swimming, island-hopping and seafood once you've made the long trip from the airport.

Makan

  1. DanggitSun-dried rabbitfish, fried crisp and eaten with rice and egg for breakfast. Bantayan's dried fish is famous across Cebu.Map ↗
  2. Grilled seafoodFish, squid and scallops grilled at the beachside places in Santa Fe.Map ↗
  3. KinilawRaw fish 'cooked' in vinegar and calamansi with onion, ginger and chilli.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Santa Fe beachesSoft white sand and shallow, clear water along the island's south-east coast, where most people stay.Map ↗
  2. Kota BeachA sandbar that curls out into the sea, changing shape with the tide.Map ↗
  3. Virgin IslandA short boat trip to a small island with a white beach and clear water for snorkelling.Map ↗
  4. Bantayan townAn old stone church, the town plaza and a busy market, a short ride across the island.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Keep a night on mainland Cebu before your flight home, in case the ferry is cancelled.
  • Halal food is very limited and pork is everywhere in Cebuano cooking. Seafood and grilled fish are the easy fallback.
  • Rent a scooter or tricycle to get round; the island is flat and the roads are quiet.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.