Travel

See you soon, Batanes!

September 6, 2011

  It is better to travel well than to arrive.
 –Buddha 

    It’s been a long time that I never went to other places here in the Philippines. The last time I took a trip outside Manilathat was three years ago in Batangas, going to my grandparents’ house and took a vacation with my cousins.
    Whenever I hear Batanes in the news, typhoons come into my mind and the farthest part of the country.
        Last year, I stumbled upon a newspaper article in Manila Bulletin about Batanes. I was in awe in going to that place. I’ve read a lot about Batanes. And I’m just wondering how they live in that island. And I’ve heard that the beauty of this magnificent island.

      Some astonishing facts about the magnificent island of Batanes:
       Basco, the capital of Batanes and it is located in the northern most part of the country, and it’s the smallest province in terms of population and land area. There are ten islands called BatanesIsland namely Mayudis (Yami), Siayan, Itbayat, Dinem, Batan, Sabtang, Ivuhos, Deguey, and Misanga. Amongst the ten islands, four of them are inhabited (Ivuhos, Batan, Itbayat, and Sabtang).

    You will amaze when you see the locals there, the Ivatans. They’re wearing a headgear called vakul.  It is made from abaca fiber of the vuyavuy (Arecaceae) palm and it protects them from sun and rain. They built their houses from cogon grass, just to protect their house from strong monsoon winds.

      Some activities you might enjoy staying in Batanes are sight-seeing, hiking, and take a visit of the old churches in the island. And try to stroll around the island with a bike, that’s make you feel the fresh air and see the wonderful landscape in Batanes.

      Visit Honesty Coffee Shop located in Ivana is a must! As you enter the store, a clear plastic jar is left on the counter for customers to pay for your food and drink you bought and get your own change. How honest the Ivatans are!

      If you’re an art aficionado, you can visit Fundacion Pacita, the late Pacita Abad’s art gallery and also has a hotel beside it. The gallery showcases her artworks during her lifetime.
      If you’re into bird watching, you can visit Cuyab. You can watch the migratory birds from China that gather the islands in search of a warmer climate every October of the year.
     You will fall in love with the gracious people of the island, and its breathtaking scenery that you will take another trip with your special someone.
    Going to Batanes, there are two airlines serves flights from Manila to Batanes:


    Alternate routes to Batanes:

  •  Take a Manila-Laoag flight via the following airlines: Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, Zest Air and Air Philippines. Then take the SkyPasada flight from Laoag to Batanes and vice-versa. 
  •  Or take a 12-hour road trip from Manila to Laoag, then take a direct SkyPasada flight from Laoag to Batanes and vice-versa. 
  • I found out that Manila-Tuguegarao flight via Cebu Pacific is possible to get a connecting flight to Basco, Batanes! And take Tuguegarao-Basco flight via SkyPasada. 

        Hope to see you soon, Batanes! I’ll visit you when I get that dream job that I am waiting for so long.

by Eccentric Yet Happy

Christian Melanie Lee is a freelance social media manager and web developer. She also devoted her time managing her food blog, and music/concert blog. One of the Hootsuite Ambassador for the Philippines since 2014 and currently working as social media manager for the local band, The Itchyworms. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.