Good morning! Today marks a big transition in our road trip. We’re fueling up with a solid breakfast because we’ve got a long day of travel ahead. I’m feeling pretty good about the place we stayed; they included coffee, juice, and water with the meal, which is exactly how you want to start a travel day. Our destination? Bantayan Island.
The general plan for the next few weeks is to hit Bantayan, then head to Cebu City, back home to Moalboal to repack, and then make the move toward Oslob and Dumaguete. It’s an ambitious route, but we’re taking it one island at a time. Liam, our little beach expert, has already given his "seal of approval" to the beaches we've visited so far. Yesterday, I actually had to carry him away from the water because he was refusing to leave!
Leaving Malapascua was bittersweet, but it was time to move on. The logistics were a bit of a marathon: first a boat ride, then a car ride, and then another boat ride to actually reach Bantayan. We got back to Daanbantayan where our car was parked, took a quick ten-minute breather, and then hit the road.
Our first stop was in town for some essentials. Travel life with a toddler means you can never have enough diapers or snacks. We grabbed some food, a Mountain Dew for Jessa (her favorite), and made sure Liam was fed before we reached the port. The drive to the ferry station was about 45 minutes of relaxing music and enjoying the scenery.
When it comes to getting the car onto the ferry to Bantayan, there are usually a couple of options. One boat was around 2,100 pesos for the car, while the other was closer to 2,700. Both prices included the driver, but you have to pay extra for additional passengers and some environmental fees—usually around 50 to 170 pesos. It’s not overly expensive for the convenience of having your own vehicle on the island.
The ferry ride over was full of anticipation. I have high hopes for Bantayan; as we approached, the first thing I noticed was the local boats and some truly beautiful stretches of white sand. It’s a promising start to this leg of the trip.
Once we landed, we headed straight to our first accommodation in Santa Fe. I’ve decided to stay at a more budget-friendly spot for the first few days because I have a mountain of work to catch up on. I specifically needed a place with reliable internet to get some projects finished before we move on to a "nicer" resort for some pure relaxation. It’s all about that balance between the digital nomad life and the vacation life.
We ended our first evening in Santa Fe by exploring the town center. We found a great food court area with plenty of local eateries. While Jessa was busy thinking about what to cook, I convinced her that eating out in the Philippines often costs about the same as buying the ingredients and doing it yourself—plus, no dishes to wash! We grabbed a nice dinner, including a "German hot dog" for me, and watched Liam finally crash after a long day.
I woke up the next morning at our new place, feeling refreshed and ready. The plan for today is simple: coffee, a few hours of work on the laptop, and then heading out to see what makes Bantayan Island so special.
Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you in the next one!
