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Candlelit procession carriages moving through a narrow island town street
In March

Semana Santa sa Bantayan

Bantayan

Holy Week on Bantayan Island, with life-size processions through the town

  • DatesMarch 22–28, 2027
  • Duration7 days
  • AdmissionFree entry
  • VenueBantayan town proper and the parish of Saints Peter and Paul

Where to stay for Semana Santa sa Bantayan

8 nights · Arrive Sunday, March 21, leave Monday, March 29 — the day before and the day after

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About This Festival

Bantayan holds the only Holy Week in the country with a papal dispensation to eat meat, which is how an island of fishermen ended up with the most social Good Friday in the Visayas.

The processions are the draw: dozens of life-size carriages, most privately owned and maintained by island families for generations, moving through the town after dark on the Wednesday and the Friday.

What to Expect

  • Ferries and accommodation booked out months ahead
  • Evening processions on Holy Wednesday and Good Friday
  • A town that empties onto the streets rather than a ticketed venue

Getting There

Bus from Cebu North Bus Terminal to Hagnaya, then the ferry to Santa Fe — around five hours all in. Ferry seats sell out for Holy Week; book well ahead.

Past Editions

  • 2026 editionMarch 30 – April 5, 2026

Next edition

March 22–28, 2027

Holy Week — the dates move with Easter every year and cannot be derived from a calendar date.

Venue

Bantayan town proper, Bantayan Island, Cebu, Philippines

Bantayan town proper and the parish of Saints Peter and PaulGet Directions to Bantayan town proper and the parish of Saints Peter and Paul (opens in a new tab)

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