Egg Basket of the Visayas ~ Bantayan Island

Note: The prices may had changed after the date this was published.

Basic things you'll need:
1. Cash
2. Crackers and water ( travel is long)
3. Jacket
4. Sunblock
5. Friends

Recommendation:

Budyong Beach Resort
Mobile Number :09213145275
Phone: (63 32) 438-5700
Rates: ranges from 500 - 2,000 pesos 
( free pick up from the Bantayan Port to the Resort)

* We got a room for 2,000 which was a cottage away from the front beach - good for 6 people *

From Dumaguete, you will need to travel to Cebu City

Here are the choices:

1. Bus ( direct to Cebu City) –  you take a bus from Terminal in Dumaguete City and that bus will be transported by a barge from Amlan ( a small town in Negros Oriental about 1 hour from Dumaguete City) to Oslob ( which is Cebu). The bus then will take you to Cebu City’sSouth Bus Terminal (downtown area).

Traveling time: 5-6 hours

Cost: 200 pesos

Maayo Shipping: 70 pesos

2. Ferry Ride then Bus ride – From Dumaguete City, ride a multicab / easyride – located at Public Market Blg 3 ( infront of Vintage Inn) Fare: 15 – 20 pesos   
or Tricycle ( could be found all over the city) Fare: 50-60 pesos to Sibulan Port ( a small town, going north just next to Dumaguete)

* There are karenderya’s / food stalls all over Sibulan Pier, so you could eat there before travelling *

You will have two choices from there~~

a. Pump boat:Travel Time: 30 minutes maximum - A van would be waiting for you on the next Island ( Lilo-an)

* Trips in van could be stressful, imagine rubbing shoulders with 20 people compressed in it. Vans travel in high speed, never take this if you have high blood pressure*

b. Fast Craft : ( get a seat number for the bus waiting on the next port upon paying for the Fast Craft ticket) Travel time: 30 minutes maximum 

Cost: 

Fast Craft: 70 pesos

Bus: 179 pesos

* all information could be seen at this website for the schedule* : http://langyaw.com/2013/04/05/sibulan-santander-ferry-schedule/

* seat numbers are given upon purchasing the ticket(s) *

3. Boat ride from the port of Dumaguete City to Cebu City:  http://schedule.ph/boat/from/Dumaguete/to/Cebu-City

- Would probably cost: 300 pesos ( non air - conditioned) + 15 pesos ( terminal fee)

4. Bus to Tampi ( Amlan - North of Dumaguete) to Bato (the receiving port of Cebu City) - from Dumaguete City, you can ride a van (20 pesos),an easy ride or a bus going north to Amlan. Just tell the conductor (a local person who facilitates the arrangements in an easyride or a bus) that you would like to get off in Amlan, where you can ride a boat going to Bato.

* same process as #2 *

We took a boat run by GP Lines (a local shipping company)

Legend:
Red Line ( how we traveled )
Yellow Line ( bus ride from Municipality of Sibulan to Cebu City)
Blue Line ( If you have your own car, via barge)

Richard ~ my fashion-stylish-coffee-ciggie-buddy

Our boat ride was fun, especially if you have a good friend with you 

Boat leaving Dumaguete City port: 11:00pm




Arrived in Cebu City around quarter to 5 in the morning

* ALWAYS choose GP Lines when travelling, it's fast and saves you time *

From the port, we took a taxi and went to Mergies ( a local food restaurant near Verbena Pension House in the Captiol Area)  to wait for the rest of our friends. Taxi: 80 - 100 pesos

Nothing fancy about this restaurant, they sell a variety of combo food from breakfast to dinner, hot and cold beverages drinks ( they do not offer brewed coffee here, only instant coffee)

Food ranges from: 40 pesos and above

( As of 2014, this restaurant has been transferred to its new location; Near Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center)








Well, it took us forever to wait for our friends so we decided to just enjoy each other's company; took some pictures. . . 

.... played card games

until you fall asleep on the table.







At around 8 in the morning everyone  was finally together. From there, we took a taxi cab going to the North Bus terminal.

Taxi: 120 pesos

North Bus Terminal

You can find a bus ( aircon / non-aircon) going to Hagnaya. 

In our case, we took the available bus at that time which was not air- conditioned: Bus travel cost: 110 pesos

Travel Time: 3 - 4 hours

Hagnaya to Santa Fe, Bantayan ~ ferry ride that would cost you 75 pesos

* There were a lot of food stalls at the port, you can buy different kinds of food and water before crossing the island *

Travel time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Upon arriving at the Port, we were picked up by the resort's cute ride

Port to the resort ~ 5 minutes

After relaxing for a few minutes, we decided to check out the beach front

Resort to the center of the town would only take 5 minutes on foot.

