Our family had the wonderful privilege of visiting Batanes for one of our vacations. Here’s a tip for those travelling here: With Batanes, the first day really counts. Flights to and from Batanes happen early in the morning. Be sure to fill up your first day because on your last day you won’t really have time for any more activities.
Here’s another tip: Plan to stay least four days. Six days is ideal, especially if you intend to see all three of Batanes’ main islands: Batan, Sabtang and Itbayat. Unfortunately, we missed visiting Itbayat due to lack of time.
Our friend, Ryan Cardona of Discover Batanes took care of our tour itinerary. If you need help with yours, give him a call at 09192795963 or 09158034582. Our 3-day tour was inclusive of land transportation, lunch, and necessary fees, and cost about PHP 4,500 per head.
Day 1 – Northern Batan
Upon arrival, we checked in to Timetravel Lodge. Our next order of business was an orientation and tour introduction with our assigned guide. This was followed by a welcome lunch, and then the real fun began.
It’s not easy to describe the immense beauty of Batanes, and so I will let my photos do most of the work.
Our tour of North Batan involved several stops. The first was Mt. Carmel Chapel, an iconic church designed to look like a traditional Ivatan stone house. From here, we traveled a short distance to the PAGASA Weather Station, also known as the Tukon Radar Station.
Next was Fundacion Pacita Batanes Nature Lodge, a high-end hotel belonging to the prominent Abad family. The structure used to be the home of acclaimed artist, Pacita Abad. The place is beautiful, filled with stone and wood accents, and various works of art.
We went on to do a lot of other fun activities after Fundacion Pacita. First, we crawled through the World War II Japanese hideout tunnels.
We climbed over giant stones on Valugan Boulder Beach.
We almost got blown away at the top of Vayang Rolling Hills.
We also visited Sto. Domingo Cathedral, biked up Naidi Hills to see the Basco lighthouse, and caught the sunset at Batanes Seaside Lodge and Restaurant.
I wasn’t kidding when I said fill up your first day! Trust me, you won’t regret any of it.
Check out more from my Batanes series:
- 3 Things I Loved Most About Batanes (Plus Where To Stay During Your Trip)
- Batanes Day 2 – Southern Batan
- Batanes Day 3 – Sabtang Island
Always remember, travel enriches life. It teaches us to enjoy moments, to say goodbye to stress and embrace joy instead. Experience has taught me this, and I’m happy that I get to share my journeys with you now, too. Anytime you need help and tips finding worry-free, budget-friendly places to see, I’m here to help!