The Greatest Dream: Ren in Batanes

I dedicate this post to my late mother who has dreamed of going to Batanes. She passed away last February 2011 and unfortunately, she has never seen the province. All that changed on December 26, 2015. We have crossed out Batanes now, Mama! This one’s for you! J

Batanes has been my dream destination for as long as I can remember. The wonderful pictures I see on books and blogs never fail to amaze me. Most of all, the idea that there are few tourists (as compared to other sites in the Philippines) that have been to the province makes the islands more mysterious. A mystery that’s waiting to be discovered!

My and my late mother’s greatest dream was turned into a reality when I got tickets to Batanes thanks to my friend Ate Reina (Thank you Ate!). I couldn’t contain my excitement when I boarded the plane on December 26, 2015! (Yes, important dates like this will never be forgotten).

GETTING THERE

SkyJet and Philippine Airlines offer flights going to Batanes. One must take note that there are only morning flights going to Basco (the capital of Batanes). So plan your itineraries accordingly!

Every traveler’s biggest hurdle in traveling to Batanes is the plane ticket. I won’t lie, it is indeed expensive, sometimes even more expensive than international destinations. But don’t fret! Just keep a watchful eye on seat sales and you can score round trip tickets for as low as 800 PHP*!

For my solo trip to Batanes, I flew via Philippine Airlines.

Basco Lighthouse

GOING AROUND

There are several options for a traveler to tour Batanes: hire a tricycle, rent a motorbike or go on a tour.

Hiring tricycles have rates depending on the sites you want to go to. You may negotiate the price with the tricycle driver. From the information I have gathered from fellow travelers, a North Batan tour (Batan being the island where Basco is located) may cost 1500 PHP**.

Renting motorbikes, on the other hand, have varying rates. Again, from the information I have gathered from fellow travelers I met during my stay, it can be for a fixed price where you can choose whether gas is included or not. This would range from 1500-2000 PHP per day**.

Since I was alone and I wanted to meet more people plus I do not know how to ride a motorbike, I chose the hassle-free option: I joined a tour. This was the best option for me because the tours are handled by locals. Not only do you help on the local tourism but you are also toured by people who know the places well.

With Sir Ryan of BISUMI Tours (left) and Kuya Ronnie, our triycle driver (right) 

I chose BISUMI Tours because of good feedback from bloggers and friends. It’s a relatively young tour agency which is less than a year old and is handled by Mr. Ryan Cardona. I was lucky enough to meet him when he became my tour guide on my third day in Batanes!

The tour package I availed included land and boat transfers, hosted lunch, tour guide and tour fees. For inquiries on tour packages, you may reach BISUMI Tours through the following numbers:

0919 279 5963

0915 803 4582

FYI Time! The main mode of transportation around Basco is tricycle. There are no public utility jeepneys. However, getting a tricycle is a bit difficult. When you go out on the streets, you would rarely see a tricycle driving around town.

So how do you go around town during your free time? Apart from walking, you can contact the tricycle association (TODA) via call or text. GrabTrike: Batanes edition.

TODA – 0929 703 8404

There’s a fixed price for the fare depending on the distance from the city proper. If you would just ride a tricycle within the city, it would cost 30 PHP.

ACCOMMODATION

There are several lodges or inns found in Basco. But another option you have are homestays. I chose the latter because it is cheaper and it gave me more opportunities to interact with locals: my host family.

For my trip, I stayed in Berlen Lodge. A fan room for one costs 350 PHP per night. There are also aircon rooms available but for a windy December night, a fan room would be fine.

You may contact Berlen Lodge thru Nanay Ellen at this number 0920 478 4003.

THE GREATEST DREAM TOUR

On with the tour! Batanes has three inhabited islands: Batan (where the capital Basco is located), Sabtang and Itbayat (the northernmost island). During my stay, I got to tour North and South Batan and Sabtang.

Itbayat can also be included in your itinerary but you have to allot a long stay in Batanes since unpredictable sea conditions can sometimes make a traveler stranded on the island. Or sometimes, there would be no trips to Itbayat at all.

North Batan Tour

On the afternoon of my first day in Batanes, I toured the North part of Batan island. I also met a fellow traveler Mai who joined me in the tour.

Having lunch in Vunong Dinette with Mai

Vunong

I had my first meal in Batanes in Vunong Dinette. Vunong is the way Ivatans pack their meals by wrapping food in leaves.

At Mt. Carmel Chapel

At Fundacion Pacita

I also got to see Fundacion Pacita, which is a luxurious accommodation in Batanes. A night in this place could cost from 9000 PHP to as high as around 15 000 PHP! I’m fine with taking pictures outside.

The profit earned from Fundacion Pacita actually goes to a foundation that funds the education of young Ivatans. So when you spend a luxurious stay in Fundacion, your money’s going to a good cause J

Kung-Fu and Meditation at Valugan Boulder Beach :))

At Vayang Rolling Hills

The highlight of my North Batan tour is the Vayang Rolling Hills. I was in complete awe to see the hills and the wonderful view of the ocean and the sunset. It was frustrating that I couldn’t capture the beauty of the place with my camera phone. Indeed, pictures couldn’t even justify how beautiful Batanes is! To see is to believe!