There were a couple of small food stalls but most of the food was as cold as a dead fish left for days. Finally, we saw this small place selling Lechon manok and a couple of fried chicken ( this food stall was located a few feet away from a burger stand)

Cost: 
Lechon Manok: 150 pesos
Fried chicken: 45 pesos per piece
Rice / Puso ( rice wrapped with banana leaves): 5 pesos




This town is small so you won't get lost. We saw bicycles probably you can rent or borrow one to go around the island.

* I recommend that you should explore the island more because in our case we shrugged off the opportunity because we were too tired that day *

Before we went back to the resort, we explored the place, looked around the small stores where we bought some slippers, drinks, booze and chips.

Enjoyed our evening playing charades and other guessing games....

Those who lost in the games got a free drawing on their faces using red lipstick...








Decided to make a dance video since it was boring ~ ( copy paste link only if interested to learn the moves of Ivylenz Melody Bongcaras Labrado ~ LOL)

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2598870377151&set=vb.1416521622&type=3&theater

Some of us decided to go back to the town to look for some late dinner. 

* Always bring a small flashlight with you when you want to explore another island because Bantayan  Island doesn't have enough street lights, it was freakin' dark and your mind would play tricks on you *

The only open food stall that time was the burger stand ~ with a Buy one get one promo

Cost: 
Burgers, hotdog sandwich - 45 pesos and above
Drinks - 15 pesos and above

Went for a night swim we ran out or booze

We tried exploring the rest of the beach front hoping for an open bar or a miraculous beach party that night but there weren't any.

The rest of us agreed that we will wake up early next day to welcome the sunrise.

Alarm music " good morning sa inyo" the most annoying song ever! Time - 4:00 am. Weather forecast: Heavy rain!!

We went back to sleep and woke up at quarter past 7 hoping the rain would stop so we could get some nice breakfast in the town

* very important reminder: Before you go back to your resort, buy food for the next day and paper cups or plates*

The rain was pouring that morning so we decided to just have coffee for breakfast ( yes, we bought instant coffee with us). The resort offers food but if you are in a tight budget like us, it was kinda expensive. The resort would not let you borrow anything, including kitchenware and china, but with our begging powers, they lent us a few mugs for our coffee. 

* There were areas in the resort were you can  grill your food by the way - Free usage *

Even if it was raining, it did not stopped us to get pictures before leaving the island.

* I suggest you spend one more night here, locals told us that you can go island hoping and explore caves which we were not able to do because some of us (1) wanted to go home that day *

For our lunch, we saw this food stall that was selling ready to eat dishes.

Some of us grilled the meat by ourselves because there was no one attending our needs and we were too hungry to wait for them

Cost:
Rice: 7 pesos per cup
Grilled meat: 45 pesos
other dishes: 25 pesos per serve


Outside this food stall, a lot of tri-sikad (a local motorized bicycle with an attached compartment for passengers giving it another wheel and thus the name) would be waiting for you and will be willing to take you to the port for 20 pesos per person.

* Take the offer, the port is far if you want to go there on foot*

Waited for the ferry ride which was the last trip for that day ~ 2:30pm

* always ask the resort for the schedule of the trips for the ferry ride *

Some of us were sleeping. . . 











and some of us were busy taking pictures of their FRIENDS sleeping






Luckily, when we arrived at Hagnaya, there was a taxicab waiting for some passengers. The bus that would take you to the North Bus Terminal is often full so we grabbed the opportunity for a nice comfortable ride going to Cebu City.

Taxi: 200 pesos each ~ that could accommodate 6 people comfortably

Asked the driver to dropped us off to Park Mall so we could eat our dinner before going back to Dumaguete City via GP lines

Arrived at Cebu City: 6:00 pm

Decided to eat at Orange Brutos
Food cost: 70 pesos and above













Took a taxicab going to the Pier:

Cost: 120 pesos

Bought a ticket for a boat bound for Dumaguete City arrived at 5:00 am the next day

Cebu to Dumaguete boat ride:

http://schedule.ph/boat/from/Cebu-City/to/Dumaguete

http://iheartcebu.com/boat_sched_gpl.html

http://www.cokaliongshipping.com/schedules&rates.html

If you want to take the bus. Go to the South Bus terminal.  

New Ceres Lines bus schedule:

Cebu City to Dumaguete:

5:30 AM Air Con via Barili
6:00 AM Air Con
7:00 AM Non Air Con
10:00 AM Air Con
1:00 PM Air Con
3:00 PM Air Con
6:00 PM Air Con