Bantayan Island Travel Guide - Cebu

Bantayan Island, Philippines – A Picturesque Island Hideaway

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By Nathan Allen

This post is quite a few years old already, but you can check out the photos in my brief Bantayan Island travel guide at the very least…


Bantayan Island – Get Away From It All


Bantayan Island, Philippines

JUST.  WHAT.  I.  NEEDED.

This peaceful little gem off the coast of Cebu, Philippines has some of the finest white-powder beaches in the country (and that also pretty much means the world!).  The early morning bus ride out of Cebu City was very scenic and pleasant, and the final 30 minute (from what I remember) boat ride was as well.  Upon arriving in Santa Fe, which is the port city you dock at, the scenic beauty of the place becomes apparent.   There’s also a nice, quiet “locals only” type of vibe here.  After spending a few months in Cebu City, I LOVED this fact. There are very few bankas (small boats) out on the water at any given time – a contrast to even El Nido at this point. 

Local fishermen and their children took refuge in the shade of the coconut trees during the days, and got together to eat and drink as the sun went down each night.  In general, the people here were among the most friendly I have encountered anywhere in the Philippines.  For some reason they referred to me as “macaroni salad” when I would walk by….I have yet to get an explanation for this!!  I took a walk along the beach each night to appreciate the starry sky.  There was no moon, so this was the best night sky I’ve seen since catching a meteor shower in California a year and a half ago. 

I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves here. 


Sugar Beach, Bantayan Island, Philippines
Banca (boat) at Bantayan Island

Yooneek Beach Resort



Midrange.  I felt like the room was slightly overpriced for what we got, and I’m not sure if I would actually call it a “resort”…but I can’t complain too much.  I mean, look at the bar/restaurant!  The real attraction is the beach-front location.  What a beautiful beach it is. Dinner was really quite good, and the staff did a decent job taking care of us.    Reserve a room online through Agoda HERE.

(Update, I think this cantina might be closed already. The whole resort might even be closed, if you know, please do share in the comments)

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