Tag Archives: Batanes Itinerary

More things to do in Batanes!

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You have plenty of time to spare in Batanes? Here’s a list of what you can do around  town, after all, as Coco Martin said in one of his movies, “Ang Batanes, hindi ginu-google, ine-experience.”:

1.  Visit downtown Basco.

Immerse yourself with the llifestyle of the locals. You’ll be surprised to know that the Ivatans are cheerful and hospitable people. They would greet and bid you to have a good day and would ask if you are in need of any assistance, just because.

Market at Abad St. Cor. Ditas St.

On tight budget? Try Beehan!

2. Got extra cash? Do the art of doing nothing at Fundacion Pacita, particularly the Cafe de Tukon.

3. Take a hike at Rakuh-a-Idi Spring, otherwise known as the Fountain of Youth.

From Basco Town Proper, it will take about 30 minutes via trike for one to go to the place and another good 20-minute hike to go to the spring itself. Wearing comfortable shoes (or slippers) must be considered should you wish to go on with this adventure.

Here’s a quick peek on the road on the way to the spring. Motorized vehicles are not allowed to enter the premises, so there’s no other way to reach the spring but walk.

I swear, the tiresome hike will be worth it just to see this:

4. Got more time? Take a quick dip at the beach!

Just be extra careful as swimming at the beach is not encouraged because of the strong waves and current. There are no lifeguard in the area, so swim at your own risk. I spent quite a long time at this very spot just watching the washing of the waves to which I found kind of therapeutic, really. 

5. Visit a local coffee shop.

Phil’s Brew- a must-visit coffee shop at downtown Basco. Have the Tres Leches and pair it with brewed coffee for the win.

6. Tired of walking? Rent a bike and tour around Basco Town Proper. 

Here’s my sweet ride going around town, braving the strong winds and occasional rains. Rented this baby out for Php 300 for the whole day. I just couldn’t remember the name of the shop where I rented it.

7. Drop by the Sto. Domingo Cathedral in Basco.


8. Explore (more) local coffee shops!

Must-try cassava cake at Ned’s Gateau.

9. Visit old friends.

It’s really heartwarming to see familiar people in an unfamiliar place. I made sure to include my itinerary to pay a visit the parents of a very good friend of mine since grades school. Since Basco is really a small town, almost everybody knows everyone just by mentioning the family name! Boy, was I glad to see and have spent time with them!

10. Meet new friends.

During this trip, I made a few friends to which up to now, I have contact with. I even met a couple who are planning to have their wedding in Batanes sometime in April 2018. In fact, they were generous enough to include me in their “venue-hunting” and “cake supplier hunting”  for their upcoming wedding. All the best, Arch. Sherwin and Ms. Rachel!

Batanes might already be off my travel bucketlist but will definitely be one of those places I would always go back to. It’s a place where one  should go to if one is in search of simplicity, peace and healing.

In closing, I would like to quote the words of Toni G:

“Batanes does not just make you forget; it makes you remember what truly matters.”

Batanes in my mind- Day 3

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Day 3- South Batan

Rakuh A Payaman- I can say that today is one of the highlights of my stay here in Batanes. We visited the Marlboro Country, locally known as the Rakuh a Payaman. This is actually a communal pastureland in Uyugan Batanes. The plain sight of this view got me a bit emotional. The place is just extraordinarily marvelous that words nor photos could never describe. I ran, I jumped, I skipped, I hopped, I rolled myself down the hills, and I danced just to be captured on camera. I channeled in the Maria Von Trapp in me. It was like I was re-enacting the Sound of Music there for awhile. And oh, yeah! The hills are freakin’ alive! I knew that the gusty winds was nature’s way of welcoming there. I swear, this vision would be kept forever in my heart. Truly, Batanes is where the land, sea and sky meet to make this breathtakingly beautiful view.

