Island Hopping to Virgin Island, Bantayan, Philippines

On the north side of Cebu in the Philippines lies an underrated island destination that most international tourists will overlook. Bantayan Island is a paradise known mostly only by Cebu locals. Few visitors to the Philippines will have come across it on their quest for the best itinerary in the little time they may have in the country. But for those who have, such as yourself, a day of island hopping from Bantayan to its offshore baby sister island, Virgin Island, will quench that part of you that’s been searching for something a little more off-the-beaten-path in the Philippines.

Virgin Island captivated us not only with its pristine beaches, clear waters and lush inland scenery. But it also gave us room to escape the crowds while enjoying this perfect oasis on our own time at such an affordable price. 

In this post, I’ll cover everything you can expect when island hopping to Virgin Island and back to mainland Bantayan in a day’s private excursion. With the sights you’ll see and activities you can do, what food you can enjoy on this private island and a complete price breakdown, here is your ultimate guide to exploring Bantayan’s Virgin Island.

How Do I Get to Virgin Island?

First off, if you haven’t yet been able to piece together how you arrive to Bantayan Island, I’ve got you covered! Check out my guide for visiting Bantayan, including all the fine details of how to get here from mainland Cebu.

Throughout your day’s journey, you’ll be travelling by motorized bangka boat. A bangka (or banca) is a traditional canoe outrigger made with outstretched bamboo supports. Most of the ones that the seamen use in Bantayan are completely constructed by hand and you can see the natural curves and imperfections of the handmade boat! 

Not to fret, the structural design and integrity of the bangka has been vetted for many hundreds of years. Riding one of these is incredibly stable and you won’t be experiencing any rough waters of the open sea in the Bantayan area. It’s a smooth ride throughout!

Where Do I Go for the Boat Tour?

Finding the spot to embark on your boat tour can be a little tricky. At the time of writing this, there’s currently no official tourist office in town at Santa Fe where you can book your tour in advance. Everything is dealt with and paid for onsite where the boats are docked. The exact location of where you meet your boat tour operator is here, right on the eastern shoreline at Alice Beach. 

If you’re not in walking distance from the beach, you can take a tricycle taxi from your accommodation and they’ll drive you there and on the small stretch of off-road to reach it. There’s an outdoor kiosk with some shaded plastic chairs on the sand. That’s where you’ll find your tour operator.

Once you discuss what excursion you’d like to do, you’ll be able to pay for your tour and snorkel gear and promptly embark on the assigned boat. I’ll get into all the pricing at the end so stay tuned!

Shared or Private Tours

The Bantayan island hopping tour is a completely private excursion with a flat rate per boat charter. If you’re on a budget and are a small group, you could wait for other small groups to potentially join and share a boat with you to split the cost. But fair warning, during a lower season, other groups may be few and far between, inciting a longer wait for you at the dock. 

With no other small groups or couples in sight, we chose to do a fully private boat charter and we have zero regrets. We had complete flexibility in when we started and ended our tour and how much time we got to spend at each location. No waiting on anyone else and no sense of feeling rushed for others either! 

Itinerary Breakdown

Our first stop was a snorkel spot along the calm reefs of Hilantagaan Island. Then we made our way to Virgin Island where we spent the majority of our day, from morning to early afternoon. 

After Virgin Island, it was time to set off to our third and final stop, Balidbid Lagoon. This lagoon and resting area is on the eastern coast of Bantayan Island, so we were back full circle and just a short ride away from where we started!

We embarked on our island hopping excursion fairly bright and early, meeting our tour operator and boat captains at around 8am. We were on our boat and en route to our first stop in no time, leaving around 8:15am. 

The earlier the better, is our motto. The earlier you start your tour, the cooler it will be temperature wise and crowd wise! By the time you’ll reach Virgin Island, there will barely be other boats docked and you’ll essentially have the island all to yourself.

Snorkeling at Hilantagaan’s Reef

We had to start our morning just right with a dip in the sea and venturing through the coral gardens of Hilantagaan’s house reef. In the Philippines, they typically only rent you a snorkel and mask but no fins. If you have your own, great! Our understanding is that by not providing fins, it dissuades people from feeling comfortable to step on coral. A huge no-no for our precious marine life!

When we snorkelled off the shore. of Hilantagaan Island, the corals were quite vibrant and we saw some fish but not that abundant. What we did see a lot of were spiky sea urchins! So you definitely don’t want to be reaching down with your feet to the sea floor. 

The reef was deep enough that we couldn’t stand on it, but if you like to free dive, just be prudent with your surroundings. After a swim and snorkel here just the two of us, we were ready to get to our island destination!

