In March, we (Jessie and myself) went exploring on Bantayan Island. We stayed at Ticketyboo Resort which I will review and post pictures of soon, but while there we also visited St. Bernard Beach Resort. We were told they sell exotic birds. They had some awesome birds, but most of them were not for sale.
I failed to get the owners name but he was very friendly. They advertise this site as “very wheelchair friendly.’ Since the owner is in a chair, I’m certain that he would be an expert on this. The rooms were all large with lots of free space in them. At least the rooms I saw.
They’re was one bird that I was particularly fond of His name is Paparroti that took a liking to me. I know a little bird body language, and I do mean a little but he seemed to appreciate my head bobbing hello to him. I never owned a bird but I picked up just a little from friends and my visits to bird stores.
It wasn’t long before he flew onto my shoulder. When Jessie tried to talk to him too, he fussed at her and basically said get away. Then he flew onto my head!
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We plan to stay there on our next visit and will give a more detailed review then. The place is enclosed with coconut trees that tower over the edges of the compound with palm trees providing shade over the cottages.
The rooms are cottage style which is very appealing to me. Not crowded, not noisy. A very nice place to walk through. I’ll have to stay there before I can give it a proper review. The resort is situated on the white sand beach with white sand. leading directly into the sea.
You can contact the resort directly by calling or sending an SMS text message to 63-917-963-6162. The resort is located on the north side of Santa Fe Wharf where your boat will come in if you arrive by boat. The only other choice is by private plane. Room rates are start at P750 per night or P1000 for a room with Air Conditioning.
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hi rusty =)i just wana ask if the electricity in bantayan still fluctuates?because when i went there last 2004 the owner of st.bernard suggested that we just get a fan room (600 per day back then)since every other day it is brown out.im planning to go back there again this year so i would like to know.thank you so much!
Hi Kushitafuto,
Power was solid while I was there.. I don’t do well without AC that might have changed my mind about the whole place.
I had aircon rooms and no problem at all with that.
It doesn’t surprise me that the owner of St. Bernard told you that. He seemed like a really nice guy. Many might take your money and not tell you that.
Now if they get hit by a typhoon, all bets are off. When Fengshen/Frank came through, parts of the Island were without lights for an extended time.
awsome Rusty i really can’t wait to visit here ! I didn’t know abt the birds either thanks !
he’s got some fish inside. I didn’t see them though. I think just gold fish. Nice guy, offered to give me some but I want something a bit more exotic.
Plus I don’t have a place to put them.
Hola, Rusty
I think the the Danish guy who runs St. Bernard´s is Flem(m)ing. I live in Iceland and made reservations through their website when I visited last year. They were really easy to deal with. At the moment, I am making plans to visit Bantayan again this year and hoping for a bit of information about some kind of tour around the island. Bantayan is after all the oldest parish in the Philippines (used to be part of the Northern Marianas parish) and have documents written on animal skin still existing. It can´t be all that boring when it’s not the Holy Week
Hi Marvi!
I’ve never been bored there. I’ve been hot but not bored. I went for day trip this month and it was very hot but not bored.
There’s a lot of things to do. I didn’t run across writing on animal skin though, where’d you find that at? I can hook you up with a couple of locals that can give you a tour. Island hoping is probably what they are best at though I must admit I’ve not used them myself. They have taken me around the island though.
i would like to ask the contact number of st.peter and paul parish convent if you do have.. i have plans of visiting the place and i want to see an old friend working in the convent.thank you.. and i’m glad you visited philippines
I don’t have that information but I will look for it. Will post if I have it. Did you try to get the information from your local parish? I bet they have a way to reach them.
I didn’t find that but I did find this site that has a contact us page. I suspect you could obtain that number by visiting this site: http://cebuarchdiocese.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=95&Itemid=69
hard decision if to stay at st. bernard at marlins.
it will be our first trip together.
will u advice if ur going to decide to choose which one will u get and why?
Kumusta? And here goes my review.
