Postcard perfect beaches and seascapes make up Banton Island’s coastal landscape, with the interior being a mixture of towns and villages, volcanic rocks and forest.
Togbongan Rocky Beach makes for a nice change to the fine white sands that cover most Filipino beaches and the smooth rocks that lead out to deep waters are perfect for snorkeling. Tabonan is a half moon-shaped sandy beach and attracts locals and tourists alike.
The island is blessed with electricity for only five hours a day and there are 17 barangays that make up the island’s towns. The local museum and library displays artifacts from the history of Banton and the house itself is interesting to look at.
Fort San Nicolas is Banton’s version of Manila’s Intramuros and was built back in 1621 as a shelter from marauding pirates. Sanrokan Festival takes place from Black Saturday to Easter Sunday and is an old tradition of sharing food.
Getting There & Away
From Batangas, go to Calapan by boat then take a bus to Pinamalayan on a journey that takes about 8 hours, then take a motorboat to Banton. Total travel time can vary from 12 to 18 hours depending on the types of boat you use. Manila is home to the nearest international airport and from here you can go to Lucena and catch a boat to Banton, with a total travel time of 14 to 18 hours.