What to do in Batanes: Going around North Batan

As our plane descended for the Basco landing, passengers took out their cameras and started taking photos of what would be the most picturesque plane landing I'd ever see. The sun had just peeped soaking a range of rolling hills in hues of gold. With my bare eyes, I could actually frame the clear blue skies, the green hills and the deep blue green sea in just one picture and it was a pretty sight.

I stepped out the plane and couldn't believe that I chanced upon a really beautiful weather. I checked in at Marfel's lodge and since it was a little too early and I haven't had a good sleep the past night, I told ate Fe to have my tour guide pick me up at 10 am so I can have a quick nap. When I woke up, I walked a few steps to Octagon for breakfast. The music, mostly Celine Dion, was playing aloud and too loud for a few things that I was emotionally going through. But when I walked in, the view was breathtaking. So I picked a table that overlooked the beach and ate a good breakfast to Celine Dion.

After a quick breakfast, Kuya Toto, my tour guide, was already waiting outside in his trike. I actually had the option to join a group for the North Batan tour but I wanted to take my own pace so I opted to be on my own. The tour was P1000 for 1pax.  Kuya Toto, who is a member of Ryan's Batanes Tours, was very accommodating and nice but not too intruding. What I liked most about him is that he was so game in taking my photos. Haha. I had to instruct him about the framing and he'd be very patient (and a pro, too) in taking several shots until we get the perfect photo.

Batanes was exactly how I'd imagined it to be. May I repeat (and sorry if seems like I'm exaggerating) that the skies were the bluest of blues; the sea the darkest green of greens. Kuya Toto also told me that while summer is the safest time to visit Batanes, the best time to see the place is after summer when the rolling hills are basked in grass that had just turned green. Later, I learn from Ate Fe that Batanes has a "little summer" which happens some time in between August and September. There is a leeway for a great summer weather and I got in right in time.


So where to go? Most tourists avail of these tours:
North Batan - P1000 for 1 pax
South Batan - P1500 for 1 pax
Sabtang - Group tour; P1700 for 1 pax including meals

But if you're feeling a little brave, you can always go all the way to Itbayat. In this post, I'll share with you my personal favorites in the North Batan tour.

Tukon Church

Made of stones and sits on top of the hill and overlooks the sea. It's so pretty! It's exactly the Church I've been picturing in my mind for the day that I get married. Haha. 

Valugan Boulder Beach

In Batan, there are hardly any beaches with fine sand. Most of the beaches here have huge boulders and stones, which the Ivatans use to make their homes. But what makes these beaches stand out is the clean water. The waters are very clean.

Naidi Hills

I was torn whether to watch the sunset at Naidi or at the Vayang Rolling Hills. Kuya Toto said sunset is best seen at Vayang so I we went to Naidi first. Here, you'll find the Basco lighthouse. The view was stunning. A kuya lent me his bike so I had some time to bike around.

Vayang Rolling Hills

This trip was special to me because I was alone (again).

I'd say this was the highlight of my North Batan trip. We arrived at the Vayang Rolling Hills at 4 pm but I asked Kuya Toto if we could stay to watch the sunset. As a solo female traveler, it would've been a crazy idea to be with a stranger in the middle of a range of hills. But Batanes has zero crime rate to date and I was pretty confident that my tour guide was harmless. So we walked around every possible spot for photo ops. Kuya Toto said my timing was really perfect because it wasn't windy and the hills were green. When we got tired, we sat at the summit that overlooked the shorter hills nearby and the vast green seas that surrounded it. We waited for sunset. Then it came and it was beautiful.

Before I knew it, my first day was over. I asked Kuya Toto to drop me at SDC, a cooperative canteen that offers meals at cheaper prices. I ate dinner and walked back to Marfel's Lodge on my own.