Spanish-era watchtowers of Bantayan Island.

At a glance

Municipality

Madridejos (barangay Kaongkod; Kota Heritage Park)

Getting there

By tricycle, scooter or car from Santa Fe or Bantayan town; travel time to be confirmed

Entrance

Kota Park: see the Kota Park page; Bantayan sa Hari unknown (unverified)

Best time

Daylight; Kota Park at sunset

Facilities

In Madridejos town

Why there were towers

In the Spanish period, raiders attacked the coast. According to the Madridejos history, lookouts watched the sea and warned the people; the blowing of a shell horn (budyong) was the signal. The island’s name is usually linked to bantay, “to watch” (Panublion heritage survey); the story of shouting lookouts is a legend.

What is left

• Bantayan sa Hari, barangay Kaongkod, Madridejos – the town lists it as built around 1839 to protect the island against raids. The Madridejos history page and Wikipedia say it stood about 4 km from the fort. A 2026 travel article calls it the last known watchtower on the island; a tower on Doong islet is also reported – both to be checked locally.
• Kota Heritage Park, Madridejos – fort walls by the sea and four posts thought to be from a wooden blockhouse used as a lookout. See our page on Kota Park.

According to Wikipedia, the towers on Bantayan were built under a 19th-century parish priest of Bantayan. Only a few remain.

Respect

These are heritage sites. Do not climb the walls, write on them or remove stones.

FAQ