Guest blogger Kirsten wrote an article for us about the undiscovered islands of Batanes and 4 must-dos!
Paradise of the North
It’s very well possible you have never heard about the islands of Batanes before. Batanes is an archipelago in the most northern part of the Philippines. The archipelago is located roughly in the middle of the ocean, between Taiwan and Luzon. Batanes is also named “the Paradise of the North”. This name is more than justified: Batanes is a true paradise.
The Pacific Ocean around Batanes is notorious for typhoons. Because the area is sensitive to typhoons, the islands of Batanes can only be visited during certain months of the year. The best time to visit is from December to May because of the dry season. Besides this season, flights almost daily depart. However, it regularly happens that a flight gets canceled due to bad weather.
Batanes consists of 10 islands, of which Itbayat, Batan, and Sabtang are the largest and inhabited. Batan is the main island, with Basco as the capital. This is also where the airport is located. You won’t find the Batanes landscapes anywhere in the Philippines. Volcanoes, rugged cliffs, green hills with grazing cows, and beaches with turquoise seawater. What more could you ask?
Must do’s in Batanes
I spent 5 full days in Batanes. If I could do it over, I would stay longer, to be able to visit the island of Itbayat as well. For now, I feel it’s a good reason to go back. Out of experience, I can say that 5 full days are recommended.
To explore the islands, you can rent a car yourself. You can also choose to support the locals and book a tour with them. The driver will show you all the beauty of the island with a traditional tricycle. If you ask me, this is the best way to discover the islands! The tour guides grew up in Batanes, so they can tell you all the undiscovered ins and outs. I don’t always prefer a tour, but in Batanes, I only see the advantages. Batanes has a lot to offer in terms of tours. You probably want to know what the 4 absolute must-dos are in Batanes, so let’s dive in!
1. Must-do #1 Batanes – North tour:
As the name suggests, this tour takes you to the North of Batan Island. Here you will be surprised with all the beauty that the North of Batan has to offer. You can admire the famous Rollings Hills, where you see green hills with grazing cows. You will also see some traditional lighthouses, picturesque villages, churches, Spanish influences, the rugged Rocky Beach, and several viewpoints with amazing views. Batanes has it all! You’ll be short of eyes and simply don’t know where to look, because everywhere around you it’s beautiful.
2. Must-do #2 Batanes – South tour:
The South of Batan is also truly breathtaking. Personally, my favorite part, with Marlboro Country as the highlight. You’ll find a fantastic view of Mount Iraya, surrounded by green hills, grazing cows, and a turquoise sea in the background. A magical place. On the South tour, you visit White Beach as well. This is a beautiful white sandy beach surrounded by cliffs and palm trees. Furthermore, you again pass great viewpoints, see the traditional Ivatan houses from inside, and get acquainted with the Honesty Coffee Shop. This is a store where you can buy all kinds of products but without staff. You must put the amount in a jar yourself if you want to buy something. This is possible in Batanes and says a lot about the safety here and the kindness of the people. Beautiful to think this still works, right?
3. Must-do #3 Batanes – Sabtang tour:
You can take a boat to Sabtang from the port in Batan. This boat ride takes about an hour. On Sabtang Island, you find rugged cliffs, lots of greenery, and an azure ocean. During the Sabtang tour, you stop at various points, where you again enjoy breathtaking views and beautiful scenery. Here you will enjoy nature in its purest form. From white beaches with rock formations to vast landscapes, green hills, windings roads, and views of the island Itbayat.
A must-do on Sabtang is the zipline experience. A true adrenaline kick, with below a beautiful view of the nature of Sabtang Island. Finally, you visit a picturesque fishing village. Because Batanes is in a typhoon-prone area, the inhabitants have built typhoon-resistant houses. These houses are also called Ivatan houses, named after the Ivatan culture that is very important in Batanes. The locals built their houses slightly underground, with thick limestone walls. This is even more evident in Sabtang than in Batan. Like in this fishing village, which is surrounded by high rock formations and the sea, you will find many stone houses. Our tour guide told us something about this fishing village and so we got a feel of how the people live there. It stood out to me that they might have a little less than we do, but they are extremely grateful for what they have.
Sabtang is absolutely worth a visit. It’s the perfect combination of adventure, nature, and culture. I recommend 1 full day here, with an overnight stay. You can take the boat back to Batan the next morning.
4. Must-do #4 Batanes – Spring of Youth:
The Spring of Youth, located on Batan Island, is a natural infinity pool in the sea, overlooking Mt. Iraya. A beautiful natural phenomenon that you must have seen. I recommend going early, so you can get ahead of the crowds. And, with some luck, have the pool to yourself. We went there by tricycle at 7 in the morning. The water of the Spring of Youth is extremely clear, and the view from there is breathtaking. Good to know: the water is cleaned every Sunday, so if you go on Monday, the water is extra clear and clean. Make sure to bring food and drink.
Local experience
If you travel to Batanes, my biggest tip is to surround yourself with locals. Batanes has so much to offer, and everything I saw was truly beautiful. However, the local aspect of my experience made my trip an unforgettable adventure. I was allowed to be part of a local family, and in this way, I could fully immerse myself in their culture. In my opinion, this is the best and most unique way to get to know a place and its people. Besides, I was the only tourist in Batanes. There were other tourists, but only from their own country. This made the experience even more special. If you like traveling off the beaten path, Batanes is absolutely a destination for you!
Through word of mouth, I ended up with the Galolo family. They have a home-based guesthouse called Augustel Homestay. I was welcomed with open arms by Benita, the host of the house. Her husband Jerry and daughter Nica were also very happy with my arrival. From the first minute on, I felt more than welcome. Through another homestay (the homestay of Nanay Cita) I met a Filipino who was also traveling in Batanes. We decided to do the tours together, and it was great to discover Batanes with a Filipino.
It’s unbelievable to feel how quickly you build a connection with people you’ve never seen before. Let alone with people you can barely communicate with because they don’t speak English. I was welcomed with open arms by the Galolo family. They showed me the island, introduced me to their friends, but also their culture. They introduced me to the local cuisine and took me to places I would never have gone otherwise. They showed me what life is like in Batanes and how they live life. With all the norms, values, and rituals that go with it.
The Galolo family has a Sari-Sari (a kind of supermarket) at their home, and every night they had friends over. As friendly, open, and welcoming as the people are, they invited me to join them for drinks every night. During these nights, we drank some beers and talked to each other about all sorts of topics. I learned so much about the Philippines, Batanes, and the different cultures, and life here during these conversations.
My gut told me I had to go to this place. A place where barely any tourists come. A place where nature is so pure and unspoiled. A place where you can blend in with the local life. Let me tell you this: my gut was right! My adventure in Batanes and my stay with the Galolo family are indescribable and unforgettable. I recommend it to everyone and hope that this blog made you excited about Batanes. I simply wish every single traveler this special experience.
Written by: Kirsten van Wanrooij
