Island Hopping to Virgin Island of Bantayan Cebu

It’s the second day of our Bantayan vacation. We rose early with the sun, excited to go island hopping to Virgin Island. Our baon was freshly-catch seafood, a combo of blue crabs, local lobster, fish, octopus, that we are to cook once we get to the island. We also had mangoes, soft drinks, and puso for a complete, satisfying, delectable seafood island feast . Lami dyud!  😉

**For an updated Bantayan travel guide and list of accommodations in Sta Fe, you can refer to this post.

We hopped on-board a motorized outrigger boat. Boat rental for the whole day is P800, it comes with life vests for the passengers. Virgin Island has a designated area for grilling and cooking at no charge.  Your boatman can be your cook too. Normally, one just gives a tip and/or lunch invitation for this extra service requested of the boatman.

This is Virgin Island, Sta Fe, Bantayan Cebu

Kids running, roaming free on the white sand beach

Entrance fee to the island is P500 for the first two persons, extra person is at P100 per pax.  If you are on solo flight, you’d still pay the P500 minimum rate. Your boatman enters for free. There are different cottages to choose from P300, P500, P600 and P1000. Our cottage is the P600 near the boat docking bay.

Overnight accommodation is available in Virgin Island but this isn’t a regular room but an open cottage. You can also put up tents. Overnight rate for open cottage / tent is P1,500 for the first 5 persons, then P200 for additional pax. There is a Bamboo house / cabana that rents out for P1,500 good for 2 persons.

Am not sure if this is the “bamboo house” that they mean, this cabana features a venetian-like-blinds covering made of bamboo. Could be?

Virgin Island Activities

Are you an adventure junkie who lives and breath extreme activities? Is your definition of an ideal beach vacation must include water sports like banana boat ride, parasailing, jetsky, etc.? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the questions, Virgin Island WILL disappoint you. This destination is not for you, look somewhere else. The only available amenities are for snorkeling, rubber boat, and row boat.

Rental rates:

Snorkels: P100 per hour (I suggest you inform your boatman you’d like to rent a snorkel before you leave Sta Fe. They can secure for you snorkel for P100, good for the whole day use.)

Rubber boats: Two boat choices – a P200 and a P500 per hour

Rowboats: P100 per hour

Volleyball facilities: Free

Why go there?

The Sta Fe beach areas of Sugar Beach and Alice Beach boast of powdery white sand and calm waves perfect for swimming. Your Bantayan hotel room may even be on the beachfront with a beautiful seascape vista, so why still go to Virgin Island? I’d say because of the fish sanctuary and fish feeding activity, go there especially if you are vacationing with kids. It’ll be a wonderful treat for them. For adults too!

You can snorkel and see fish on their natural habitat, sometimes school of them, without the need to don on a life vest since the fish are really close to shore. Maybe a meter or two from the shoreline. They are there darting in and out of rock’s crevices, or teasing you if your bent on catching them. 😉

We didn’t see Nemo and his kin though, perhaps because the vibrant corals and anemones are still in deeper waters, and we stayed on the shallow area.

Floating feeding cottage

Bring fish food, biscuits, or breadcrumbs to attract more fish. It works like magic! Fish magnet, aye!

Virgin Island is also very picturesque in itself and isolated.  If you need to clear your mind or make sense of your life, it’s a good place to reflect. Magmumuni-muni while you lie on your back against the sandy beach or while you stare into the calm waves. It’s a #HugotPlace, is what am trying to say. 🙂

The resort too has these little nooks scattered throughout the property, idyllic set-ups for those who wish to take pictures or just to sit and chill.

Next summer break why not consider visiting Virgin Island of Bantayan? Go solo or bring the whole team, barkada, family, or your special one. You deserve to relax and recharge. Feel the island vibe.  =)

Cheers from Virgin Island!