Many love going to Bantayan Island for a quiet getaway from the bustling of Cebu City. However it’s not that straightforward to get if you want to take the public transport. In this guide, I’ll explain how to get to Bantayan Island from Cebu, if you want to keep your costs low. It’s definitely not the most comfortable route but it’s budget friendly.
Note: During our trip, we chose a more comfortable option and got a private driver to take us directly to Hagnaya Port (skipping straight to step 3, more on that later).
In this Guide; Bantayan Island From Cebu:
Step 1: Getting to the North Bus Terminal in Cebu City
By Taxi or Private Hire
Taxi: The most convenient way is to take a taxi from anywhere in Cebu City to the North Bus Terminal. This will cost around PHP 200-300 depending on traffic.
Private Hire: Services like Grab are also available and will cost similarly to a taxi.
By Jeepney
Jeepney: If you prefer a more local and economical option, take a jeepney to the North Bus Terminal. The fare is around PHP 8-12, but this option is less comfortable and might take longer due to frequent stops.
Note: it can be hard for a foreigner to take a Jeepney as they do not have designated stops, just designated routes. I really wouldn’t recommend it unless you have a local accompanying you, or are very adventurous.
Step 2: From Cebu City to Hagnaya Port
Once at the North Bus Terminal, you need to take a bus to Hagnaya Port in San Remigio.
By Bus
Look for a Ceres bus heading to Hagnaya Port. Buses depart regularly, roughly every 30 minutes. The bus ride takes around 3-4 hours.
The fare is PHP 260 per person for an air-conditioned bus and around PHP 210 for a non-air-conditioned bus.
Note: please be careful when searching online or trying to buy tickets online for the bus. I’ve come across many scam websites so it’s best to buy tickets from the bus terminal directly.
Step 3: From Hagnaya Port to Bantayan Island
From Hagnaya Port, you will need to take a ferry Bantayan Island. The primary ferry operator is Island Shipping Corporation. However, it is not everyday that they operate the ferries before sunrise. We were unlucky and the boat trips only started at 6am on our travel day. As there is no way to know the time of the first ferry, be prepared to wait over an hour if you want to try your luck for the 5am ferry.
Tip: the waiting area was really cold; bring along a thin outerwear if you don’t well in the cold
A ferry ticket costs about PHP 300 per person, one way, and the journey takes around 1 hour. We were also charge PHP 5 for a terminal fee. Vehicles are also allowed on the ferry, so you can drive straight up the ferry with your car as well. Refer to the image below for rolling rates.
Our Experience
As mentioned earlier, we hired a private driver to take us to the port. We started our journey from our hotel in Cebu at 2am and got to Hagyana Port around 4.30am. This was way more convenient for us and we could sleep in the car as well. The downside to this however, is the cost. Despite only being a 2-3 hour drive, private drivers usually charge a flat rate of approximately ~PHP 7,000 for 8 hours.
As it was a day trip, we also got our driver to wait for us at the port till we got back, and ended up having to pay double (PHP 14,000) because his ‘work hours’ exceeded 8 hours (‘work hours’ started at 2am from the time he picked us up, until about 7pm when he dropped us off at the hotel).
It is convenient and the most comfortable option if you are willing to pay. I would say this option is great if you have a group of friends to split the cost with.
On the ferry, we also noticed that there were more bunk beds than seats, and many of the locals also preferred grabbing a bed than a seat. So if you wanna get a quick power nap, you can 😉
Read: What to do on Bantayan Island
TLDR; How To Get To Bantayan Island From Cebu
Summary of Costs
- Taxi to North Bus Terminal: PHP 200-300
- Bus to Hagnaya Port: PHP 260
- Ferry to Bantayan Island: PHP 300+
- Total Estimated Cost: ~PHP 860
Total Estimated Travel Time
- Taxi/Ride-Hailing: 20-30 minutes
- Bus Ride: 3-4 hours
- Ferry Ride: 1 hour
- Total Travel Time: Approximately 4.5-5.5 hours