How to Get from Cebu City to Bantayan Island

There is no bridge to Bantayan and no airport worth the fare, so everyone arrives the same way: north to Hagnaya by road, then across to Santa Fe by ferry. It is about five hours door to door if nothing goes wrong, and the things that go wrong are predictable enough to plan around.

The bus north

Ceres buses leave the North Bus Terminal in Cebu City for Hagnaya through the day. Ask for Hagnaya specifically rather than Bogo or San Remigio — several northbound services stop short and you will be waiting by a highway for a jeepney you did not budget for. The ride is roughly three and a half hours on the air-conditioned service and closer to four and a half on the ordinary one.

The Hagnaya crossing

Hagnaya port is small and the process is quick: buy the ticket at the window, pay the terminal fee separately, walk on. Crossings run through the day and take a little over an hour. The last departure is early evening, which is the single most important fact on this page — miss it and you are staying in San Remigio.

• Buy the ferry ticket and the terminal fee separately — they are two windows
• Bring a jacket; the air-conditioned cabin is aggressive
• The open upper deck is the better seat in fair weather
• Cash only for the terminal fee

Getting around once you land

Santa Fe is where the ferry arrives and where most people stay. Tricycles meet every boat and will take you anywhere on the island; agree the fare before you get in. If you are staying more than two days, rent a motorbike — the island is small, flat, and the coastal road is genuinely pleasant.

When not to do this

Holy Week. The processions on Bantayan draw the whole province and the ferry sells out days ahead, as does every room on the island. It is a wonderful thing to see and a terrible thing to attempt on the day.

If you have not booked the ferry and the room by February, you are not going to Bantayan for Holy Week.

— Every ticket agent in Hagnaya, annually