About Bantayan
The first thing that entered my head was “peace.”
When our boat touched the beach, I sensed it in an instant. It was in the fresh air, the gentle waves. Each second my toes dipped in its wide, wide bed of white, white sand was a moment of therapy. By noon I was lying under the shade by the shore, reading a book and enjoying a pint of beer. Sun shining. Water shimmering. Wind dancing. And I was in the middle of it all, just taking it all in.
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They must have felt it too — the filmmakers behind Camp Sawi, they must have. When they set foot on the island while scouting for shooting locations for their fictional retreat for the brokenhearted, they must have felt it too. Bantayan Island is therapeutic. It is where you go to heal.
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Before the public at large came to know Bantayan Island as Camp Sawi, travel circles already have it as a secret hideaway. Tucked away from urban centers, Bantayan Island lies off the coast of northern Cebu. The island is divided into three municipalities: Bantayan, Madridejos, and Santa Fe. Not to be confused with Daanbantayan, which is a separate municipality on the main island of Cebu.
What used to be a sleepy fishing village years ago has been enjoying the fruits of tourism as tourists look for laid-back alternatives to Boracay. Bantayan has found its way to Cebu all inclusive travel packages but remains a favorite among backpackers for its sheer beauty and serene atmosphere.
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Bantayan Island’s biggest asset is its white, white, white sand! It is so white that it can give Boracay a run for its tourist money. It is very fine but not too fine to smudge the crystal clear water, which, by the way, is also very shallow. Perfect for kids and non-swimmers (like me).
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