Mangroves and protected areas on Bantayan Island.

At a glance

Municipality

Obo-ob Mangrove Garden: Bantayan town, barangay Obo-ob (border with Santa Fe – see notes)

Getting there

Tricycle or scooter from Santa Fe (time to be confirmed)

Entrance

about ₱50–75 per adult; kayak extra (unverified, as of 2026)

Opening hours

06:00–18:00 or 08:00–17:00 – sources differ (unverified)

Best time

High tide for kayaks; before 10:00 or after 14:00 to avoid the heat

Facilities

Boardwalk with a watchtower, kayaks (other facilities to be confirmed)

The protected areas

• Bantayan Island Wilderness Area: declared by presidential proclamation in 1981 and confirmed by the NIPAS Act of 1992. Its borders were never clearly drawn, so it is taken to cover the whole island group (Wikipedia).
• Tañon Strait Protected Seascape: since 1998 it includes a long stretch of Bantayan’s east coast (Wikipedia).
• Marine sanctuaries: OpenStreetMap shows several small sanctuaries around the island, for example at Obo-ob, Botigues, Binaobao, Bantigue, Guiwanon and Sulangan. Rules inside them are not confirmed – ask locally before fishing or anchoring.
• Santa Fe Lagoon: DENR banned motor boats there under the Expanded NIPAS Act (see Santa Fe Lagoon).

Obo-ob Mangrove Garden (OMAGIECA)

A bamboo boardwalk leads through the mangroves to a small watchtower (length and time to be confirmed). Kayaks can be rented when the tide is high. OpenStreetMap places the garden at about 11.150 N, 123.750 E, on the south coast between Santa Fe and Bantayan town.

Fees reported (unverified): ₱50–55 (whycebu and lakbaypinas, 2026); ₱75 adult, ₱60 senior/PWD, ₱20 child, kayak ₱170 (Sugbo.ph, undated).

Rules for visitors

• Stay on the boardwalk; do not break branches or take crabs and shells.
• Do not feed the fish.
• No rubbish – the tide carries plastic deep into the mangroves.
• In sanctuaries: do not fish, anchor on coral or stand on reefs – and ask locally which rules apply.

Safety

Bamboo planks can be wet and uneven. Wear shoes with grip and bring insect repellent.

FAQ