I stayed in St. Bernard’s from October 17 to 19 of 2009. We booked Cottage #6 and didn’t realize it was a tad too small for us 3 girls but loved the cute bed and circular windows. It was our “Hobbit” home. We would have transferred but the other 2 decided to stay for the reason we were too darn tired from all the swimming and touring. Cottage #1 was bigger and was along the beach front. Amazingly, there wasn’t any noisy neighbors that I have read we would expect there.
Food was absolutely great. Even if we weren’t able to taste Tristan’s pizza, we had and loved their banana and mango flambe pancakes. A must to eat too when you visit Sta. Fe. We loved how big their serving size was. We may be petite but we had an appetite of a larger homo sapien.
Service was excellent. Eden, Flemming and the crew made us feel at home. I don’t know what kind of service other people expect in resorts but it fit what we liked. We got to tour Virgin and Hilantaga-an islands with our 3days and 2 nights package. It was a bit cloudy at the time and we were told to come back during the summer months. The sky would appear just like how it looks like in a postcard. If you love the heat of summer on a beach like me, I’d heed their advise.
I loved their beach (compared to my stony black sand beach in San Joaquin). White sand and still teeming with life. Don’t expect Boracay-like shores. They’ve got loads of seagrass, little shells, crabs, sea urchins, fishes, starfishes, sea cucumbers, sea urchins (yes, the black spiny ones with red and white spots), and sea horse (i just saw one, hence, singular noun). There was one blue bird, I forgot what is was called. This is separate from the ones Flemming had. This one was wild and we just happened to see at 6am while admiring the view.
Tita Nene Dondon and Tito Glen Mansueto toured us in Bantayan Is (TY to Tito Ben for the van). But we did manage to attend Sunday Mass in St. Peter and Paul Church on our own by hiring a tricycle. One could probably go around well in these. Pedicabs are available if you don’t like walking around.
I could type more good reviews about my stay in St. Bernard’s and in Bantayan Is. but I think this will suffice. I will definitely be back during the summer months when the beauty of Bantayan Is. is at its greatest.
hi joy, im just wondering how and where did u get the 3days & 2nights package and how much. we’re planing to go there after valentines and were from manila. thanks
Oops, I meant wowbantayan.com
Its okay Joy, they are both good sites. I wondered about wowphilippines.com I didn’t remember hotel deals there. They’re might be some though.
hi rusty,
just stumbled upon this site of yours bout bantayan, i was searching for some places to go to cebu and found it, good job ur doing here, helping out promoting the place, i’ve just one request, can u please post more reviews of resorts in bantayan and their contact numbers, would highly appreciate that.. more power to u!!
I would love to stay at more places. I have been unable to go lately.
Any resorts want to treat me to a stay there? haha I wish…
I have to leave the country soon. I’m really wanting to visit the island, perhaps I can after my next VISA run.
Hi ge! In response to your query (and a very very late one too…sorry), I got mine via WowPhilippines.com. Hotels that are featured there offer discounts when you tell them you got it from that website.
I had Monica my wife call you from the Philippines, I live in USA…I WANT TO BOOK BOTH COTTAGE
Cottage no# 2
Cottage no#7
for August 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14,15 .. WERE STAY AT
I need to know if you take Visa Card.. If its Money transfer through Western Union I never done this…Can you give me information to do this ? I can do it tomorrow after work…But I need complete address and what to put on it. BOOK IT NOW PLEASE FOR THESE DATES.
SEND ME THE INFO TO SEND YOU THE MONEY AND ENSURE DATES ARE OPEN
I NEED COMPLETE TOTAL ADDED UP
CAN YOU GIVE DISCOUNT ON THIS SINCE WE ARE DOING TWO COTTAGES SEVEN DAYS ?
JAMES T. FENDLEY
320 E. ALLISON DR.
QUEEN VALLEY, ARIZONA 85118
520-463-2522
James,
I think you posted this on the wrong website.
St. Bernard does have a website http://www.bantayan.dk/
maybe that will get you to where you need to be.
We don’t do bookings here. Just a fan of Bantayan Island.