BANTAYAN ISLAND, CEBU

BANTAYAN ISLAND, CEBU

Location:  Bantayan Island, Cebu

Epals:

Bantayan Island is the shining tropical paradise of Asia. Who will not fall in love with the crystal clear blue water and fine white sand...Relaxing ambiance, peaceful and very friendly cebuanos.

The island for me has the best sand bar among all the beaches in the Philippines.

The island has 3 municipalities but the place for the best beaches are found in Sta. Fe! For people who's up for a quiet place to spend their vacation yet dont want to spend so much money, this is the place for you. Several beach resorts are available, but no five star facilities can be found. Everything's simple, but the beaches were insane beautiful!

Tips: 

Best time to visit Bantayan Island is during summer where the water is calm...Unless you up for some extreme adventure, the 2 hour ferry ride is a bit scary because it's wavy, so make sure to rake your anti-emetic before you ride the ferry. Nothing much to do, no night life, rarely you will see some water adventures...Really, for people who seek peacful environment.

When you get to the Island, pay the entrance fee for one resort only, or to where you would want to spend your night...Dont pay for the entrance fee of other resort, because you can walk through the long stretch of sand passing all the beach resort in sta fe. For somebody who can spend a little more money, there's sta fe beach club, quite cozy but still affordable. There's also Budyong Beach, Marlin's Beach and alot more. All can be reach by foot. That's how you can explore the Island because there's no island hopping like that of Boracay, Guimaras or Puerto galera.

Budget:   

I always say when you intend to travel by air, make sure to book your flight 2 or 3 months before, 99% you'll get the promo fare... always check the airlines website. For this trip, i got the ticket for P999 roundtrip. For accommodations, there are rooms from P300-P1000 per night. Food are of normal charge, though a bitexpensive at Sta Fe beach club, but i liked it! sulit naman...Ferry ride i think was around P70 one way, and bus from Cebu city to Hagnaya port is P70 one way. So, for a 2 days 1 night stay, i spent more or less P4000 for this Bantayan adventure.

 

Personal rating:   * * * * *

BOHOL w/ my FAMILY

BOHOL, PHILIPPINES

LOCATION:   Bohol, Philippines (March 2009)

EPALS:

Bohol trip was a side trip from Cebu i took with my family.... I decided to bring them out of town. First time ever we went out of town, originally plan for merely Cebu, but went a day side trip to Bohol, since it's just a ferry away from Cebu..

OceanJet transport passengers coming from Cebu, less than 2 hrs ride i thnik, a very comportable sea transport to Tagbilaran, Bohol. What i remember is how strict i am with time management, because its just a day spent in one of the most beautiful place in P.I.

Chocolate Hills

Man made forest

This moment was remarkable, going out w/ your family is beyond compare....Plus, give n the fact Bohol, which has a world class beach, not to mention the wonders of the world, "Chocolate Hills". Breath taking views, pretty sure, every single tourist will fall in love with the nature of Bohol.

w/ Tarsier

Dumaluan Beach, Panglao

Bohol has so much to offer... From the  most luxurious Eskaya, level next to Amanpulo, to a more public Dumaluan beach where i enjoyed so much beacuse of long stretch of sand. There's Alona beach, more private but mostly you'll get along w/ foreigners, pricey place and truly intimidating...very short stretch of sand, but definitely very private...

I could'nt say so much of Bohol, Chocolate Hills, a place where you dont afford to miss seeing while in Bohol, Panglao Beach, a world class, the only beach for me that will compete to Boracay in terms of sand and clear water, There's loboc river, famous with its buffet served while crossing the river..a very romantic and fun experience..these are 3 most important places to discover in Bohol. Makre sure not to miss 'em.

 

TIPS:

For the best experience of 2 places in one trip, get a flight from Manil-Cebu...Plan the trip ahead, cebu and bohol are not tough to visit, since it is highly commercialized. What matters most is time management....Budget your time on both places, it is important to rent a Van to tour you around Bohol, 'coz Chocolate Hillss to Panglao island will be end to end travel...its good to have somebody to take care of you, it's convenient and cheaper to do.

BUDGET:

Merely Bohol trip (minus cebu) would be money consuming...so i always suggest to get a flight to Cebu instead...so, cebu plus bohol trip, for a 3 day vacation would cost you around P6000 and up per person, all inclusive with flights...Basta kailangan, always keep your eye on the promo fare...and plan ahead of time...(months of planning..) Airfare is more or less P1000 roundtrip, rent van would cost you 2,200, oceanjet from cebu city to bohol is around P800 rountrip, but only P500 during promo period.

Personal Rating:    * * * * *