Exploring Virgin Island

Docking along the shallow shores of Virgin Island was pretty effortless. Just like at Alice Beach on Bantayan, there is no actual dock and you’ll have to use the wooden stepping board to get into the water and walk to shore barefoot. It’s barely a few steps as the bangka outrigger has the ability to get close to dry land. 

As soon as we stepped out, we could feel how soft the sand was! It was one of the best we felt between our toes in the Philippines! And we had visited some incredible secluded beaches in Coron, Palawan.

As soon as we got onto the beach, we saw the large “VIRGIN ISLAND” sign with white letters pegged in the sand. And there was an obvious path that lead us to the entrance fee kiosk that our boat captain guided us to. We paid our fees, got our receipt and wristbands, and off we went.

Cliff Jumping

The first spot we wanted to check out was the cliff jumping station situated on the northwest corner of the island. It was a five minute walk from the main beach down a well constructed boardwalk paved through the lush green forest. The boardwalk opened up to the north beach and we turned left where the sign pointed for cliff jumping.

There was plenty of space for us to leave our belongings on the sheltered wooden benches. We had a few runs off the lowest concrete platform which we were told was at a height of 5m. It was fun with gentle jumps! The water was perfect and not too salty either. Definitely didn’t feel the need to plug my nose on the way down.

While it was nice and relaxing, I had my eye on the big boy jump. The three-level tower boasted two platforms. One at 5m, the same as the standalone platform. The other at 9m. The third level seems to no longer be in use as there are no stairs leading up to it and only the structural frame is in place – no platform. 

I mustered the courage to make my way up to the highest 9m platform. This time I couldn’t run off the platform and could only jump off in one step. So all I could do was countdown and force myself to just do it! It was exhilarating! But I only had enough in me to do it once while Jason filmed me with the drone circling around the tower.

As we were leaving, a few folks were jumping once into the water and just having a swim and snorkelling in the area. We opted to relax at another spot.

Virgin Island Beaches

North Coast Beach

If you’re looking for pristine white sand beaches on a remote island, you’ve come to the right place! The north beach neighbouring the cliff jumping area is one of the most peaceful spots we could set up camp. 

As the morning was approaching its end, the shade of the lined palm trees was so cooling and I could’ve easily taken a snooze under them with the soft breeze of the sea putting me to sleep. If I had a hammock, this is definitely where I’d put it up.

When we got here, there were maybe a handful of others with the same idea. But the stretch of beach was wide enough that we felt like we had it all to ourselves.

The waters were calm, great for a short dip. At the shoreline though, the sand actually transitioned into a smooth grey rock which did feel slippery to walk on! But further down on the east end, it was mostly sand and small bits of broken off coral.

West Coast Main Beach

As lunch time approached, we headed back down to the main beach area. The sand was perfect and the water was crystal clear! We first enjoyed some lunch before heading back into the water. There were some rain clouds coming in and we were a little bit worried that they wouldn’t go away. It drizzled a bit while we ate, sheltered under the vast trees. And shortly after we were done eating, the rain clouds dissipated! It was perfect timing. 

The west coast beach is split into two sections. The main stretch of beach is where most of the bangka boats dock and where the cabana huts peer out to. If you head further north towers the northern beach, you’ll see a secluded section of beach that most visitors overlook. Swimming, relaxing and snorkelling here reminded of our honeymoon in the Maldives! Having our very own slice of paradise on a remote tropical island. 

We swam here long enough for me to get a little sunburnt. It was worth it! We simply can’t deny how clean and clear Virgin Island’s beaches are. So untouched, so immaculate. We hope that this lesser travelled gem will maintain its pristine environment for as long as it can! And on that note, there’s no better time for us to give a little reminder to practice good “leave no trace” habits. Pack out what you pack in and make sure to only use reef-safe sunscreen in the waters to protect our sea life! 

Dining at Virgin Island

The dining options on the island weren’t as limited as we had expected. As soon as you dock on the beach, you’ll notice the many restaurant tables and cabana huts that are perched up with a great view. They’re nicely spaced out, leaving you and your group some privacy if you wanted to spend some time eating and lounging here. They do cost money to rent but at a relatively low cost.

The beachside restaurants offer a small variety of food options: one pizza shop and one Filipino takeout joint. The prices are a little steep, but such is life on a remote island! There’s always a higher price tag for environments like this one.

As we wanted a quicker meal so that we could enjoy the water some more, we opted in for some fast food at the small food vendor window. It’s a short menu but offers some finger-licking good Filipino comfort food like the fried chicken and rice we ordered. Nothing fancy, but it hit the spot nonetheless. You can order some cold drinks from here too to compliment your hot meal.

If you’re looking for something even smaller or just a snack, there’s a convenience store kiosk right beside the window where we ordered our food. A number of folks just ordered cup noodles and snacks and the kiosk added the hot water for them. 

