DISCOVER BATANES

“Land of the True Insulars”

The island-province of Batanes was created by a series of volcanic activities and other geologic forces millions of years ago.  The province is home to the famous Ivatans who are nationally acclaimed as the "True Insulares." The Ivatans are of Malay stock, tracing their roots to early immigrants from Formosa, Taiwan as well as Spaniards who came to the island in the 16th century. Being an insular people, the Ivatans have kept the purity of their gene pool through time. Batanes lies at the northernmost tip of the Philippines, where the Pacific Ocean merges with the South China Sea. It is composed of three major islands, namely: Batan which contains the capital town of Basco, Sabtang, and Itbayat. Close by are seven islets including Amianan, which is the closest to Formosa. Thus, Batanes has been identified as the country's potential gateway to East China.  The Province of Batanes, also called the Batanes Islands, is an island province comprising ten islands that are located in the Luzon Strait between the islands of Luzon and Taiwan.

Cultural Heritage

THE IVATAN HOUSE

Sinadumparan

This type of house is the common two-sloped roof of either the rakuh or the kusina. It is made of lime – and – stone with thick thatched cogon roof.

Like most Ivatan houses, a blank wall faces the direction where strong winds originate during typhoon. The house in picture B is typical in Itbayat. The absence of regular-shaped stones in the island is evident as houses are made with extremely  irregular and rough pieces of rocks (lagat and pilñit). As in other types, the cogon roof usually lasts up to 25-30 years with minimal repair.

Ivatan people

The Ivatans are a Filipino ethnolinguistic group predominant in the Batanes Islands of the Philippines. The origins of the Ivatans remained untraced among scholars. Ivatans were free before they were colonized by the Spaniards. The culture of the Ivatans is partly influenced by the environmental condition of Batanes. Unlike the old-type nipa huts common in the Philippines, Ivatans have adopted their now-famous stone houses made of limestone, designed to protect against the hostile climate.

Festivals

Kulay Festival

If you happen to book around the 2nd week of April with the help of your travel agent, you are very lucky to witness the “Kulay Festival” which means, “anything dried” this festival highlights the simple yet colorful food heritage of the Ivatans.

They celebrated it in cooperation with the local government of Basco, Batanes and the Philippine’s Department of Trade and Industry. The main objective of this 5-day feast is to introduce locally manufactured and processed food products like dried products such as onion, garlic, rice, corn and fish among others to local and foreign tourists visiting their province.

Bayanihan or Payuhuan Festival

In the Ivatan laguage, “payuhan” stands for cooperation which is truly evident in this 5-day event every June. In this event, a province-wide procession is done to recall the route of evangelization. Communities and schools conduct the Ivatan Olympics to pay tribute to their native game. Another highlight of this fiesta is the Kanan Nu Kumavahayan or the Unity Lunch, a government funded celebration for everyone.

Palu-palo Festival

Held every 1st week of August, it is one of the must-see feasts in the Philippines. This is the time wherein people get to have a glimpse of the rich lands of Batanes. It is also the perfect time to have a taste of their cuisine and discover more about their history. This is a yearly festival of the Ivatans in Basco, Batanes centers on livelihood and culture. Coming from the name itself, “palu-palo” it is a stick used by Ivatans in the past to combat their colonizers.

Vakul-Kanayi Festival

Sabtang Island just held its first-ever Vakul-Kanayi Festival this year. Starting from April 25 to 27, activities are made from indigenous outdoor games and cultural shows to colorful parades and street dancing competition. Vakul is the headgear worn by women and kanayi are the vests wrapped on men when they work. It was made from Philippine date palm and they are still worn up to this day.

At the end of the day, Philippine fiestas are not only beneficial to the locals. These important events have proven to invite “balik-bayans” and foreign tourist to celebrate with the Filipinos. With the rich culture and heritage of the Ivatans shown during these fiestas, it just goes to show that Batanes has more to offer than its picturesque sceneries.

Cuisine

Ivatan Cuisine

Through the years, the Ivatan cuisine has since evolved, adapted, and adopted foreign tastes. But its traditional simple cuisine, despite the influence of modernization, has remained unique and has wowed tourists and locals over the years. Ivatans boasts of simple but healthy cuisine that will surely lead you back to Batanes!

Enjoy the cuisine original to Batanes:

1.         Bagun a yuyunu – Salted small fish (local anchovies)

2.         Vunes – Dried young gabi stalk chopped in fish, beef, pork, or fowl.

3.         Lataven – Raw fish mixed with minced ginger and onions,  calamansi juice,

hot pepper,  and blanched with boiling fish broth.

