Daanbantayan

About

Daanbantayan is a sleepy seaside town that’s a great destination for travellers who just want to relax on the beach, but it also has a surprisingly varied offering of historic monuments. The Daanbantayan Town Plaza was the site of a battle between local volunteers and a group of bandits, which was settled with a man-to-man duel. Tapilon Point provides great views of the coast, and in the 19th century was the site of a watchtower that was eventually abandoned as pirates shifted their sights elsewhere. The locals called it the “old watch tower” (daang bantayanan), which gave the town its name. The standout monument is the 19th century Sta. Rosa de Lima Parish Church - the only church in Cebu with a three-sided facade and receded belfry. While the exterior is well-preserved, the interior has been entirely renovated, and is a simple affair with raw stone walls, and modest Baroque altar.