Kon'nichiwa, Hivers! It's me your Girl Cravings again! Today, in my new chapter we will be talking about life -the Beach and Family to be specific and how life can be so wonderful.

What makes a journey unforgettable for you? What experience makes everything worthwhile? These are just a few of the questions we ask ourselves whenever we travel, we drive, or just go somewhere wherein we can just seemingly forget everything for some time. Well, my Bantayan Escapade was truly one of those unforgettable journeys that makes everything worthwhile. It was fun and full of laughter, the kind that you’d want to relive over and over again.

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Last week, at the end of October, I and my whole family went to the beautiful and breathtaking Bantayan Island. It’s a small but very beautiful island, located at the northernmost tip of Cebu, boasts stunning beaches and eco-tourism sites perfect for sightseeing, swimming, cliff diving, island-hopping, kayaking, even skydiving and so much more.

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When we reached the island, we immediately went to the guest house we booked days prior. We stayed in Princess Farrah Guest House in Santa Fe during our stay in Bantayan Island. On our first day, we were a bit tired because of the long journey so we rest in the Guest House and stayed in for quite some time.

FEES: 1500 per person
Full Package (Inclusions: Accommodation for 1N2D, Land Tour and Breakfast)

When we felt energized, that was when the adventure started. First on the list of our Island Tour is the very famous tourist spot called Omagieca Obo-ob Mangrove Garden. This place was everything a person deprived of the greens in the city could ever ask for. Its view is very abundant with the beautiful greens of nature featuring the mangroves on the sea. It has elevated boardwalks cut through a mangrove forest with sea views and picturesque spots & the chance to feed fish. I was able to have an absorbing walk into nature--beautiful bright green and strong mangrove trees everywhere I gazed. What makes everything even more beautiful is that the mangrove shadows and soft sea breeze seem to embrace everyone who visits.

Omagieca Entrance Fee: Php. 50.00

We took numerous pictures of the beautiful scenery and posed on their famous signs, Camp Sawi and Camp Wagi. Moreso, its wide still green waters and the horizon view of the sea are breathtaking at the end of that walk. Omagieca Obo-ob Mangrove Garden was a perfect way to start our escapade in Bantayan.It was deserving to be called one of the very famous spots any tourist on the island wouldn’t dare to pass on.The greens, the view, and the spots were perfect.

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5.5.jpg MY BEAUTFIUL FAMILY-now you already have the idea where I got my looks right? HAHA

Next on the island tour is another famous spot in Santa Fe, Bantayan called The Ruins. According to the folks, it is an abandoned and uncompleted structure that was meant as a fort during the Spanish period. It is a strong and sturdy structure left bare and many tourists find it as a perfect setting for a selfie or an Instagrammable pose. The structure allows everyone to take a lot of varying photos which makes everything instagrammable.

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6.3.jpg The TRES MARIAS- we call ourselves as CEBU GIRLS
By the way, THE RUINS is open for everyone!

Moreover, the fun of it doesn't end there. The Ruins is also near a cliff on the shore facing the majestic Visayan Sea. The place is overlooking the very wondrous view of the ocean. Here, you can have an adrenaline rush of cliff jumping where you can fall feet first or do a somersault in the ocean’s clear and deep blue waters. A lot of people do some dangerous yet very exciting things like cliff diving and kayaking. The best time to go there is by afternoon, especially during sunset for the perfect scenery behind each of your pictures.

With all of those places featuring beautiful spots and structures, it was now time for us to go and enjoy the beach. We didn’t let some time pass and immediately went to Sandira Beach or called by many as the “Paradise Beach” on the island. The white sand was already glistening paired with the clear blue waters, everything on the beach was truly breathtaking.~~It was truly a paradise. ~~

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The beach was perfect to take some bikini pictures and some worthy picturesque island pictures for Instagram. ~~The view was ineffable~~. It also had some stone structures on the most far right side of the beach which was also perfect for picture taking. We had a lot of our pictures taken there. More than those pictures frozen in time, it was the place wherein anyone can relax and unwind. With the humid yet cool breeze of the ocean, the view of the place, and the company I had everything and so much more than I could ever ask for. Sandira Beach was that kind of place. Beautiful and charming.

FEES

Bus Fare from North Bus to Hagnaya Port: Php. 180
Bus Fare from North Bus to Bantayan Proper: Php. 280

Note: The bus fare excludes the ferry ticket (Php. 180) and port terminal fee (Php 10)

For more information about each destination, you can read these sites.

Bus Schedule and Fares: https://bantayanisland.info/transport/bus/
Farrah Guest House: https://www.facebook.com/FarrahGuestHouseSantaFeCebu/
Omagieca Mangrove Eco Park: https://bantayanisland.com/listings/mangrove-eco-park/
Paradise Beach: https://bantayanisland.com/listings/how-to-get-to-paradise-beach-on-bantayan-island/

That was the exciting and fun first day of my Bantayan Island Escapade. It was tiring yet a very fun and exciting first stay on the island. It went fast but everything was memorable for each one of us. There’s so much more to come so stay afloat and see you for more in my next chapter, HIVERS!.

In the Japanese language, we say, Mata ne! Arigatō, Sayōnara! See you in my next chapter, HIVERS!

I've been gone for a long time, that is because a lot of important milestones had happened to me, and can't wait to share more with you guys!

Adrift: Bantayan Island Escapade Part 1 (3rd Chapter)

FEES

For more information about each destination, you can read these sites.