4.         Lunyis – Salted pork fried in its own lard

5.         Chinavules – Steamed young gabi leaves mixed with diced ginger, garlic, onions and salt.

6.         Uved (called Tabtab in Sabtang island) – Grated banana corm mixed with minced fish or ground pork or beef.

7.         Yellow rice – Sticky rice cooked in yellow ginger (turmeric) extract and pork

GETTING THERE

By Air: The only way to get to Batanes is by air. Batanes is served by CHEMTRAD, an air charter service. CHEMTRAD flies to Basco airline depending on charters. PAL Express are also offering trips to Batanes on a daily basis. The fastest way to reach Batanes is by air. However, the options are limited. Only Philippine Airlines and Skyjet Air fly to Basco, the capital town of the province. Travel time is 70-110 minutes, depending on your choice of airline. Here’s the schedule as of June 2014:

Philippine Airlines (PAL)

Daily

         PR 2086 – ETD 07:30am ETA 09:15am (April 1-May 31, December 1-31)

         PR 2084 – ETD 06:00am ETA 07:45am (The rest of the year)

Skyjet Air

Monday, Wednesday, Friday

         5M 816 – ETD 05:30am ETA 06:40am

Wakay Air

Daily

You will be landing at Basco Airport. The town center is just a short walk away.

Year-Round Fares. Basco flights are notorious for being expensive. They can cost as much as your soul. Not really, but they can reach up to P15,000 or higher. Philippine Airlines’s average year-round fare is P7200 (roundtrip). Many travelers I know always point out that it is even cheaper to fly to Hong Kong and other ASEAN cities than Batanes. #Truth #NoLiesDetected

Just a moment ago, I did a mock booking with PAL and found out that the rates for a February 2015 travel costs P9500, roundtrip. (I found weekday promo roundtrip tickets for only P6500!) I tried booking the same dates with SkyJet, and the cost totaled P11,500.

Hotels/Inns

If you are a backpacker, you can stay at some of the cheapest inn to cut your cost. Ivatan Lodge starts from 300 pesos per person a day. Some hotels/inns is more expensive averaging from 800 to 1500 pesos a day. Peak season occurs during summer. If you are going this season, make sure to make a reservation in advance as most of these inns and hotels are fully booked.

WHEN TO VISIT

As with many other destinations in the Philippines, your best bet is from December to May, which is generally considered the dry season. While there are flights outside of this period, they are prone to cancellations due to weather. Facing the Pacific, Batanes is notorious for having more than its share of typhoon hits.

GETTING AROUND

 Rent A Car

The best way to get around Batanes is by car. Most tour packages offer van rentals with a driver. The major islands of Batanes — Batan, Sabtang and Itbayat — may be small, but getting around them is difficult because there is no major form of public transportation. Renting a car for your entire trip is hassle-free and saves time since many of the must-see sites are found in different towns.

Having your own car also gives you more freedom to request for a stop-over whenever you see something interesting (you’ll see plenty). You won’t have to worry about traffic because there is virtually none, except for those caused by herds of cows or families of goats.

Ride A Bike

That said, you can devote one day and all of your energy to biking through a specific locale. The steep, rolling hills of Batanes mean this is no small feat. Only do this if your body can handle the exertion. But all the sweat will be made worth it by the view and the freedom.

You can stop any time to catch your breath or take photos of a beautiful sunset. Each hill gives you a unique view of the East Philippine Sea, whether pierced by a lighthouse or underlined by a row of stone houses.

PLACES TO VISIT

Batanes is a 10-piece archipelago, but only the three biggest islands are inhabited and are easily accessible to tourists. Basco, the capital, is in Batan Island, which is divided into four municipalities. However, for tourism purposes, Batan Island is divided into two: North and South.

Batan Island North (Basco)

For a description of tourist spots in Batan North, visit: 10 Incredible Places in Batan Island North

Valugan Beach         

Chadpidan Beach

Basco Lighthouse at Naidi Hills      

Vayang Rolling Hills

Tukon Church          

PAGASA Weather Station

Dipnaysupuan Japanese Tunnel    

Fundacion Pacita

Batan Island South (Mahatao, Ivana, Uyugan)

More information about the places listed below here: 12 Must-Visit Spots in Batan South

Marlboro Country    

Diura Beach

Honesty Shop           

Tayid Lighthouse

House of Dakay       

Chawa Viewdeck

Homoron White Beach        

Spanish Lagoon

Imnajbu Beach and Chapel Alapad Pass

Songsong Ruins        

Spanish Bridge

Mahatao Boat Shelter         

Sabtang Island

More information about what to expect from a Sabtang Island Tour at: 6 Awesome Places in Sabtang

Morong Beach          

Chamantad Cove and Tinyan Viewpoint

Chavayan Village      

Savidug Village

St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel            

The Old Beaterio

Sabtang Lighthouse San Vicente Ferrer Church