When we think of Bantayan Island, white sand beaches always come to mind first. If you are wondering which beaches you should visit, we have curated the 8 Best Beaches in Bantayan Island, Cebu.
Bantayan Island is situated in the Visayan Sea west of the northern tip of Cebu Island and is about 142 kilometers away from Cebu City.
Aside from its beautiful scenery, Bantayan Island is known for its “danggit” (pronounced as dang-git) or dried rabbitfish, which I highly recommend you try. It’s crunchy and perfectly paired with garlic rice and fried egg.
Unlike regular dried fish, danggit is not salty at all. You will find this danggit-garlic rice-fried egg combo on the breakfast menu of most restaurants in Bantayan Island.
How to Get to Bantayan Island
To get to Bantayan Island from Cebu City, you need to take a Ceres Liner bus at the Cebu North Bus Terminal near SM City Cebu and then take a ferry at Hagnaya Port in San Remigio to Santa Fe Port in Bantayan Island.
The total travel time to Bantayan Island from Cebu City is about 4 hours. It might take about 5-6 hours including waiting time at the bus and ferry terminals.
Learn more about How to Get to Bantayan Island from Cebu City and other destinations!
Bantayan Beaches You Should Check Out
Many of the beaches in Bantayan Island are very accessible. Most of them are found in Santa Fe and are free to enter. Some have a minimal entrance fee.
Without further ado, here’s our list of the Best Beaches in Bantayan Island:
1. Sandira Beach
Located in Santa Fe, Sandira Beach is a long stretch of clear water and white sand. Because it’s hidden from the access road, Sandira Beach is not as crowded as the other popular beaches in Bantayan Island.
Sandira Beach’s open shore makes it the best place in Bantayan Island for sunbathing and chilling by the beach. The calm water is perfect for a breezy snorkeling experience.
How to Get to Sandira Beach
To get to Sandira Beach, follow the pinned location below and look for this sign:
Sandira Beach Location
Sandira Beach Details
Admission: 60 PHP (~1 USD) per person
Hours: 7:00 am – 6:00 pm (accessible anytime as there are no gates)
2. Paradise Beach
Right beside Sandira Beach is Paradise Beach. Sandira Beach used to be part of what is called Paradise Beach before the former was leased to a private entity, hence the change of name.
Paradise Beach still exists but is now left with a modest shore and cliffs that are closer to the shoreline. Locals still refer to this stretch of beach as Paradise Beach.
The entrance to Paradise Beach is different. Accessible through a craggy dirt road, getting to Paradise Beach is quite a challenge.
Paradise Beach also has a spacious campsite where you can set up your own tent. Coconut trees surround the campsite with a relaxing panoramic view of the ocean.
How to Get to Paradise Beach
To get to Paradise Beach, follow the pinned location below and look for the sign:
Paradise Beach Location
Paradise Beach Details
Admission: 30 PHP (~0.5 USD)
Hours: 7:00 am – 6:00 pm (accessible anytime as there are no gates)
3. Balidbid Lagoon Beach
Balidbid Lagoon is the newest tourist attraction in Bantayan Island that has been opened to the public. Also known as Baigad Lagoon, this saltwater coastal lagoon faces Virgin Island, both are parts of Bantayan Island hopping tours.
The lagoon has the clearest water in the island where you can see the sea bed. The beach is located at the end of the lagoon where it meets the sea.
You have the option to enter the private part of the lagoon for a fee where a café is as well as facilities like tables and chairs and a toilet. Or, you can stay at the estuary for free.
How to Get to Balidbid Lagoon
To get to Balidbid Lagoon, take a boat from the makeshift wharf (see pinned map below) going to the beach area, which costs 100 PHP (~2 USD) for a 2-way transfer. The 10-minute journey cuts through a scenic mangrove forest.
Check the tide first. When we went there early in the morning, it was low tide. Even if we waited for a little bit for the tide to rise, the boat still ran aground a few times along the way.