Where we ate was nowhere near as nice as the actual restaurant setting. Just some plastic chairs and tables shaded by the trees. There isn’t an abundance of variety of food on the island, but you certainly don’t need to worry about packing your own lunch. For this remote and minuscule island, dining seemed to be decently well established for visitors and that’s all we could ask for.

Balidbid Lagoon, Bantayan

After soaking in the sun and views as much as we could at Virgin Island, we were ready to set out to our final destination: Balidbid Lagoon. Balidbid is a serpentine channel that flows only ever so slightly and pours out into the ocean. Because of its shallow and calm waters, this enclave is akin to a lagoon.

Our boat docked at the Baigad Lagoon Beach and we went straight for the resting area. Why? Because I spotted a hammock! Finally! Enclosed by tree branches, it was the perfect place to cool down from the intense heat we had on the reflective beach at Virgin Island. 

After resting a bit, we made our way to the lagoon to dip our toes in. Though folks used to be able to swim in Balidbid and float down the stream from one end to the other, now it was no longer permitted. If you wanted to take your bangka up and down the stream to take in the sights, it would consist of a small fee paid to your captain. The aerial views were satisfying enough for us!

Given that we had a private tour with no time limit, we could’ve easily stayed here till just before the sun set. But with an 8am stat, we were pooped by 3:30pm. Just a quick five minutes and we were back to our original starting point!

How Much Does the Bantayan Virgin Island Tour Cost?

As of 2023, a boat charter for the three-stop tour costs 1800 PHP. It’s a flat fee for the cost of the boat rental, gas as well as your captain and co-captain. This 1800 PHP is split between the number of guests, which can go up to 8 people from our understanding. 

After that comes the cost of your snorkel gear rentals – if you need them, that is. It’s 100 PHP per person, which is typical for rentals across the country. Both the tour and rental payments are only accepted in cash and are paid directly to the tour operator at the Alice Beach. 

Next are the entrance fees. For Virgin Island, the cost was 200 PHP per adult and at Balidbid Lagoon it was 100 PHP. As expected, they were also paid in cash only.

In total, our whole excursion, including our lunch at the island, put us at 2990 PHP.  It definitely wasn’t bad for a fully private experience and having the flexibility to go when and where we wanted. 

Where to Stay on Bantayan Island

There’s no shortage of comfortable, beachside accommodations on Bantayan Island. Most of them you’ll find to be very affordable, with a few considered to be slight splurges but still great value. We consider the best area to stay in is within or near the main town of Santa Fe. Whether you’re on the south or east coast is up to you.

We stayed at Jelly’s Haven Resort, a humble and budget-friendly resort that sits right on the southern beach of Santa Fe. Just a ten minute walk – or short tricycle taxi ride – away from the town centre, it’s well located for easy access to good dining, coffee shops, markets and pharmacies. It’s also a few minutes’ drive from Sandira Beach! The two things we enjoyed most about it was the complimentary breakfast and our on-demand shuttle ride from and back to the ferry port. Makes life a little bit easier!

Other accommodation properties we recommend include:

• The Victorian by Stevrena Accommodations (affordable)
• Amihan Beach Cabanas Resort (upscale)
• Pearl of Santa Fe Lodging (luxury multi-bedroom apartment)

Bantayan Island Hopping Tour FAQ

Can I book the boat tour online?

Unfortunately, as of the time of writing, there is no way to book the Virgin Island tour online. It can only be booked and paid for in person at Alice Beach.

Are only private tours available?

It’s a flat fee for the boat charter. The tour is generally taken as a private excursion, but some small groups can wait and see if other small groups are willing to join them and split the cost of the boat charter. It’s a great way to save some money and meet new people!

What are the entrance fees?

The entrance fees are for the locations at which you need to dock. That includes Virgin Island and Balidbid Lagoon on Bantayan Island. It’s 200 PHP per adult at Virgin Island and 100 PHP at Balidbid. The entrance fees cover the entirety of your stay there.

Is everything cash only?

Yes, everything is cash only, whether you’re paying for the boat charter, snorkel gear rentals, entrance fees and tricycle taxis to and from the boat tour departure place.

Are snorkelling gear provided?

Snorkelling gear is provided at a cost of 100 PHP per set, and include a snorkel and mask. No fins are included, which is customary across the Philippines.

Are towels provided?

No towels are provided for this tour. We recommend bringing your own beach towels from your accommodation, or packing a lightweight and packable microfibre towel. 

Conclusion

We hope this guide helps you best prepare for your remote island experience in Bantayan, Cebu! With a private boat tour to the pristine and unspoiled Virgin Island, you’ll probably never want to leave the Philippines! 

If after your island hopping, you still hunger for more secluded beach time in Bantayan, be sure to check out Paradise (Sandira Beach)! The absolute best mainland beach we’ve visited in the entire country.