Tayid Lighthouse– Built on the early 2000’s, this is another must-visit spot in Batanes. It’s breathtakingly exquisite, simply captivating. Design wise, this lighthouse is unique in terms of shape as it possesses a hexagonal base. Most lighthouses in the province have circular bases.

After taking bajillion photos, we headed out for lunch at Paulvanna’s Canteen at Mahatao, near the San Carlos Borromeo Church.

San Lorenzo Ruiz Church- It is said to be the birthplace of Christianity in Batanes. It is where the first mass and baptism in the Island was commenced in 1682 AD. This was also the location where the Holy Cross was set up but the original materials were already damaged.

Our Lady of Miraculous Medal- Kuya Nelson narrated that whenever travellers come to this church, their wishes would come true. Well, there’s no harm in trying! LMAO

Song-Song Ruins- We just passed by the place but its history is really quite sad. During the 1950’s, this barangay was badly hit by a tsunami for two consecutive years. This was during the leadership of President Ramon Magsaysay. Records shows that most of the families have been relocated in Tawi-Tawi.

Imnajbu Point / Alapad Rock Formation- This has got to be one of my favorite spots in Batanes. The road cuts through two hills creating a massive sculpture-like rock formation. My anticipation heightens as we pass by every winding road for I cannot wait to see the next beautiful scenery that awaits to be unfolded. The sign “Blow UR Horn” is noticeably present in every curved road around the province. In the 1900’s, the locals already abbreviated the word “YOUR” into “UR”, hence, making the Ivatans the first ones to use the text speak.

Honesty Coffee Shop- I finally got to experience this ever famous Honesty Coffee Shop. The Ivatans are known for their utmost honesty. The store is unmanned, no standby seller. Get what you want, write it in the log sheet, leave the payment at the designated basket, and that’s it!  Just pure HONESTY.  Owned by a teacher, Ms. Elena Gabilo together with her husband Mr. Jose Gabilo, the store was put up to cater to the fishermen and passengers at the Port of Ivana going to Sabtang Island. I couldn’t help but feel happy and sad, both at the same time. Happy, because somehow, in this cruel and dishonest world, there’s this small town that carries the value of honesty. Sad, because for most, it has just become a tourist spot where they can just visit and just forget about it. Has honesty already become that rare?

San Jose el Obrero Church (Ivana Church)- This church is just a stone’s throw away from the Honesty Shop in Ivana. It was built by Dr. Jose Fausto de Cuevas in 1784. Different from the other churches in Batanes, this church is the only church with a separate belfry which was constructed 30 years later. In 1866 to 1969, the façade was constructed by Fr. Fabian Martin. It is said that this is where the Katipuneros commanded by Capt. Perea landed on September 18 to liberate the province from the Spaniards.

House of Dakay- Aside from being of the heritage treasures in Batanaes, this has got to be to most photographed Ivatan House. The House of Dakay is recognized as a world heritage building by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization or (UNESCO).It was originally owned by Luisa Estrella, later on passes it on to here favorite nephew, Jose “Dakay” Estrella. Major parts of the house are still intact and kept in good condition, as well as the shutters and the floors. It is said that the thatched cogon roof of the house is replaced every 30 years since 1917. Moonsoon frontiers, these designs are! We were able to meet the caretaker of the house who happens to be the grandson of the original  owners.

Old Spanish Bridge- This was constructed as part of the main road of Ivana leading to the doorstep of the church. Luckily, the bridge is still utilized by pedestrian and small vehicles. The design kind of reminded me of those ancient Roman aqueducts.

San Carlos Borromeo Church– This church was initially built with lightweight materials in 1787 before it got renovated using stones in 1798 during the patronage of St. Charles Borromeo. Over time, the church was devastated by a strong typhoon. It was then renovated into a baroque style church as seen on its undulating façade design.

In 2001, it was awarded as a National Cultural Heritage Treasure by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). Standing outside the church are two stone lamp posts that were used as guide for the fisherman on the shore during the Spanish Colonial Period. This church is also known by its name as Mahatao Church.

