Travel with a Purpose

Cheap Beach Resort in Bantayan Island Cebu – Beach Placid Resort Review

Posted on by One Armed Wanderer
Full body massage by the beach

Beach Placid Resort in Bantayan Island Cebu is the perfect beach resort for backpackers and budget travelers.  Located along the stretch of Sta. Fe beach, Beach Placid Resort share the same shore with other more expensive and pricey resorts such as Anika Island Resort and Hoyohoy Villas.  Meaning, you get to enjoy the fine white sands and pristine waters of Santa Fe Bantayan Island without emptying your pocket.

Here is a short video of Beach Placid Resort:

Beach Placid Bantayan Island Cebu Philippines
Beach Placid Bantayan Island Cebu Philippines

Open Cottages, Beach Beds and Cabanas

Being a budget-friendly Bantayan resort, staying in Beach Placid will not limit you to enjoy and relax by the beach. There are open cottages, beach beds and cabanas in this affordable Bantayan beach resort. During our stay, we made use of their cottages and cabana by the beach without any charges.

Beachfront Surprise!

Jen enjoying the beachfront view on our room's veranda.
Jen enjoying the beachfront view on our room’s veranda.

Unlike other Bantayan beach resorts where beachfront rooms are quite expensive, Beach Pacid’s are affordable. We did not expect too much on the room we booked via Agoda as the fine print says it’s a Beach View Cottage. With the price, we assumed that we are getting a non-beachfront room.  However, we were surprised that the room was on a beachfront!

We checked-in at 3 beach resorts during our 4-day visit in Bantayan Island. We stayed at non-beachfront rooms of Anika Island Resort and Hoyohoy Villas Resort. But the cheapest accommodation we had was a beachfront room at Beach Placid.

Beach Placid’s Beach View Cottage (Beachfront Room)

Since we experienced Anika Island Resort’s accommodation prior to Beach Placid.  I should say that our room at Anika Island Resort was better than what we had at Beach Placid.  Nonetheless, the room was good and are truly for backpackers and budget-travelers.

room
toilet and bath

The Beach View Cottage we booked has a small veranda and a bench.  If you are a smoker, the resort allows smoking in the veranda. The room comes with an air-conditioning unit, queen size bed, a small refrigerator and a dresser.  The toilet and bath is quite spacious. Toilet has no bidet but there is a hot and cold shower.  Only bath towels and tissue roll are provided so make sure to bring toiletries when you are checking-in at the resort.

I personally love the view once you open the door of the room. It is relaxing as you directly see the breathtaking beach and enjoy the relaxing sea winds right on your door. This what makes Beach Placid stand out from Anika or Hoyohoy, you get to experience a beachfront room at an affordable price!

Beach Placid Bantayan Island Room Rates

Below are the published room rates of Beach Placid Resort:

Note: We booked our discounted Beach Placid beachfront room online. I am giving you a discounted room rate by booking HERE.

Room Type PAX Price Price (during holy week)
Quadruple Room #19 4 to 5 persons 3,000 Php 6,000 Php
Quadruple Room #20 3 to 5 persons 2,500 Php 5,000 Php
Quadruple Room #21 and #22 2 to 3 persons 1,700 Php 3,400 Php
Native Sea View Cottage 2 persons 1,800 Php 3,600 Php
Non-beachfront Aircon Cottage 4 persons 3,000 Php 6,000 Php
Non-beachfront Triplex 4 persons 3,000 Php 6,000 Php
Beachfront Duplex Rooms

 4 persons 3,500 Php 7,000 Php
Beachfront Native Aircon Cottage

 2 persons 2,300 Php 4,600 Php
Beachfront – Triplex Room

Jen enjoying the beachfront view on our room's veranda.

 2 persons 2,300 Php 4,600 Php
Non-Beachfront Aircon Cottage 2 persons 1,700 Php 3,400 Php

 

Well Maintained Bantayan Island Beach Resort

Beach Placid
Beach Placid

Beach Placid Resort is well-maintained. During our entire stay, there are always someone who is around the resort. Since we visited on a season where winds push seaweeds on the shore, the staff ensures to always clean the beachfront.

Activities in Beach Placid

Beach Placid also offers island hopping tour at an affordable price. For only 900 Php, you get to enjoy Hilantagaan and Virgin Island. The boatman will pick you up right in the shore of Beach Placid. Note that rates outside the resort can go as low as 800 Php. We decided to take Beach Placid’s island hopping tour to ensure our safety.