More Vayang Rolling Hills photos

South Batan Tour

I spend the whole day of my second day in Batanes touring the southern part of Batan island. I joined a group of four people that day so yay for new friends!

With my tourmates on my South Batan tour

Heidi feels

At San Carlos Borromeo Church

Inside the San Carlos Borromeo Church is a blank book archive. A tourist can write whatever they want in those blank books and their memoirs will forever be stored in that archive in Batanes. Of course, I didn’t miss the opportunity to write!

The Blank Book Archive

Find me on book number 93 :) 

One of the oldest stone houses in the town of Ivana: The House of Dakay

With zero crime rate, Batanes is famous for the Ivatan’s trait of being kind and most of all, honest. I got to see the famous Honesty Coffee Shop where you can buy souvenirs and some pastries. You wouldn’t see any cashier or staff manning the place. You have to be honest and pay the amount of the souvenirs you got by dropping the bills in a dropbox.

This is where you pay. Pay the exact amount!

Honesty Coffee Shop

I got to see the Motchong Viewpoint and the Alapad Hill. For the Filipino movie savvy, this is where the famous scene of “i-Dawn Zulueta mo ako” actually took place.

Alapad Rock Formation

Dawn Zueleta hits. No one to Dawn Zulueta with :(

And of course, I ended my second day with the breathtaking view of Marlboro Country Hills!

 Titas of Marlboro Country

Sabtang Island

I was in complete shock to find out I’ll be on a solo tour in Sabtang with the one and only owner of BISUMI tours Mr. Ryan Cardona! I felt like a VIP haha!

Boarding the boat going to Sabtang. See the rainbow on the horizon

I woke up extra early and left Berlen’s at 6AM to catch the boat going to Sabtang. When we got to the island, it was drizzling and windy. The sky showed no signs of clearing up. But even though the weather was a bit unfavorable, we still went on with the tour. Even with gray skies, Batanes was still OH.SO.WONDERFUL.

 

Chamantad-Tinyan 

Get your hobbit feels on and be transported to Mordor with a glimpse of Chamantad-Tinyan point. Even though the wind was blowing REALLY hard (it was literally strong enough to push me while I was walking), I felt like I was in a Lord of the Rings scene just seeing the view.

Wearing the Vakul

One highlight of my Sabtang trip is when I got to rent and wear a Vakul. This is the headgear used by Ivatans to protect themselves from the strong wind, rain and sun.

I also got to be see how the Ivatans make these said headgears.

Vakul Weaving

Free day

After three days of touring, I had my fourth and final day in Batanes as a free day to go around. I found out that my host family, Nanay Ellen and her husband, owned a farm and they supply vegetables and root crops to markets in Basco. And so after much convincing, Nanay Ellen let me join her in harvesting some of their crops. I got to learn how to harvest sweet potato (locally called Wakay) and some cabbages (repolyo).

Harvesting Wakay (see the flying wakay on the right LOL)

Nanay Ellen insisted she takes pictures of me harvesting! What a fun experience it was.

Harvesting cabbages

I also got to go swimming on a beach called Chanarian, which is a few minutes from the city proper. I had the whole beach to myself!

Self-timer mode on

For dinner, I enjoyed home cooked adobo with my new found traveler friends Grace and Kuya Rommel and the staff of Marfel’s Lodge. Found myself lodge hopping haha!

Sadly, I had to leave this paradise to head back to Manila. However, I promised everyone including all my tour guides and my host family that I will surely come back to Batanes. Hopefully next time, I could bring my family, friends or who knows, maybe even a special someone J.

EXPENSES

Above is my breakdown of expenses during my 4-days, 4-nights stay in Batanes. Take note that my expenses DOES NOT include my airfare (which costs 9000 PHP, expensive I know L).

Just my two cents, you can lower the costs of food if you choose to cook your own meals during your stay. Most homestays and lodges let tourists cook their own meals for an additional fee (for using the stove and gas, of course).

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Of course, my greatest dream tour will not be possible without all the people who helped me on achieving my trip to Batanes!

Reina Salazar

Revee Rapallo

Janella Salamania

BISUMI tours and Mr. Ryan Cardona

And to all the people I have met during my stay in Batanes and made my trip even more memorable. A BIG, BIG THANK YOU! J <3

My host family: Nanay Ellen and her husband

Mai, Grace, Kuya Rommel, Kuya Benny, Ate Theresa, Ate Lyssan and all the people I met during my tours.

The tour guides of BISUMI

The staff of Marfel’s Lodge

And of course to my dad and my family for being so supportive of my travels J

*info based on blogs I have read that availed SkyJet’s piso fair

**info I have gathered from fellow travelers that availed of the tricycle/ motorbike rental.