Bantayan Island: Day 2 - Santa Fe, Bantayan, Madridejos

If you're in Santa Fe, you'd see bikes and motorcycles for rent (300/day for the motorcycles, cheaper for the bikes). If you are adventurous enough and could ride a bike or motorcycle, then you could go road tripping around the island. This is very possible since Bantayan Island is a small island of only 3 municipalities (Santa Fe, Bantayan and Madridejos).

Since my sister and I don't drive, we used the island's main modes of transportation to visit the most touristy spots of the 3 municipalities. Here's how you can go about the island:

• tricycle - fare is Php20/person, for trips within a municipality. These can take you from one municipality to another. Php25/person for long rides (Santa Fe - Bantayan and back).
• trisikad - fare is Php15/person. This is what we call pedicab or padyak here in Manila. Trisikads can only take you to places within a municipality.
• jeepney - fare is Php25 (Bantayan - Madridejos and back). There are no "direct" jeepneys from Santa Fe to Madridejos (or vice versa), only "connecting" rides from Santa Fe to Bantayan, then Bantayan to Madridejos and back.

From Abaniko, we rode a tricycle(Php25/person) bound to Bantayan. It was a good 15-20 minute trip. When traveling, it is a must to know information about the place from the locals. So during the tricycle ride, I made small talk with another passenger and the driver and asked about fares and directions so we won't have the lost look once we've reached our destination.

Paved road to Bantayan town proper.

Moi and Ate enjoying the tryk ride.

Bantayan is a very compact town. Getting lost won't be easy here since most landmarks are properly marked. From townhall to birthing place.

The Bantayan Public Market is one of the cleanest markets I've been to in the Philippines. Unlike public markets in Manila, this one is as spotless as it can get. It wasn't fly free but it didn't reek. Wet and dry goods are separated.

I would have been saddened if I didn't find this lechon place in Bantayan. Cebu offers the most savory lechon ever and you won't get to eat it only in the city. Bantayan Island has Jela's Lechon! 1/4 kilo for only Php100! Way cheaper than the ones in the city. Jela's offer a wide range of other viands too. Early lunch only cost us Php170.

Lechon for lunch!

If you want the best tasting dried fish, Bantayan market is the place to be. Dried fish products coming from Bantayan are considered high quality in the city. They offer a wide range of dried fish, not just danggit and dried squid, at a very affordable price.

Dried squid: 1/4 kilo for only Php150

Unsalted danggit: 1/4 kilo for only Php90

We also visited one of the oldest churches in the country: The Sts. Peter and Paul Parish Church.

Obviously, fishing is the main source of income here. 

After an eventful early morning in Bantayan proper, we decided to move along and head to Madridejos.

The 30 minute jeepney ride brought us to Kota Park where you'll find the old Spanish fort and Bontay Baywalk.

Infinity pool, anyone? ;)

Php1,000,000 was spent for the construction of this baywalk. And it was quickly built in 40 days and 40 nights. This is how taxpayers' money was spent. Fishy.

The old Spanish fortress is also home to the Municipal Museum.

After all the walking ang picture taking, we went back to Santa Fe via tricycle. Checked out the other side: Sugar Beach. It didn't disappoint me at all. Both sides of Bantayan has great, relaxing beach!

We then went to Batobalonos St. where most of the restaurants are. Early dinner was at Cou Cou Bar and Restaurant.

Calamari with thousand island dip.

Chopsuey.

Grilled tanigue.

Because we were too full from the food from Cou Cou Bar, we decided to walk from the resto to Abaniko. Half way to Abaniko, something came up so we ended up taking a trisikad instead.

Exploring all 3 towns in 1 day: CHECK! ;)