Escape to Bantayan Island

A must-see paradise

By Karen Bitagun

One weekend last October, some friends and I set off on an adventure to visit what some have come to describe as “the Boracay of Cebu.” For me, a native of Tuguegarao, going to Bantayan Island in Cebu was like heading out to uncharted territory, but getting there from Metro Manila actually entails just short trips by plane, car, and ferry.

It was a damp Friday afternoon when we left the traffic-jammed Makati business district to catch our 7:30 p.m. flight. We arrived safely at the Mactan Airport at around 9:15 in spite of our having to deal with some air turbulence and a 45-minute delay. After spending the night at a friend’s house in the city, we left early the next day to go back to the airport and pick up one more friend who was joining our escapade, and then we were off on a two-hour ride to Hagnaya Port, 110 kilometers away on the northwestern side of mainland Cebu. The drive was smooth and refreshing. With our van windows open, the invigorating scent of sea air filled our senses.

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