BATANES TRAVEL GUIDE

Oh Batanes! My Batanes!

I guess no other place in the Philippines exudes much mystery and curiosity than Batanes, the group of volcanic island in the northern border of the archipelago. Apparently, every image of the place radiates unparalleled beauty, no wonder that it is in every local traveler’s bucket list. Its beautiful rolling hills, towering lighthouses, picturesque coasts, hidden coves of white sand beaches, unique culture, temperate weather, captivating sunrise and sunset, amazing people and other mesmerizing scenery deliver truly awe-inspiring stills.

• TRAVEL BLOG CONTENTS
• 1 About Batanes
• 2 How to Get to Batanes
• 3 How to get around Batanes
• 4 Places to visit in Batanes
• 5 Travel Tips and Reminders
• 6 How to book your tour in Batanes

About Batanes

Situated in between Balintang and Bashi Channels, Batanes is made up of 10 islands and islets that are scattered on the roaring water that separates the Philippines and Taiwan. It is is the country’s northernmost frontier, the land of the howling winds, the home of the Ivatans, the highway of the typhoons.

The main islands of Batan, Sabtang and Itbayat are the only inhabited and mostly frequented by tourists. Batan and Sabtang are characterized by vast rolling hills and diverse shoreline dotted with coves, rock formations and varied kind of beaches. Meanwhile, Itbayat, the largest in the island group and the northernmost inhabited island in the country, is unique in the sense that majority of its shoreline is elevated. In fact, it is believed that the entire island is an uplifted coral reef.

Batanes may be the smallest province of the Philippines in terms of land area and population but what it offers are beyond its size. Its timeless charm brings divine happiness that lasts a lifetime and even beyond.

Batanes is worth falling in love with. Because Batanes is love!


How to Get to Batanes

By Air

Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Sky Jet have regular commercial flights from Manila and Clark to Basco, the provincial capital and gateway to the province. Meanwhile, Sky Pasada and Northsky Air fly from Tuguegarao and Laoag to Basco. Keep an eye on promotion to avail of the budget airfare.






How to get around Batanes

BY BICYCLE OR MOTORCYCLE
The bicycle is the cheapest way of going around the island, but make sure you have the stamina to match. The landscape is rugged and a bicycle ride can take you up and down the slopes of rolling hills a hundred times over. Not really a hundred, but you get the point.

Bicycle Rental Rates:

Old bikes: P25/hour
Small/Japanese bikes: P300/day
Mountain bikes: P600-P1000/day (depending on the type and how long you’re gonna use it).
For those who have a driver’s license and can drive two wheels, the motorcycle is a good option. Motorcycle rent costs P500-1000 per day. Gas is not yet included.


BY TRICYCLE
For short distances, the tricycle is the most usual mode of transportation. Here are the fares:

Within Basco Town Proper: P30
From Basco Town Proper to outskirts: P50
You can also book a tricycle for a full-day tour. This is great if you’re a party of two or more because you can split the costs. The good thing about this is that the driver already know where to go or have bits of local info about the place. The rate is usually P200 per hour. Given the time it takes to tour these zones, here are the estimated (and the usual) trike rates, good for two (2) persons:

North Batan: P1000
South Batan: P1500
Sabtang Island: P1000
Again, the rates above are good for 2.

Note that the rates for Sabtang island cover only the tour within the island. Not included are the boat ride and the tricycle transfers from Basco to Ivana port and back.

The faluwa that ferries passengers from Ivana to Sabtang, and the cogon-roofed tricycle.

BY GROUP TOUR
Numerous travel agencies and hotels offer tours, but the one that we have personally tried on our most recent visit was Bisumi Tours, a duly-licensed local tour operator based in Basco.

Bisumi Tours can personalize an itinerary for you. You can even request to have it bundled with accommodations and airport transfers. But if you only need a guide and a way to get around conveniently, you can join one of their group tours.

Compared to just hiring a tricycle driver, Bisumi’s tours are pricier for a reason. These tours are led by trained local guides. While it’s true that some drivers can serve as your guide, most of them can only share limited information about the sites you visit. If you want a better appreciation and deeper understanding of the places you visit, join a group tour instead. This way, you’re not just looking at random rolling hills, you’re also learning about their significance.

Below are the rates PER PERSON (as of February 2018):

North Batan Tour: P999
South Batan Tour: P2000
Sabtang Island Tour: P2000
Each booking is inclusive of the following:

Complimentary Round-trip Basco Airport Transfers
Tour Guide Services
Lunch
Registration fees and taxes
Round-Trip “Faluwa” Boat Ride (for Sabtang Tour)
To inquire, contact Ryan Cardona, 0998 988 5898.

BASCO TO SABTANG
To get to Sabtang Island, you will need to travel by tricycle first to Ivana Port and then board the faluwa to Sabtang. One-way tricycle fares (per ride, not per person):

If you’re alone: P120
If yo’re a group of two: P220-250
The boat leaves some time between 6:00am and 7:00am and returns between 1:00pm and 2:00pm.

Boat fare: P100 one way.

The driver will take you to the port in the early morning and will come to fetch you in the afternoon.

BASCO TO ITBAYAT
To get to Itbayat, you may travel by boat that leaves Basco at 6:00am.

