Maayo Shipping Inc

Barges shuttle all day across the southern end of the Tañon Strait for Maayo Shipping, linking the bottom of Cebu with Negros Oriental. Sibulan to Lilo-an has nine departures a day in each direction in our timetable, at the same times from both sides, from 04:30 to 22:30. The company also runs between Tampi and Bato, a little further north, but no recent operator source gives that crossing's regular times, so we hold no timetable for it. Its Cebu landing, Lilo-an in Santander, is near the southern tip of the island.

The fleet is made up of barges that load motorbikes, cars, buses, lorries and large trailers along with foot passengers, so the crossing works as a road link as much as a passenger ferry. Maayo's own schedule also lists less frequent runs tying Larena on Siquijor to Bato and Lilo-an; we do not hold those yet.

Home base is Tampi, in San Jose, Negros Oriental, where the company built its own docking ramp and a terminal with a waiting lounge; it also runs a shipyard for repairs, dry-docking and fabrication. Tickets are sold online and at the terminals, and the company suggests arriving early enough for check-in and vehicle loading.