Bantayan Island, Cebu 0
The archipelago structure of the Philippines graced the country with lots of beautiful islands. Many of them have the potential of being renowned worldwide. I and a group of friends went to a particular island some 3 hour land trip from the North Cebu Bus terminal to Hagnaya. From Hagnaya, the island ferry express took us to Sta. Fe in Bantayan Island.
The glistening white sand shores of Bantayan are delightful to look at even from afar, and as our ferry came closer to the island, I can already see the white beaches, coconut trees and huts. I was particularly amazed on how the water looked like dark blue to light blue, which makes the white sandy ocean floor visible to where I sat.
I can feel that strong island breeze that makes the coconut leave wave. We took our baggage and headed straight to our pre-booked hut. Like most huts, they are made of wood and palm leaves. Relaxing of course, it provided a clear view of the beach and the ocean which actually led me to think that “the world is really beautiful”.
Later that afternoon, our dinner was served at an umbrella-like palm leave at the beach. We had a typical Filipino dinner with grilled fish that had a unique lemony taste, a seaweed salad which was sour but truly mouthwatering, of course rice, which is a staple food of the Filipinos. Along with the dinner was what they called “Tuba” a slightly fermented extract from the sap of a coconut tree.
It was an amazing drink to start with, sweet but a bit sour in taste. We ate as the sun faded into the horizon, and it proved to be a magnificent view. Orange sky with a big yellow sun about to set was a scenic moment to remember. Unlike the more famous Boracay, Bantayan is a more slightly isolated island where night bars and cafes are not that abundant yet. The night was breezy, and it was an ideal moment to have a campfire and talk.
The next day was another beautiful day. The two ladies in our group were out in the beach for sunbathing. Remarkably, the heat of the sun was ideal for such activity. Then it was time to go for a swim. It was a hot morning but the ocean proved to be cold and can allure guests for a dip to its sparkling blue waters.
However, the best part of this Bantayan Island trip was the caves. Stalagmites ornamented the ceiling in golden color and deeper in the cave was a stream, good for a cool dip. It was believed to possess healing abilities. The water is fresh unlike the Ocean, but proved to be more refreshing than the seawater itself.
credit to: Jekert
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