Full body massage by the beach
Full body massage by the beach

If you get hungry, Beach Placid Resort has an open-air restaurant with affordable menu. They also have a bar and offers free karaoke (videoke) if you purchase sodas, shakes or any alcoholic beverages. If you want to relax, Beach Placid also offers in-room or by the beach massage service for only 350 Php.

Affordable Bantayan Resort with Great Customer Service

Being a budget beach resort, I did not expect anything grand about Beach Placid. I was not impressed by the reception when we checked-in at Anika but Beach Placid’s reception was different. The receptionists were very friendly and welcoming. They even allowed us to leave our bags in the reception as we were too early for the check-in.

Highly Recommended Resort in Bantayan for Budget Travellers and Backpackers

I highly recommend Beach Placid Resort if you are a backpacker or on a budget. Their rooms may not be as grand as Anika Island Resort and Hoyohoy Villas Resort, but are decent enough for the price. The entire beach resort is clean. Customer service is great. And of course, their rooms are very affordable.  Truly the best Bantayan beach resort for budget travellers!

Jen and I spotted these kids in the resort’s vicinity. We were happy to have distributed the toys we brought to the island. – Travel with a Purpose

Beach Placid Resort
Adress: F. Roska Street, Santa Fe, Bantayan Island, Cebu, Philippines
Contact Numbers:
(63)32-406-5686
(63)32-438-9070
(63)917-722-2993
Email Address:
[email protected]
[email protected]

 

 

2 Comments

6 Things You Should Know Before Going to Islas de Gigantes Iloilo

Posted on by One Armed Wanderer
scallops shucking

Excited to visit Islas de Gigantes in Iloilo? Here are some tips and things you should know before going to Islas de Gigantes:

disclaimer: most of the below tips are based on what we have experienced during our visit in the islands last August 2016.

1. Islas de Gigantes is a group of islands

Islas de Gigantes is a group of islands located in the Western Visayas archipelago within the Visayan sea. This must visit Philippine destination is part of the municipality of Carles, the northernmost part of Iloilo province.

Islas de Gigantes is composed of 10 islands. The two largest islands are the Gigantes Norte and Gigantes Sur. In the southeast of Gigantes Norte are the islets Bulubadiang, Gigantillo and Gigantuna. On the south of Gigantes Sur are the islands and islets Antonia, Bantigui, Cabugao, Tanguingui, and Turnina.

A photo posted by Ed Puno (@onearmedwanderer) on

Antonia Island, Islas de Gigantes

A photo posted by Ed Puno (@onearmedwanderer) on

Cabugao Gamay Island, Islas de Gigantes

2. Best time to visit Islas de Gigantes is from December to May

If you want to fully enjoy the Islas de Gigantes experience, the best time to visit is during the months of December to May.  Avoid the habagat season from June to November due to the strong sea waves. To preserve the natural beauty of Islas de Gigante’s lagoon which is also known as “Tanke”, guests are also restricted to visit it during the habagat season.  Sadly, we visited the beautiful Islas de Gigantes during the season and the famous tanke was closed for tourists.

3. Electricity is from 5 PM to 6 AM

Being a remote island in the northeast part of Iloilo, there is limited electricity in Islas de Gigantes’ mainland- Gigantes Sur. Electricity is only available from 5 PM to 6 AM. During our stay in the island, we experienced blackouts even during the 5 PM to 6 AM window. Good thing is that Gigantes Hideway Tourist Inn has generators to back-up in case of power shortage.

The limited electricity will not be an issue during your stay in Islas de Gigantes. You will be touring around Islas de Gigantes during daytime and will be back in the resort before evening. During your idle time, the experience of not having electricity during daytime will make you feel how it’s like living in a remote island with no electricity and cellphone signal (read number 5).

4. Main Industry is Scallops Harvesting and Shucking

Since there is no electricity during daytime, during our first afternoon in Gigantes Sur, we decided to stroll outside the Gigantes Hideway Tourist Inn resort. We noticed that scallops shells are all over the place. We talked to locals and discovered that the primary industry in the island is scalloping. In fact, Islas de Gigantes’ Gigantes Norte is the scallops capital of the municipality of Carles. As we walked farther, we noticed a group of locals shucking scallops. Their leader was kind enough to tell us more about the scallops industry in the island. Most of the shucked scallops are placed on bottles, frozen and exported to Cebu, Manila and even outside the Philippines. Sadly, they only earn a little from scalloping and shucking. That expensive baked scallops you order in fancy restaurants might be a product of these people’s hard work.

