About 20 of these islets stretch for about 8 kilometers (5 miles) southwest from Bantayan municipality port area, with some nearer ones being accessible on foot from the main island at low tide.

The climate is typically equatorial – temperature range over the year is less than three degrees Celsius (5.4 deg F), and annual rainfall exceeds 1,500 millimeters (59 in).

Like most of Cebu province,[9] the lithology of the island consists of two unit types:As a consequence of the geology, water supplies are hard.

[11] 2014 has seen[update] the start of initiatives to define the area, and to devise a general plan for its management (BIWA-GMP).

In February 2015[update], 17 years after its declaration, the first summit on the Tañon Strait protected seascape is to be held.

The most common species observed were Glossy Swiftlets (Collocalia esculenta), White-collared Kingfishers (Halcyon chloris), Pied Trillers (Lalage nigra), Black-naped Orioles (Oriolus chinensis), Philippine mapgie robins (Copsychus saularis), Malaysia fantails (Rhipidura javanica), White-breasted Woodswallows (Artamus leucorhynchus), glossy starlings (Aplonis panayensis), yellow-breasted sunbirds (Nectarinia jugularis) and Eurasian tree sparrows (Passer montanus).

Mangroves are salt-tolerant, woody, seed-bearing plants that are found in tropical and subtropical areas where they are subject to periodic tidal inundation.

Mangroves also provide other important functions such as preventing soil erosion and protecting shoreline from typhoons and strong waves.

Mangroves provide many other products and services such as medicines, alcohol, housing materials and are an area for research and tourism.

Connections between Bantayan and other places can be deduced from the mixed dialects spoken by the people, and their ancient culture such as cloth‑weaving, dance, and architecture.

In addition certain old-established Hispanic family names are associated with certain locations: There is little documentary evidence of life and culture before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores.

Large and small trees grew and spread, shading the ground all year round with their heavy foliage.

During the time of 22nd Governor-General Sebastián Hurtado de Corcuera,[l] the Visayans were continually harassed by Moro pirates who came on raids to capture slaves.

Consequently, tall stone walls and watchtowers were built in different parts of the archipelago, for refuge and protection from Moro aggression.

The residents of Bantayan Island decided to do this precautionary act as Manila, the country's capital city was under attack by the forces led by Limahong.

Watchtowers were built in many locations in Cebu vulnerable to Moro raids, as well as in other parts of the Visayas, such as Southern Leyte, Northern Samar and Bohol.

[n] The abundance of fish, favourable climate and virgin soil then greatly determined the occupation of the people.

The old Spanish roads connecting Santa Fe, Bantayan, and Madridejos were constructed chiefly through the services of labour and partly supported by the tribute funds.

When the Spaniards came to Bantayan, the people already had some form of religious convictions and worship, such as animism, shamanism, evocation and magic.

In order to please these imaginary creatures people often resorted to charms, vows, sacrifices and self-harm.

With instructions from President McKinley, General Otis, who commanded the US Army in the Philippines, declared that the American sovereignty must be recognized without condition.

However, after the Filipino–American War,[32] a reactionary group was organized, headed by Patorete of Santa Fe, then still a barrio of Bantayan.

Their announced purpose was to resist the invaders, but the armed goons carried a campaign of terror burning the northern part of Santa Fe, plundering and forcing Capitan Miroy and Aguido Batabalonos to join them.

For the local head of the administration, the title Presidente took the place of the former Gobernadorcillo or Capitan[o] Committed to the task of administering the newly organized municipal governments were the first presidentes of the three towns comprising the island-group namely: Gregorio Escario for Bantayan, Vicente Bacolod for Madridejos and Casimiro Batiancila for Santa Fe.

Gregorio Zaide described the Philippine national characteristic as "pliant, like bamboo, bending in the wind without breaking".

[33] This might explain the war-time actions of the then mayor Isidro Escario, who had himself rowed out to meet a fleet of Japanese warships where he treated with them: Bantayan was not invaded and the war basically passed it by.

Equally important is the thriving poultry industry with hundreds of thousands of chicken eggs produced daily.

This industry, along with copra making, tubâ gathering and fishing, has helped Bantayan solve its unemployment problem.

The island can be reached via ferry services from Hagnaya (San Remigio) to Santa Fe, and from Estancia, Iloilo and Sagay to Bantayan municipal port.

Although its nominal principal business was the import of rice, as an insurance company and general financial agency, it featured in many civil lawsuits, most notably throughout the 1910s and 1920s, some of which set case law precedents, Lizarraga Hermanos vs. Yap Tico for example.