Chawa View Deck– This is an exquisite view showcasing the beauty of the West Philippine Sea. It has roughly about 150 steps that one can descend to fish and take pictures or even just frolic in the water.

On our way to the deck, we passed by the Mahatao Port but we were not allowed to stop by due to safety concern. We had the chance to take a peek at the Spanish Blue Lagoon, however, it wasn’t blue enough at that time because of the strong waves. 

This pretty sums up our 3- day tour in Batanes. What can I say? I’m really captivated by the charm of this Island that I would want to continue to explore more of what it has to offer in the succeeding days. Stand by for more updates of what you can do around the place when you have plenty of time to spare!

Batanes in my mind- Day 1

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The photo above does not do Batanes any justice at all. Even the best of the best cameras out there could never capture how amazingly beautiful the island is. You can never truly appreciate its charm unless you see it for yourself- and that’s what I did. I am quite excited to share to everyone  my 4- day itinerary in Batanes though I stayed there for almost 10 days, especially this is my first time travelling solo for that long!

Day 1- North Batan Tour

I arrived at the airport around 5:00 am-ish was was quite surprised that there weren’t much of passengers at the terminal considering Christmas Day is just around the corner. I went to the usual check-in routine until the boarding gate, got myself some good coffee as I await to hop in the plane. Then they announced that it was time for boarding, all of us were already in queue, but then they had to hold entrance because of the unpredictable weather in Basco. We had to wait for not more than 30 minutes before we could actually board on the plane. The trip took about 2 hours and 10 minutes. All- in- all, the plane ride to Basco was smooth.

Upon arrival in their humble airport, a girl greeted me at the arrival area who happens to be a service crew from the hotel. I was very pleased to know that the lodge was only 5 minutes away from the airport. Walking distance! How cool is that! I was with a fellow solo traveller, Emar. We arrived at the lodge a few minutes before 10:00 am. We were asked to settle first before heading out for the tour. Our tour guide, Kuya Nelson, fetched us at the hotel around 12:30 pm. He took us at Jin Panda, a local restaurant, for a hearty lunch. We had spicy squid menudo, Binagoongan, Bulalo and the ever famous Dibang (Flying fish).

After eating lunch, we proceeded to the tour. Our first stop was at the Tukon Church followed by the Fundacion Pacita. Afterwards, we proceeded to the Valugan Boulder Beach. It was said that the boulders were thrown out by the dormant volcano nearby, the Mount Irayat. I must say I enjoyed the place. It somehow had this “healing effect” by just just enjoying the views and the waves. I was quite surprised when our tour guide can take really good photos! I know for a fact that I rarely have my photo taken on trips, but Batanes my friend, is an exemption. I remember one documentary video I saw that said: “In Batanes, there’s this curse- that wherever you point your camera to, you’ll still get good photos.” I would like to believe so because here I am trying it for myself!

We then dropped by at the Dipnaysuypayan Japanese Tunnel. History tells that the tunnel was built by the locals for the Japanese as a hideout place from the American troops.

I was surprised to know that this Chapel was completed by the Architects Joven Ignacio and Tina Turralba!

It was raining and was very windy when we reached the Vayang Rolling Hills. I was greatly captivated by the beauty of the scenery that I wanted to cry! It was surreal! Despite the blustery weather, we still managed to reach the farthest end of the rolling hills and took really great photos. Batanes, indeed, is the home of the winds. Last stop for this day’s tour was the Basco Light House. It is one of the two functioning lighthouse in the province that guides the ship at night.

We headed back to the Lodge around 5:00 pm to freshen up and have dinner at Pension Ivatan to try their famous Luñis, their version of adobo, Vunis and Uved. It did not disappoint us at all. The next day will be a long day. Call time as per Kuya Nelson is at 6:00 am and our itinerary will be exploring the island of Sabtang!

….. to be continued