Never have I known that gold was just at the tip of the Philippines.
What was just a bucket list is now a go-to destination to unwind, relax and appreciate nature’s best.
Let me take you through Basco, Batanes.
Geography and Demographics
Batanes is composed of ten islands, the most popular are Batan, Sabtang and Itbayat island.
The capital of Batanes is Basco which is located in Batan Island. Language spoken here by the natives called Ivatans are English, Filipino, Ilocano, Ivatan, Itbayaten and Isamurongen. As you see, there is no language barrier in Batanes!
Basco, also, is a certified drug-free environment. However, history has it that there was once an American soldier lost at sea containing 2 million drugs in his handcarry which were recovered, somehow, after the incident. What was once 2 million, now lack an amount of 800,000 after the wreck.
But anyway, this drug free environment is just one of the many facts you will appreciate in Batanes.
Located at the tip of the Philippines, it is closer to Taiwan than Metro Manila. Besides having better radio reception of Taiwanese channels than Philippine channels, Batanes becomes now, a typhoon passageway. So better plan your vacation very well.
Waves in Batanes’ shores is a whole lot bigger than the beaches people usually go to. A wave that is as big as a car is just baby waves to the people in Batanes. And mind you, they cross these waves to get to one island to another.
Tricycles are the most common means of transport around the area. However, they are not like the Tricycles usually found in Metro Manila where drivers stop at your convenience upon hailing them. Why? Because booking a tricycle in Batanes is similar to Grab/Uber!
To book a tricycle, you need to call their hotline station, famously called the “Batoda” at 09152091060 (Globe) and tell the operator your pick up and drop off point. Once operator informs you of the number of the tricycle assigned to pick you up, you now wait for its arrival. Similar to Grab/Uber isn’t it?
One ride within the town area is usually at Php 30 since gas is very expensive there.
Getting Around
Upon arriving in Batanes by Skyjet airlines, we were welcomed by our tour guide, Mark. After introductions were made, we were oriented with the culture, practices and beliefs of the Ivatans.
Then we were dropped off at Batanes Seaside Lodge and Restaurant, commonly known to the locals as Batanes Seaside “Main”, a small hotel I highly recommend. Careful not to get confused. Pick Batanes Seaside “Main”, instead of Batanes Seaside Annex, since this is the hotel with an ocean view.
Batanes Seaside Main is right next to the sea shore, has very accommodating staffs and is a bit of a distance (everywhere in Batanes is walking distance) from the town proper.
The hotel offers tours around the island. I recommend availing a group tour in going around Batanes since this is the most convenient option and it comes with food and transportation and is a lot cheaper.
Booking a room is cheaper through Agoda. Batanes Seaside is very responsive, you can also inquire about their tour rates through Agoda.
Touring Batanes
We first went to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel church and the former PAGASA weather station. It has a fantastic view of the island, the West Philippine Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
Next stop was the Japanese tunnel. This was the hide out of Filipinos during the Japanese regime to escape from the cruelty of the Japanese soldiers. It connects to three more exits which serve as passageways to get to safer locations.
We visited Boulder Beach after the tunnel. The beach is named as such because of the fact that it is surrounded by boulders instead of sand! These boulders were scattered around the island because of the volcanic eruption during the historical times. These were transferred to the sea shore to serve as barriers for the big waves. Boulder Beach gives us an amazing view of the coast line of Batanes.
After Boulder Beach, we went to Basco Lighthouse. Unfortunately for us, we didn’t get a good view of the sunset but as per our tour guide, this site has the most amazing view of the sunset in Batanes.
You can climb the stairs to reach the lighthouse and get a 360 view of Batan Island.
Sabtang Island, which is on the other side of Batan Island, is where Ivatan houses from pre-Spanish era are located. Ivatan clothing/costumes are available for Php 20 for rent specifically for photo opportunities.
The best part of Sabtang Island is the Chamantad-Tinyan Viewpoint. It provides a vast landscape of the beautiful and breathtaking Pacific Ocean.
From the mountainous part of Sabtang, we explored the seaside which is called Morong Beach. We had lunch at Beachside Restaurant and had photos taken at the beach where the famous “Nakabuang Arch” is located.
Our next itinerary is a tour of South Batan. Tourist spots contains Catholic churches which are the Ivana Church and San Carlos Borromeo Church, House of Dakay, the famous Honesty Store and the beautiful Marlboro Hills.
The Ivana Church is well-known for having preserved its foundation for over 144 years. This is located in front of the pier of Batan Island.
The other Catholic Church is the San Borromeo Church, also known as the Mahatao Church.
Besides the history of the church being founded by the Dominicans, it has a small space where tourists can pick any book on the shelf and freely write everything they have in mind. It’s also a nook for informing other tourists that you’ve visited Batanes on this year, this day, at this hour, at this very minute. It can serve as a bucket list on your next visit to rekindle your past memories in Batanes.
Tip: make sure you remember the number and the title of the book (if it has any) as reference for your next trip.
The House of Dakay is famous for being the oldest Ivatan house up to date. On our visit, we met an elderly fellow, the only and the last generation of the Dakay Ivatan clan. During the day, the house is swept up to serve as a tourist attraction, in the evening, it served as a home.
Tip: leave a generous monetary gift in the donation box inside the house, it really cheers up the owner
Next stop was the famous Honesty Store. This store is famous because of its unique style in serving its customers. The store contains items like cookies, food, soft drinks, magnets, instant cup noodles and the like inside. No teller or cashier personnel is present. You just have to drop your payment at the box located at the counter after listing all the items you’ve purchased in the notebook provided. In other words, this store is self-service only.
The most breathtaking spot of the South Batan tour is the Marlboro Hills. On this area, Water Buffalos (Carabaos) are seen grazing on the hills.
History has it that during the American period, Americans who camped here had the intention of landscaping the area, making it similar to the hills located in America.
Tips Before Planning Your Trip
1. Go to Batanes from March to May where there are more chances of sun since Batanes is a pathway of most typhoons.
2. Fly via Skyjet. All planes bound for Batanes are propeller planes. If weather is not favorable, as long at it’s doesn’t reach zero visibility, Skyjet has the most chances of flying.
3. Make sure you bring rubber or hiking shoes for the trip and a waterproof jacket.
4. Swimming is not advisable unless you are a very good swimmer and not afraid of big waves.
5. Get ready to have no data and phone reception.
But don’t worry, here are some options for you.
Alternative Activities
1. Ride a bike – it’s only Php 25/hour
2. Eat at these places and order their best sellers.
Fundacion Pacita
Pension Ivatan Restaurant
Make sure you have a table reservation, otherwise, you will not be accommodated. You can book by phone call at 09192117378 (Smart).
HiroJoy
I must say, I’ve never eaten any of their best sellers as delicious as they make it in any place in the world!
Best sellers: Pako Salad, Fish Lumpia and Yellow Rice, the island’s native rice.
Beehan Restaurant
Best seller: Bulalo (cooked with little to no oil at all) and Lunez
3. Shop at Tawsen Souvenir Shop – you have a wide selection of shirts, magnets, chips, Bukayo (native food), cookies, slippers, caps, hand made purses and bags, hand made portraits and many more!
Thalia Travels 