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Published: February 28th 2016
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BATANES. Where beauty and sereneness meet, has an approximate population of 16, 604 (2010 census). It is an island province situated at the northern part of the Philippines.
From Manila, it only takes 1 hour and 45 minutes flight to Basco, the main city. I advise you to book very ahead of time (we booked 2 months before and we paid about PHP 6,600 each) because the fare is a bit expensive compared to other local flights within the Philippines. My mum decided to come with us just 4 days before the trip, the fare increased to about PHP 8,000.
There were 8 of us so we rented a bungalow with 2 bedrooms and 2 showers. We paid approximately PHP3,000 per person (already includes the accommodation for 5 days, land transportation and tours). The place was clean and pretty spacious. We had a private driver and a tour guide during the whole duration of our stay there.
The locals (called Ivatans) are very welcoming and nice. Don't be surprised if they greet you while you walk on the street. Also, its good to know that they have the lowest crime rate in the country. A good destination for
solo travelers.
Since Batanes is composed of islands, they can only import their food either via supply ships or planes, hence the high-priced food compared to any other provinces in the Philippines. They have few restaurants within the Poblacion, which serves fresh palatable food. You should definitely try their pork barbecue--juicy and delicious.
TOURIST SPOTS: First day. We visited Mt Carmel or also known as Tukon Chapel, which was inspired by Ivatan stone houses. This chapel stood on top of a hill where you can see the scenic view of the terrain. The Ivatan houses are very unique--built using corals and boulders adhered by limes to strengthen their homes for the reason that this beautiful province always experience typhoons. We also went to Basco Cathedral, which was built during 17th century. One of my favorite locations was the Valugan Boulder Beach, where you'll see thousands of scattered andesite rocks. The strong whistling wind and the sea slapping the rocks were a relaxing sight. Just be careful not to be pulled by the waves to the water.
The Japanese tunnel was our next destination. It was dugged by the Ivatans during the WWII and served as
their bunker. We went inside the tunnel and it was cold and eerie. Still a good experience though. After that, we spent like 2 hours in Vayang Rolling Hills, just a few kilometers away from their Poblacion. I surely enjoyed the picturesque view of Mt. Iraya, the lush green hills and the West Philippine sea. Breathtaking!
The Basco lighthouse was our last destination, a perfect place to watch the sun sets in the horizon.
Second day. We woke up early the next morning, all was excited for our boat travel to Sabtang Island. The winding car ride from Poblacion to Ivana Port was about 30 minutes. We left the island at 8 am and experienced a choppy ferry ride which was approximately 30-45 minutes going to Sabtang. Tourists on board were roughly around 25 plus the crew, so you have a slight idea how big is the vessel.
Since the ferry arrived a bit late, we had an hour to check out the Cathedral in Ivana as well as the Honesty Coffee Shop, which isn't your ordinary coffee shop. Inside, you wont find somebody looking after the shop. If you wanna buy something, the owners trust you
to pay the right amount and place it inside the wooden box.
SABTANG ISLAND. First, we checked out the Savidug Village, one of the traditional villages in Sabtang. There you will appreciate the old Ivatan houses. The village is small, very quiet and the street was almost empty (well, aside from other tourists walking around). Next stop was the Chavantad-Tinyan Viewpoint. Another picture perfect view of the hills, and the backdrop? The vast ocean. You can trek down and take photos near the cliffs. There were also locals selling food and drinks at the entrance as well as the head dress called vakul, for sunlight and rain protection. You can also just rent it for PHP 20 to use for your photo shoot.
We passed by the ghost town going to Morong Beach, famous for its Mayahaw arch. The sea is tamer so you can take a dip and enjoy the coldness of the water and the fine white sand.
We stayed overnight at Octagon Bed and Dine (where "You're my boss" movie was shot). Nearby is the San Vicente Ferrer Church, built by the Dominicans in 1785 and traveled back to the main island the next
day.
Third day. From the port, we went directly to see the "House of Dakay", the oldest Ivatan house which was built in 18th century and the only house that was left after a strong earthquake that hit Batanes in 1918. We then went to Mahatao view deck where you can climb down their "stairway to heaven". At the bottom, there' s a small lagoon but its not allowed to take a dip for safety reason. However, you can enjoy the sea view plus the sound the waves make when it hits the rocks.
The magnificent panorama of the vast lush green hills in Marlboro Country is surely a photographers' dream view. In the background is the ocean and its horizon. There's a trail down the hill where you'll enjoy the nature's beauty with several cows feeding on the green terrain. The tour was scheduled during midday so we had our lunch in a small cafeteria nearby. They serve us delicious food and my top faves were the fresh shrimps and their local snails.
Before the day ends, we passed by the Basco light house at Naidi Hills with the open sea at the background, and the
Mt Iraya provides a beautiful backdrop of the lighthouse.
Fourth day. It was our "lazy day". Had our sumptuous lunch at Fundacion Pacita Lodge, just 15 minutes away from the city proper, is atop the hill and is one of the best spots to view the scenic landscape.
In the afternoon, we rented bicycles and rode till the airport where we enjoyed bicycling on the runway.
Fifth day. Time to say goodbye to this amazing place. Till next time, Dios Mamajes Batanes!
It was indeed worth the trip especially for nature lovers.
FYI. The trip was planned several months before for us to prepare our time off. It was a great opportunity to spend time with old friends who are now living in other parts of the world- Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Canberra, Jordan.
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Sugar
non-member comment
Hi! Did you tour on your own?