We then decided that we will give most of the goodies we bought for my very first Travel with a Purpose Project to these friendly and hardworking Islas de Gigantes locals.

Scallops shucking
Scallops shucking
Travel with a Purpose in Islas de Gigantes

Tip: Stroll around the area during daytime and discover more of Islas de Gigantes.

4. No cellphone signal except from Gigantes Sur’s “call center”, Bulubadiang and Cabugao Gamay

There is no cellphone signal in Gigantes Sur except for a spot they call as call center.  It is where locals visit if they want to use their mobile phones. As for the other islands in Islas de Gigantes, there is also signal in the islands Bulubadiang and the famous Cabugao Gamay. So, while in Islas de Gigantes, do not expect that you will be able to post photos in your Facebook and Instagram real-time.

Tip: Disconnect and simply enjoy Islas de Gigantes. Remember, you are there for the experience. Enjoy first and share your photos later.

5. Limited passenger boat trip going to and out of Islas de Gigantes

Islas de Gigantes can be reached via Iloilo City or Roxas City. Booking a flight is easy but catching the  boat trip a day to Islas de Gigantes requires careful time planning as missing the passenger boat ride from the port to Islas de Gigantes could ruin your itinerary. There are only two daily trips going to Islas de Gigantes. One is from Carles port which promptly leaves at 10 AM and the other one is from Estancia port which leaves at 1 PM.

Same goes if you are leaving Islas de Gigantes, there is also a limited number of trips from the Islas de Gigantes Sur to Estancia or Carles port.

Tip:  If you don’t want to ride a passenger boat, special and private trip from Estancia port to Islas de Gigantes will cost you 4,500 Pesos.

Boat scedule from/to Islas de Gigantes
Boat to the island

6. Cheapest tour package is Islas Hideaway Tourist Inn’s

If you are on a tight budget and wants a complete and memorable Islas de Gigantes experience, I would highly recommend availing a tour package offered by Islas de Gigantes Hideaway resort. Unlike other tour agencies, The Gigantes Hideaway’s rates are by far the cheapest we have seen. And I should say that Gigantes Hideaway did not disappoint us. [Related: Cheapest Islas de Gigantes Tour Package].

Travel with a Purpose Project

Posted on by One Armed Wanderer
Travel with a Purpose: Gift Giving in Tawi-Tawi

I was born and grew up in Manila and is used to the city life. Coming from a middle class family,  my parents raised us feeling that we had more than enough when we were growing up. I should say that from childhood up to this day, I have been living comfortably.  When I started solo travelling in 2015, my only goal was to experience and explore my beautiful home country – The Philippines.  For every province that I visited, I have seen new places, gained new friends, experience various cultures and learned new things. I always return home with memories that will last for a lifetime.

During my travels, I could not help but compare what I have in Manila realizing how blessed I am for having things that I often take for granted (having a job, a comfortable home, even food on my plate).  It was February of this year, during my first solo travel in Mindanao, where I decided that I need to help (even in my own little and simplest ways) any local/s in the province that I am visiting. Then there comes the idea of “Travel With a Purpose Project”.  My goal was not just to experience and explore my home country but to reach out and do something. Give back to the province I am visiting by helping and bringing smiles to the locals.

Completed Travel with a Purpose Projects

To date, I have completed 2 Travel with a Purpose Projects. One in Visayas and the second was in Mindanao.

  • Islas de Gigantes, Iloilo – August 2016
  • Tawi-Tawi – September 2016

 

Travel with a Purpose: Gift Giving in Tawi-Tawi
Second Travel with a Purpose: Gift Giving in Tawi-Tawi (in partnership with silverbackpacker.com, HOPE Inc., Zamboanga and Tawi-Tawi Philippine Marines)

Travel with a Purpose Partners

I have also worked with the following individuals and groups that made my Travel with a Pupose Projects possible:

  • Jen Montebon
  • HOPE Inc.
  • Dave of silverbackpacker.com
  • Zamboanga and Tawi-Tawi Philippine Marines
  • and of course kind-hearted indivuduals who donated to the projects (Car Gumapon, Aurora Vivero and to a group who requested to remain anonymous)

If you want to take part by donating or joining my future Travel with a Purpose projects, please feel free drop a mail at [email protected].

*Next Travel with a Purpose – Camiguin 

Thank you.

Ed, One Armed Wanderer

128 Comments