Batanes Travel Guide & Notes + Top 10 Moments

It's been over 2 years since my epic Batanes adventure, only getting around to sharing this guide now. I am super sorry!! hehehe. Hope that people will still find this guide to be helpful, relevant and inspiring. If you've booked your Batanes trip and are in the planning process - I hope this guide will be a good reference to refine and help you prioritize your itinerary. If you're still thinking of going to Batanes - I hope this pushes you to actually book because it's one of the most awesome places in the Philippines!

Click here to download The Budget Traveller Batanes Travel Guide & Notes

The Budget Traveller Batanes Travel Guide & Notes I pepared includes the following:

• Summary of things to do in Batanes - in around Basco, Batan Island & Sabtang Island
• List of towns & villages and their main attractions
• Summary of awesome lookout view points
• Places to eat
• Budget and cost of goods/services listing
• Contact directory of restaurants, lodging, tour operators & service providers

Click here to download The Budget Traveller Batanes Travel Guide & Notes

Getting that out of the way, here's a rundown of my Top 10 Batanes Moments

1. Claiming SanTan's Canteen as our hangout spot. We wasted our hours here reading, drinking Kalinga coffee, eating BBQ & devouring the BEST burgers. The book exchange was a big plus too!

2. Discovering one of the best pizzas in my life at Casa Napoli! The owner Xavier worked with Italians in a cruise ship, and wonderfully makes do with scarce ingredients on the island. He also has a secret stock of Lavazza coffee - which he gladly shared with us :-)

Casa Napoli

3. The climb to Mt. Iraya was EPIC. What we thought would be a leisurely climb turned out to be a 9.5 hour test of spirits. It rained hard before we reached the summit. We crawled through mud & instant waterfalls. The wind was punishing at the summit - we were freezing, still drenched in rain. But we got a spectacular glimpse of the whole island on our way down, thankfully.

With my cousin Laida at the summit of Mount Iraya - wet and chilly

4. Discovering the Ivatan villages of Sabtang Island - Savidud, Chavayan, Nakanmuan and Sumnanga. It's like being transported to some fairy tale land with stone houses and breathtaking landscapes.

Old Ivatan lady walking the streets of Sumnanga Village, Sabtang Island

One of the stone houses standing proudly in Chavayan Village, Sabtang Island 

5. The 45minute boat crossing between Ivana and Sabtang was like Laida said, a 4x4 ride through the seas. The Ivatan boats don't have a "katig" because the waves don't have a real wave pattern, they sprout out from all around. It was wild!

On the commuter boat crossing from Sabtang to Ivana

6. The trip to Mahatao, on foot. Fresh from the airport - with no sleep from our New Year celebrations - we ventured on foot to Mahatao. Half-way through the 8km way, we decided to take a trike. Once in Mahatao, we walked to the lighthouse... it turned out to be another 3km. Waaaaah! The locals think we're funny.

7. Biking to Valugan bay, With joints and muscles still reeling from the prior day's abuse from the Iraya climb. We had to walk some parts, and I had to push Laida for "bwelo" at some point. But it was fun, and the Valugan Boulder Beach was a spectacular sight to behold.

Valugan Boulder Beach

8. SEAIR canceling our flight - two times, and forcing us to extend 4 days. Good thing they covered our lodging and food - we moved from Ivatan Lodge to Batanes Seaside Resort (hot water! a proper breakfast! cable tv!). But I never ever had my blood boiling as much in my life - SEAIR handled things very very poorly, they were frustrating, I just felt helpless.... I don't want to think about it anymore.

At the Basco Airport, on the phone with SEAir officials as we trying to secure a flight home

9. Waking up on our 2nd to the last day to find the most beautiful rainbow I've ever seen! It was so clear from end to end, rising from the middle of the sea and ending with the Basco lighthouse at its foot. It was actually a double rainbow - but the 2nd one not so clear in the photo.

Beautiful rainbow seen from the rooftop of Batanes Seaside Resort

 
10. Swimming on our last day, the moment we saw the sun come out. It was quick but fun - for the sake of taking underwater photos! hahaha. The water was cold and very clear, the current was strong though. Scary.

Click here to download The Budget Traveller Batanes Travel Guide & Notes