Travel time: 2.5 to 3.5 hours.
Fare: P450.

You may also travel by plane. It takes only 10-12 minutes, but the cost is at P1800 and the plane must be full each flight.


Places to visit in Batanes

Tourist spots in Batanes are often divided into four zones: North Batan, South Batan, Sabtang, and Itbayat. I always recommend taking the North Batan Tour first because it gives just the right dose of what’s to come, sort of a teaser. If you’re based in Basco, it is the closest and shortest of the tours. The whole thing takes just half a day, around 4 hours.

South Batan takes much longer, covers a wider area, and in my opinion, much more breathtaking. If you do South Batan first, the North might leave you a bit underwhelmed.

Important! Please take note of the following tourism/environmental fees:

Batan Island (collected upon landing at Basco Airport): P350
Sabtang Island: P200
Itbayat Island: P100
More info per zone below.

NORTH BATAN

The North Batan Tour takes only half a day (around 4 hours including the lunch stop). This is more about visually stunning landscapes and a little bit of history. There isn’t any stop here where you can swim or take a dip.

• Tukon Church
• PAGASA Weather Station
• Dipnaysupuan Japanese Tunnel
• Valugan Boulder Beach
• Basco Lighthouse at Naidi Hills
• Vayang Rolling Hills
• Chadpidan Boulder Beach

The first stop is usually either Tukon Church or Valugan Beach. If you want to start early in the morning, visit Valugan Beach first because it faces east — Valugan means “east” — and is a great spot to watch the sunrise.

On the other hand, if you’re exploring in the afternoon, you might want to request making Vayang Rolling Hills your last stop because it is a perfect place to see the sunset.

Chadpidan Beach is also often not included in tour itineraries, and might entail additional fees. However, you can have a good view of this boulder beach from Vayang Rolling Hills.

SOUTH BATAN

Roaming the southern half of Batan Island takes an entire day. It straddles the municipalities of Mahatao, Ivana, and Uyugan.

• Chawa Viewdeck
• Mahatao Boat Shelter
• San Carlos Borromeo Church
• Tayid Lighthouse
• Racuh-a-Payaman (Marlboro Country)
• Alapad Pass
• Motchong Viewpoint
• San Jose El Obrero Church
• House of Dakay
• Spanish Bridge
• Honesty Coffee Shop
• Songsong Ruins
• Imnajbu Beach
• Maydangeb White Beach
• Homoron Blue Lagoon

The sheer number of stops makes this an exhausting tour, but you won’t be complaining because this tour will leave you breathless. The first stop is usually Chawa Viewdeck. The picture-perfect Diura Beach is also on this side of the island, but most tours don’t come close to it. However, you can have an unforgettable view of it from Racuh-a-Payaman.

There are two spots where you can swim — Homoron Blue Lagoon and Maydangeb White Beach — so make sure to bring a towel, swimming attire, and extra clothes.

SABTANG ISLAND

If you want to see much of the island, we suggest that you stay overnight. But if you have just enough time for a day tour, that’s fine too. Below are the common stops.

• St. Thomas de Aquinas Chapel
• Sinakan Village Stone Houses
• Savidug Village Stone Houses
• The Old Beaterio
• Lime Kiln & Savidug Idjang
• Chamantad-Tiñan Viewpoint
• Sabtang Weavers Association
• Chavayan Stone Houses
• Morong Beach and Ahaw Arch Formation
• Sabtang Lighthouse (P50)

If on a day trip, make sure you’re back at the port between 1pm and 2pm. Better yet, before you leave Sabtang port ask the boatmen or tricycle driver what time the boat is leaving the island for Batan and be sure to return by then. There’s only one trip per day so if you miss that boat, you’ll be forced to spend the night in Sabtang.


Travel Tips

• Best months to visit Batanes are during dry months or summer, preferably from January to early June.
• Landbank and PNB have ATMs in Basco.
• Mobile signals of all networks are present although 3G and LTE are quite difficult.
• For solo traveler, hire a bike, motorcycle or join group tours to save cost. You can bring the bike even to Sabtang and Itbayat.

How to book your tour in Batanes

BATANES WITH BATAN SOUTH AND NORTH TOUR PACKAGE!

RATE STARTS AT PHP16,888 ONLY!

INCLUSIONS:
Roundtrip Airfare
4D3N Hotel Accommodation
Daily breakfast
Relaxing Round Trip Airport Transfers (Airport-Hotel-Airport)
Batan North Tour
Batan South Tour
Bottled mineral water on every tour
Municipal Fees
Environmental Fees
Motor Boat Fees
Eco-Tourism Fee
Private Land Transportation using van
Private Local Tour Guide
7 kgs Hand Carry Baggage going to Batanes
7 kgs Hand Carry Baggage returning Destination
Airport Terminal Fee (for Manila Departing passengers only)
Airline and Fuel Surchages
Hotel Surcharges and Free use of of other Hotel Facilities

TERMS and CONDITIONS TO AVAIL OF THIS PACKAGE:
Advertised Rate is per person
A minimum requirement of 2 persons for packages to qualify to avail of this promo rate.
Advertised Rates offered are subject to change depending on airline and hotel availability

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