Living the Island Life: My New Beginning in Bantayan

Hello, travelers! How are you? I'm still adjusting myself and my life here in Bantayan Island as it has been six days since I moved here to start my new life and work. Being here in the island as a resident, not as a tourist, is a bit hard, challenging me to adjust and change some accustomed culture and practices to fit in with the island's identity. But I am positive that it is only a temporary setup, and I know I can comfortably live here soon, aligned with the island and its people's way of living.

My deployment should have happened two days ago, but the agency and HR where I am deployed had some miscommunication, so I am delayed at work now. Hopefully, I can start sooner since I am already here for work. Since I don't have that much things to do today, me and my partner, after his work, roamed around the Baywalk of Bantayan, which is one of our go-to places in our new hometown. We visited the Baywalk at sunrise and sunset, so it means we visited there twice today. And here is what I saw and what happened.

If you'll talk about abundance, it is the premium of Bantayan Island. Abundance in seafoods, abundance in beautiful and natural tourism destinations, and abundance in hospitable and kind local people. What I like in this island is its morning vendors of fish and other seafoods, most primarily seen at baywalks or bridges. Fishing is the primary source of living in this island, therefore you'll never run out of seafoods, which are shockingly sold at cheap prices. In my old hometown, fishes there in kilo range from 250-300 Php, but here it ranges from 100-150 Php. Ever since we discovered how cheap the expenses are here, we always go to the market early in the morning to buy something worthy of our time.

The Baywalk this morning was perfect and stunning. The water was crystal blue and it illuminated the perfect cloudy morning atmosphere of the island. Pumpboats and small islets were seen on the panoramic view from the Baywalk, while the golden sunlight reflected peacefully on the calm seawater. The sunrise turned out to be a magical phenomenon this morning. The yellow golden light of the May morning made our day vibrant and full of positivity. Looking at the peaceful horizon while the island slowly woke up made me realize that maybe this unfamiliar place will soon become my comfort place too. The silence of the sea, the fresh air, and the relaxing scenery somehow gave me hope and excitement for the new life I am starting here in Bantayan.

When we arrived at the Baywalk, we saw many people forming a crowd on the side of the road. We figured out that it was freshly caught seafoods being sold by fishermen. Of course, we were intrigued and bought some of it since it was sold at cheaper prices compared to those in the market, but even in the market, it is still affordable. We patiently waited for our turn to choose which fishes and seafoods we would buy, and it was a great experience to talk with the locals about Bantayan.

After our errands in the Baywalk, we headed to the public plaza of Bantayan to walk around with Zuki, our dog. It is nice to visit the plaza in the morning, which we haven't experienced yet, and roam around to see the relaxing features of Bantayan Plaza. It is just so sad that the local government trimmed the trees in the plaza too much, and now it is not that cozy to stay there by afternoon. Many hikers and health enthusiasts came to the plaza for morning exercises and to start their day with a productive body and mind.

By afternoon, we decided to return to the Baywalk again to witness the sunset, and honestly, it was just as beautiful as the morning. The sky slowly changed its color into shades of orange, yellow, and soft blue while the fishing boats peacefully floated above the calm seawater. The reflection of the sunset on the water made the whole place look warm and cinematic. Unlike the bright and energetic atmosphere during sunrise, the sunset felt calm, quiet, and comforting. Watching the sun slowly disappear while the fishermen prepared their boats and the cool sea breeze touched our faces made the moment feel so genuine and relaxing. It was one of those simple moments that made me appreciate living here more.