This picture captured how the usual afternoon are
spent on the island;
just you and mother nature feeling
cozy as euphoria spiced the air you breathed.
Bantayan Island
Bantayan Island, sited
to the northwestern of Cebu, is divided into three municipalities – Bantayan,
Madridejos and Santa Fe. Santa Fe, facing the eastern part of the island,
houses numerous beach resorts and where sea activities are to be found.
How To Get To Bantayan Island
From Cebu Airport
1. Ride a
cab going to North Bus Terminal; travel time is approximately 30 minutes; fare
is about php 150-200.
2. From
North Bus Terminal, catch a bus bound for Hagnaya Port. There are non-A/C and
A/C types to choose from. Non-A/C types usually depart at an hourly interval
while the A/C's would wait until the vehicle is half filled before it leaves.
Travel time is about 3 hours and fare is between php 150 - 170.
3. From
Hagnaya Port, ride the Roro bound for Bantayan, the earliest departure is at
5am and it departs at an hourly to an hourly and a half intervals. Travel time
is 1 hour; Fare is approximately php 170-180 plus the terminal fee of php
10/way.
The beautiful sunset of Bantayan interweaved with hushed waves
and chunky clouds coiled like a whip cream
Its unpretentious white
sandy coastal is one of the reasons why locals and tourists are drawn to see
and experience the island’s pride. But the food, lifestyle and warm people pull
them in to come back for more.
Trysikad, the
famous public means of transportation in the island, can accommodate about 3-4
passengers plus a few kilograms of baggage across the seats. Other than this,
the only way that you can explore the paradise is by feet. I personally enjoyed
my daybreak's sunbeam and pure musings along the gay streets during the
cocktail hour with nothing but just my camera, a few pennies in my pocket and a happy vibe; all these on my flipflops!
Sts. Peter and Paul Parish
(under renovation)
Whisper a prayer in the candle offering area of the parish
Saints Peter and Paul Parish is located along Sillon Road in Santa Fe, Bantayan; just a few steps opposite the market place. Spotting this place is like hitting two birds in one stone - a vacation and opportunity to reunite with Him. Having this said, solo travels can stimulate spiritual pilgrimage.
STAY | Marlin's Beach Resort and Restaurant
Several reviews from tripadvisor and many locals would suggest a place to stay during your visit. From a very basic room and bed accommodation to a satisfactory staycation, your options are really uncounted. Marlin's Beach Resort for instance bids tempting deals which I just could not skip. Its proximity to the port, reasonable pricing and its ideal location - made it a real winner.
Room: fan-type, beach front, private toilet, daily supply of toiletries and beach towels, king-sized bed, average thickness of matress, a wooden cabinet , veranda with table and chairs for your al fresco morning coffee and daily buffet breakfast for only php 1,750 which was even reduced at php 1,600 due to my superlative haggling talent - did I just hear you say awesome?!
Marlin's Beach Resort and Restaurant
The lounge area
Doze off on one of the lounge beach chairs in the resort
Buffet Breakfast
Cebu's pride: unlimited danggit
Buffet Breakfast | Platter #1
Bread with spreads to choose from - strawberry, blueberry, guava or plain butter,
corned beef, sweet ham, egss, pork tocino, chicken and pork adobo, beef tapa
and yes, danggit.
Buffet Breakfast | Platter #2
Garden Salad with Chicken Chunks and Feta Cheese
My signature good morning coffee shot
Daily fresh catch
FOOD | Coastal's Finest
The island, having a lovely coastal, is also blessed with abundant sea products - fish, and shellfish of various species of molluscs, crustaceans and echinoderms (all in different shapes, colors and sizes). You can either buy from the market or from locals who roam around the beach for a very cheap price. Say, a pack of scallops (about 20 pieces) is sold for php 50-100. A medium sized fish, weighing about a half kilogram, can be bought for only php 45. You can either cook on your own or find a restaurant to cook them for you. Usually, restaurants in the market suggest php 50/viand; while beach front restaurants would charge php 300/viand. Now, do the math (hehe) It is no wonder why a lot of people love Bantayan; setting aside the given serenity, you get to experience these delectable food too - from the sea right to your dining table at a breeze!
RANDOM | How I Met The Doggie
One of the best parts of my trip to Bantayan is spending
late afternoon dips whilst I pull out all the stops to watch how sunsets fix a
soothing cloak over the island. It is only during those few and far between
precious moments that I am able to listen up to silence as if it’s my favorite
love song or maybe recognize it like a familiar chant during my childhood.
Remember how Christmas carols or an ice cream twirl give you a good-old-feel?
Have you ever passed by an alley and remember how it brings back a hundred or a
thousand of wonderful memories? Or funny how a sniff of a familiar scent could
suddenly make you a planet of emotion? There, it’s close to that. It is the
best time when I am able to at least gather my thoughts and toss them far and
wide from shore unto sea. It is when my dreams are randomly reshaped and fears
instantly diluted. It is when I am guarded with optimism or sensitivity and
ideas similar to that of child. It is when I am abolished into tiny pieces to
become something or maybe, someone.
One time, amid one of my late saltwater dips while I grab a
few snapshots in between, a dog I had never seen showed up and ran up to me. I
could still remember how bright-eyed it was as it leaps smoothly toward my
direction. Seeing a happy dog, wagging its tail in the sand was beyond rewarding. Immediately, I was given a few licks
and soft kisses over my shoulder, arms and legs. Still charmed following the sweet gesture, I watched how it
peacefully rested its body on the sand. From minutes to past an hour, we were
like that; just plain quiet as the waves and cold wind toasted on our new found
friendship.
LOOKBOOK | Bantayan
3 best buddies on the island
- a hat, my dearest book and a reliable sunscreen lotion.
Vitamin Sea overdosed
Sea shell necklace, made primarily of shells and intricately designed
with a scallop pendant, is being sold at php 10.
And, if things become too easy or rough,
look down little child, look down.
How are you going to put this picture into words?
When you are deeply impressed with the sincerity of nature,
words become intangible.
Cellular phone signals should not worry you
- they are regularly at full bars!
This is pretty much how my last sunset was spent.
Weekend is G.O.L.D
Staying golden 'til the sun is down
I wish I could capture the beauty of the island and maybe too I could put it into writing.
I wish I could find fitting idioms or phrases
to show you how it is to experience heaven and paradise all rolled into one.
to show you how it is to experience heaven and paradise all rolled into one.
I wish I could let you feel the bliss or ecstasy I felt as I watch the sun gave way to the moon.
I wish I could; for I cannot simply drift away from this, not like this and I do not want to let go.
Only then if I could, that I would be worthy of this sweet retreat!
No comments:
Post a Comment