Alternatively, you can walk from Baigad Barangay Hall along the shoreline towards the lagoon if it’s low tide. However, I recommend taking the boat to enjoy the thick forest of mangroves going to the lagoon.
Balidbid Lagoon Location
Balidbid Lagoon Details
Admission: 150 PHP (~3 USD)
Boat fee: 100 PHP (~2 USD) per person for 2 way
Hours: 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
4. Kota Beach
Kota Beach is the most popular public beach in Bantayan Island. Located right within Poblacion Santa Fe in front of Kota Beach Resort, this long strip of white sand beach is famous for its shifting white sandbar.
Visitors also flock to the beach to watch sunsets and sunrises. I recommend bringing your beach mat, a bottle of beer, and some chips while watching a glorious twilight by the beach.
How to Get to Kota Beach
If you’re staying around Santa Fe’s commercial center, you can walk to this public beach through multiple entry points. Refer to the pinned location below.
Kota Beach Location
Kota Beach Details
Admission: Free
Hours: 24 hours
5. The Ruins
The Ruins in Santa Fe is the remains of a German ex-pat’s house destroyed by Super Typhoon Yolanda in November 2013. The remaining walls have become one of the most iconic tourist spots in Bantayan Island.
Right next to it is a ragged cliff popular for cliff diving among local kids, one of the best things to do in Bantayan Island. Don’t make the same mistake as me—make sure to check the tide first before jumping.
Even if you don’t want to jump off the cliffs, you can still enjoy the water. There are concrete steps going down to the beach on both the right and left side of the jumping spot.
How to Get to The Ruins
To get to The Ruins, follow the pinned location below:
The Ruins Location
The Ruins Details
Admission: Free
Hours: 24 hours
6. Bobel Beach
If you are looking for the best beach in Bantayan Island that’s far from the crowd, head over to Bobel Beach. Its long strip of clear water and white sand makes it a perfect place to chill and bathe in the sun.
If you are onboard the ferry, you can see Bobel Beach on the right side beside Santa Fe Beach Club. Bobel Beach is located near popular beach resorts like Anika Island Resort and In Dai Aquasports and Beach Resort.
How to Get to Bobel Beach
To get to Bobel Beach, follow the pinned location below:
Bobel Beach Location
Bobel Beach Details
Admission: Free
Hours: 24 hours
7. Sugar Beach
Right next to Kota Beach is Sugar Beach. This beach is less developed and its long shoreline is free from resorts.
If you are looking for a more tranquil beach experience, Sugar Beach is less crowded and lined with coconut trees. You can notice Bantayan Island locals mostly hang out here.
How to Get to Sugar Beach
To get to Sugar Beach, follow the pinned location below:
Sugar Beach Location
Sugar Beach Details
Admission: Free
Hours: 24 hours
8. Virgin Island
Virgin Island is one of the most beautiful islands in Cebu and has one of the most beautiful beaches in Bantayan Island. Also known as Sillon Island, this island boats crystal clear water, powdery white sand, and fun water activities.
Located just a few kilometers off the coast east of Bantayan Island, Virgin Island is the major attraction for all Bantayan Island hopping tours. You can do a lot of things while in Virgin Island, such as playing beach volleyball, cliff-diving, snorkeling, paddle boarding, and kayaking.
How to Get to Virgin Island
Virgin Island is only accessible through accredited tours or boat transfers from Santa Fe. Visit the Santa Fe Tourism Office in Bantayan Island to arrange a tour for you. Or, ask your hotel’s front desk about island hopping tours.
Virgin Island Location
Virgin Island Details
Admission: 200 PHP (~4 USD) per person
Boat fee: 2,000 PHP (~54 USD) for up to 2 people
Hours: 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
Bantayan Island Travel Guide
That’s a wrap for our list of the Best Beaches in Bantayan Island. Aside from white sand beaches, Bantayan Island also has several popular tourist spots and things to do you would want to include in your itinerary.
For a complete guide, check out our Bantayan Island Travel Guide.
If you have questions about your trip to Bantayan Island, leave them in the comments. We will get back to you ASAP!
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