Kinatarcan Island – how to get there and what to expect.

At a glance

Municipality

Santa Fe – barangays Hagdan, Kinatarkan and Langub

Where

about 17 km in a straight line north-north-east of Santa Fe port; about 12 km in a straight line from Daanbantayan port on mainland Cebu

Residents

8,613 (2020 census)

Getting there

Public boat about once a day, back the next morning; private boat for a day trip

Money

no ATM on the island – the nearest is in Daanbantayan

iSources & checks · 4 facts

What it is

Kinatarcan – also spelled Kinatarkan, and called Guintacan on maps – is an island of Santa Fe with three barangays. It is a quiet fishing and seaweed-farming island with limestone cliffs, beaches and a lagoon, and it gets few visitors. Expect simple guesthouses, not resorts. i

Getting there

1. Daanbantayan (mainland Cebu) → island

   Boat: Public boat, about 11 AM–12 noon, once a day (travel reports up to 2022)

   Time: about 45–60 minutes

   Fare (reported): about ₱50–100 per person (reports 2019–2022) i

2. Santa Fe → Bitoon Beach

   Boat: Public boat, daily except Saturday (travel reports)

   Time: about 1.5–2 hours

   Fare (reported): about ₱70–120 per person (reports 2018–2022) i

3. Private boat from Santa Fe

   Boat: Ask at a tour desk

   Time: depends on the boat

   Fare (reported): from about ₱1,000 one way in 2019 reports; ₱2,000 in 2021 i

Public boats go back around 7 AM the next morning, so with a public boat you stay at least one night. All times and fares come from travel reports up to 2022 – ask locally before you go. Boats do not sail in bad weather or when the coast guard stops sea trips, and the crossing is rougher during the north-east monsoon. i

What to see

• Laaw Lagoon: a sheltered lagoon. swimming is not allowed – the lagoon is used for seaweed farming.
• Beaches: Bitoon on the west side for sunsets; Pasil and the beaches near Langub.
• Cliffs and caves: limestone cliffs along the coast and a small cave near Pasil.
• Lighthouse: a light station on the south-east of the island – see lighthouses.

iSources & checks · 1 fact

Getting around is by motorbike taxi (habal-habal); there are no tricycles reported on the island. i

Before you go

• Bring cash – no ATM on the island – the nearest is in Daanbantayan.
• Electricity: BANELCO supplies the island at its own rate (about ₱11.26 per kWh on Hilotongan and ₱10.09 on Kinatarcan (homes, before VAT, November 2026)). How many hours a day power runs today is not confirmed – bring a power bank.
• Water and food: shops are few; bring drinking water and snacks.
• Health: there is no hospital on the island; the nearest is the district hospital in Bantayan town or on mainland Cebu.
• Signal: mobile signal is reported to be weak – tell someone when you plan to return.

iSources & checks · 2 facts

More day trips by boat are on island hopping.

FAQ