The Beautiful Alice Beach of Bantayan Island, Philippines

Alice Beach on Bantayan Island is ideal for budget travelers and/or travelling couples.  A walk up and down the beach will quickly demonstrate the frontier feel of the island. Fishing families with small children often run out on the beach to greet passing-by tourists.

Chasing Places Beach Breakdown = 7.25

1- Worst Imaginable  2- Terrible  3- Very Poor  4- Poor  5- Average  6- Good  7- Very Good  8- Great  9- Extraordinary  10-Unmatchable

Water Transparency and Colour: 9

Alice Beach has very clear water.  Near the shoreline the water is transparent. As the water level progressively gets deeper it changes to a nice turquoise colour.  In certain spots along the ocean floor there are tiny weeds that create black regions noticeable from shore.

Sand Colour and Texture: 8

Alice Beach on Bantayan Island does indeed have white sand. Depending on the level of the tide the sand can be quite packed in certain areas. The sand is fine for the most part, while there are some regions with sprinkled sea shells. During low tide the beach becomes very wide.

Beachscape: 7

Alice Beach has a few outlying islands that you can see as you lay on the white sand: Sillon Island (also called Virgin Island) and Cabulauan Island. These of course add to the appeal of the beach. The northernmost section of the beach is particularly nice with half-eroded coconut trees and some limestone headlands.  If it wasn’t for the ferry port at the southern end of the beach the beachscape would be considered extraordinary.

Cleanliness: 5

Alice Beach has a mix of resorts and local fishing families occupying the oceanfront land.  Therefore, if you select the right resort the beach area will be raked daily to remove washed up garbage and seaweed. Other sections, however, are typically not raked leading to excess garbage. This eye sore could be quickly eliminated with some organized efforts from the local government (weekly raking).

Travel Checklist: Do you have everything you need?

Additional Information about Alice Beach on Bantayan Island:

Accessibility

Typically, most tourists head from Cebu city via bus or taxi en route to Hagnaya.  From Hagnaya ferries depart to the pier on the southern end of Alice Beach.  From the pier, you can either walk or get a tricycle to drop you off at your resort.

 For a detailed overview on how to get to Bantayan Island and/or Alice Beach from Cebu city please refer here.

Accommodation Choices

Alice Beach on Bantayan Island has a nice collection of resorts to choose from.  However, in general, they are not as elaborate as other beach resorts in Bali, Thailand, or Boracay for instance. Cold water is common and so too are power outages. To get the best available selection, I would suggest using one of the three following sites:

www.agoda.com          

www.booking.com        

 www.hotelscombined.com 

Nightlife

Alice beach has a nice laid back vibe – one where you can grab a drink and listen to the waves come in.  Some of the resorts arrange to have bands play during peak periods. Don’t expect loud music and full on partying until the wee hours of the morning.  There are also a few bars in the nearby Town of Santa Fe to check out as well.

Restaurant Choices

Most of the resorts on Alice Beach have their own restaurant.  If they don’t have what you want, simply arrange for transport to the nearby town of Santa Fe.

Watersports

Many tourists that go to Bantayan Island arrange day tours to Virgin Island where there is some coral to check out. During high tide, swimming at Alice Beach is nice.  During low tide, you will have to walk out quite far in order to reach a suitable depth for swimming.

Recommended for: Backpackers, Budget Travelers, Families, Couples, romantic retreats, those seeking un-touristy beach getaways

Best Beach Feature: Water Transparency and Colour

If you have any questions about our experience staying on Alice Beach (or Bantayan Island) please feel free to comment below.

4 thoughts on “The Beautiful Alice Beach of Bantayan Island, Philippines”

  1. Arlene Corrigan

    The beach in the photos looks beautiful. How unfortunate that some governments don't realize the importance of raking a beach. I have seen so many beaches ruined by garbage. Kutai beach at Bali had its share of garbage too. Shame. Thank you for the honest details you always put in your posts.

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