Travel Diary for Day 3-4:

Our first two days in the Philippines (Day 1-2) were spent exploring Metro Manila, the country’s capital city. Watching the spectacular sunset in Manila Bay was remarkable. We shopped at the world's third-largest mall, and visited Fort Santiago in Intramuros and Rizal Park in Ermita. 

On the next two days (Day 3-4) of our Philippine Adventure Travel, we explored Bantayan Island in the Northwestern part of Cebu, where we  got to know stunning beaches in the Central Visayas area.

Day 3: How do we get from Cebu City to Bantayan Island?

23 February:

It was the third day (Day 3) of our Philippines Adventure trip. At 3 a.m, we left Cebu City at the Cebu North Bus Terminal in Mandaue City, Central Visayas by a provincial bus. It took us about 4 hours of bumpy travel to reach the Port of Hagnaya in San Remigio Cebu, Central Visayas. The bus was loaded and transferred via RORO (Roll On, Roll Off) to Santa Fe Port on Bantayan Island, Central Visayas area.

It was raining heavily when we arrived at the port, so we hopped on a tricycle (a Filipino motorbike with a sidecar) to get accommodation on Bantayan Island. We had no idea about the best accommodations in Bantayan and just thought that Mayet Beach Resort, situated in Santa Fe Cebu, Central Visayas Area, was an ideal place to stay and wait for the rain to stop. The rooms were very standard without any luxury, but it was just fine.

After the rain, we went to Caffe del Mare Ristorante, an Italian restaurant located in the city center of Santa Fe, Central Visayas, and enjoyed a delectable dinner. The food was unbelievably good, with fresh tomatoes on the bruschetta and pizza from a wood-fired oven.

Sounds tempting, isn’t it?

Google My Maps Bantayan Island Travel Adventures: Day 3-4

If you are planning a visit to Bantayan Island, check out the Google My Maps below to experience activities and adventures and get to know different routes and directions, accommodations to stay, attractions to visit, and restaurants to dine in. Visit the Bantayan Island Travel Google My Map to learn more about our Philippines Travel routes and adventures.

Day 4: How Do We Explore the Beaches of Bantayan Island?

What are the Top Things to do in Bantayan Island?

As a must-visit eco-tourism spot, Bantayan Island is an adventure destination in the Philippines that boasts its pristine beaches, impressive natural formations, pleasurable nature views, and interesting heritage structures. It is situated in the northmost part of Cebu, Central Visayas.

If you want to know the top things to do in Bantayan Island, check this out.

What are the Best Accommodations in Bantayan Island?

Being one of the most-loved adventure destinations in the Philippines, accommodations in Bantayan are made available to ensure a convenient and pleasurable stay for all its guests. 

Beachfront hotels are ideal for a more relaxing stay; while, privately-owned homes used as vacation rentals are ideal for group travelers. Budget-friendly accommodations with basic amenities make a good pick too. No matter what type of accommodation you have in mind, Bantayan Island has a handful of accommodations in-store for you.  

How Do We Get Back from Bantayan Island to Cebu City?

The public ride was the main mode of transportation for our entire Philippines Travel Adventure. This means that getting back from Bantayan Island to Cebu City requires you to catch the bus and RoRo (Roll on, Roll off) ferry on time. You will be excited to know that public transportation in the Philippines is a thrilling but pretty challenging adventure. Deciding on the mode of transportation to use when moving around the Philippines all depends on your budget and convenience. 

The drive was quite an adventure because the driver wanted to get back to Cebu as quickly as possible. We could feel that very strongly. Upon arrival, we retrieved our luggage from the hood on the side of the bus. We saw a load of sea mussels placed next to our bags, and with the driver's fast and adventurous driving style, the buckets lost some of their liquid contents and soaked our luggage. It made everything inside it smell ocean-like. 

Back in Cebu City, we checked into the Anri Pensionhouse in Villa Amores Street, Cebu City (Central Visayas Region). We initially planned to have dinner there, but we never made it to the restaurant because we were too tired to grab something to eat.

Philippines Tour Adventures from Day 1 to Day 51

During our trip to the Philippines, we visited a great deal of places and had a lot of memorable adventures. Here is a complete overview of the Philippines Travel Diary of our 51-day trip through the Philippines’ various destinations in 2017:

Day 1-2: Manila Adventure Tours
Day 3-4: Bantayan Island Adventure Tours
Day 5-6: Cebu City & South Cebu Adventure Tours
Day 7-8: Southern Visayas Island of Negros Adventure Tours
Day 9-11: Siquijor Island Adventure Tours
Day 12-14: Guimaras Island Adventure Tours
Day 15-17: Gigantes Island Adventure Tours
Day 18-20: Philippine Visa Extension & Food Tours in Metro Manila
Day 21-23: Puerto Princesa Adventure Tours
Day 24-25: El Nido Adventure Tours
Day 26-27: El Nido Motorbike Adventure & Puerto Princesa Island Hopping Tour
Day 28-29: Baguio City Adventure Tours
Day 30-31: Sagada Adventure Tours
Day 32-33: Buscalan, Kalinga Adventure Tours
Day 34: Banaue, Batad Rice Terraces Adventure Tours
Day 35-36: Pangasinan Adventure Tours
Day 37-38: Hundred Islands National Park Adventure Tours
Day 42-47: Metro Manila Adventure Tours
Day 40-41: Leyte Eastern Visayas Adventure Tours
Day 48- 50: The Bamboo Paraiso Beach Resort & Hundred Islands Adventures
Day 51: Best Tour in Pangasinan & Back to Manila

Why Did We Create the Philippines Travel Guide?

SUMMARY: Bantayan Island Adventure Tours

Check out our Bantayan travel guide blog to get more extensive insider tips and must-visit destinations on Bantayan Island.

For the next two days in the Philippines adventure diary (Day 5-6), we continued to explore the beautiful city of Cebu, in the Central Visayas Region.