Madridejos, Bantayan Island: Travel Guide to Cebu's Fishing Hub
Travel and Community
Madridejos sits at the northern tip of Bantayan Island and is the island's main fishing hub. Learn about the Isda Festival, the main attractions and how to get there.
Bantayan Island is famous for its white-sand beaches, but its northernmost town has a different character. Madridejos is a working fishing town with a rugged coastline, busy boats and a long maritime tradition.
About Madridejos
Madridejos occupies the northern tip of Bantayan Island, facing the Visayan Sea. According to the Cebu provincial tourism page, it is the island's primary commercial fishing hub, with a rugged coastline and an economy built on fishing fleets, poultry farming and dried fish production.
The Bantayan municipality lies to its south.
History and the Isda Festival
Before the Spanish era, Madridejos was a fishing village called Lawis, a word meaning peninsula or promontory. It was later named after Benito Romero de Madridejos, a former Archbishop of Cebu.
The town celebrates the Isda Festival, a thanksgiving for the sea's harvests. Isda is the Cebuano word for fish.
Places to visit
Top attractions listed by the provincial tourism office:
- Salazar Eco Park
- Temptation Beach
- Kota Park
If you want powdery white sand, the neighboring town of Santa Fe is the island's best-known beach destination. Madridejos is closer to the working side of island life.
How to get there
- Take a bus from the Cebu North Bus Terminal to Hagnaya Port in San Remigio.
- Board a ferry to Santa Fe, Bantayan Island.
- Take a jeepney or tricycle from Santa Fe to Madridejos.
Total travel time is about 4 to 5 hours. If you are driving, the same route applies: go to Hagnaya Port via the northern coastal highway, take the RoRo ferry to Santa Fe Port, then continue by road. Ferry schedules and fares change, so confirm with the operators before you go.
When to go and what to eat
The best months are November to May, the dry season, for beach and island-hopping activities.
The local specialty listed by the tourism office is tago angkan, grilled chicken womb and underdeveloped eggs served on skewers. It is an acquired taste for some, but a true local street-food experience.
The municipal tourism office can be reached at +63 999-722-1111.