So after coming from our visit to Panglao Island in Bohol (see this entry), we left the group and went straight to our next itinerary, and that is to go to Bantayan Island, in the northern part of Cebu. This entry will show the snapshots of our travel going to the island, seeing the beautiful country side of Cebu, and of course, will give tips on how you can go to Bantayan Island coming from the city.
So from the city, take a taxi going to North Bus Terminal. Taxis are everywhere in the city so you won’t have a hard time finding one. However, make sure it’s a metered taxi to avoid a price gouge, and insist the driver if he is refusing. If not, just get another taxi; there’s plenty to choose from without a long wait time. North Bus Terminal is near SM Cebu. Then, once you get to the terminal, look for Ceres Coach Bus Liner that goes to Hagnaya. Look for the yellow & white Ceres bus, marked Hagnaya in the windshield – step in and ask the driver to confirm Hagnaya/Bantayan Island.
There are other bus liners that offers trip to Hagnaya but I highly recommend Ceres Coach Bus. Ticket will cost you P80.00 per person for a non-aircon bus, which what he had. However, they do have an air-con bus when available, sometimes only 3 per day, that costs P125.00 pr person. Prices and schedules do change from time to time during the year according to them.
Most travelers heading to Bantayan Island simply get to the North Bus Terminal early in the morning, have a quick breakfast or snack as they wait for the next bus to leave for Hagnaya; most times twice per hour. Travel time is generally 3 hours (on rare occasions 2:45min) including the 10 minute stop in Carmen, Cebu for a restroom break, food and refreshments.
If you want to avoid the hassle of bus commute, the stop over and wants to get to Hagnaya on a very comfortable travel, all taxi drivers in the city are familiar with Hagnaya and can drive you all the way there. Just expect to pay at least P2,000 for this special trip, and if you’re a group of 2 or 3 you can split the fare. Once in Hagnaya, hop in to Super Shuttle Ferry. It’s a few minute walk from the bus stop going to the port.
In Hagnaya port, ferry boats run all day to Santa Fe, Bantayan Island starting at 5:30 am. And please remember that the last ferry of the day leaves Hagnaya at 5:30 pm. Travel time from Super Shuttle Ferries is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. Ticket per person costs P150.00 for a regular fare while P170.00 per person for an air-con cabin. We took the regular fare to enjoy the sea breeze. Please note also of the P10.00 terminal fee per person you need to pay at the port.
Movies are shown on most Ferries except the FastCraft, and drinks/snacks are available, as well as cold San Miguel beer. Porters/Baggage handlers are available to carry your luggage on/off the boats here as well. However, they can be very aggressive when coming aboard (sort of looks like a SWAT Raid by guys wearing green-blue ‘Porter’ t-shirts), so just smile & shake your head ‘no thanks’ if you’re not going to be using them – if they become annoying or persistant, tell them ‘NO’ very firmly.
Also, don’t be near the front of the line waiting to get off a fully loaded boat when it docks – the SWAT baggage handlers storm the plank and are climbing/tripping over people & baggage at this point, turning it into quite the little chaotic scene, so just stay clear. There are also plenty of vendor stalls at Hagnaya Pier, where you can get BBQ, coffee, soft drinks, snacks, phone loads, before you board the boat.
Once you get to Santa Fe Port, I highly recommend that you make advance arrangement with your resort/hotel for a pick up. Most of the resorts and hotels do offer that. It will just be a long walk from the dock to the exit of the port, so if you’re carrying a heavy luggage, you will need some help from the locals who are waiting outside the ferry for a minimum tip. Good thing we arranged our pick up and the owner himself was the one who welcomed us and brought us to his resort. Nice!
As they say, it’s not only the destination that you enjoy when traveling, it’s also the journey going to the destination. And I have enjoyed seeing the sights and scenery of the northern part of Cebu. And most especially arriving to the beautiful island of Bantayan. Will make a separate entry for our stay in the island.
– Bantayan Island, Cebu was visited last October 2009
Travel does what good novelists also do to the life of everyday, placing it like a picture in a frame or a gem in its setting, so that the intrinsic qualities are made more clear. Travel does this with the very stuff that everyday life is made of, giving to it the sharp contour and meaning of art.”
vonviajero 