VP 2017-08 FINAL FOR WEB (1)
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<strong>VP</strong>/TRAVEL<br />
THE PHILIPPINES’ TOURIST GEM:<br />
Breathtaking Batanes!<br />
Never have I been to a place in the Philippines that made me not want to leave!<br />
A visit here would bring a lot of joy to your inner outdoorsman and wanderlusts!<br />
Photos & Text by #Villager Mon Villaverde of Terrific Traveller<br />
This island chain or archipelago province is in the<br />
Cagayan Valley region, and is the northernmost<br />
province in the country. A visit here would bring a lot<br />
of joy to outdoorsman and wanderlusts like me. I’ve been<br />
to a lot of Philippine provinces, probably more than half<br />
already, and it seems like it’s impossible that I stay home<br />
for a long period of time =) Batanes is honestly a dream<br />
come true. Let me guide you on a few basics:<br />
TRANSPORTATION<br />
The fastest way of going to Batanes is of course by plane,<br />
and if coming from Manila, it’ll only take less than 2 hours.<br />
Local airlines who cater Batanes flights are Philippine<br />
Airlines, SkyJet, Sky Pasada, Wakay Air and Platinum<br />
Skies.<br />
Always plan ahead and be rain/sun ready when visiting<br />
Batanes. Weather in this province is very unpredictable.<br />
I’ve been here twice, and I can assure you, even if you<br />
come during summer, you may experience downpour, or<br />
face strong winds. Also, don’t limit your stay to just 3d2n<br />
or 4d3n because there’s a possibility you’ll get stranded<br />
in one of the Islands if weather is bad. When traveling to<br />
Batanes, it’s safe to plan your leave for 5-7 days. This will<br />
also give you peace of mind when visiting the island chain<br />
so you won’t get fired from work when you get offloaded<br />
or aground.<br />
Tour prices vary in Batanes. Whether you’re taking a van<br />
tour, or tricy tour. You’ll have to coordinate with your tour<br />
provider (if you arranged one prior to your trip), or have<br />
it fixed upon arriving (still okay), your homestay can also<br />
help you with this. You can also rent bicycles! I rented one<br />
so I could tour the town and go to Naidi Hills for the iconic<br />
Batanes lighthouse/Sunset. If you wish to go to a specific<br />
place in Basco that’s not part of the tour, e.g. a restaurant,<br />
coffee or pizza shop – all are local, you can rent a tricy.<br />
LIFESTYLE<br />
When it comes to lifestyle, the typical way of life in<br />
Batanes is very old-fashioned. Locals here don’t depend on<br />
technology too much in their everyday lives. I very much<br />
liked how simple life is in Batanes, where I almost forgot I<br />
brought gadgets with me. Majority of the human life span<br />
in Batanes would reach 90+, there’s close to zero pollution,<br />
and has 0% crime rate (based on my most recent visit last<br />
May <strong>2017</strong>) – this is pretty self-explanatory.<br />
An Ivatan traditional house is made of stone, where the<br />
roof is made of dried cogon grass. The oldest one is called<br />
“House of Dakay” and is part of south batan tour.<br />
FOOD<br />
Now when it comes to food, you’ll have plenty of options in<br />
Basco, while in Sabtang (Normally half day tour only) and<br />
Itbayat (where food is quite expensive, but you can still<br />
cook if you’ll stay in a homestay, and brought any goods<br />
from Basco) you’ll have limited to expensive choices.<br />
There are many canteens and locally-owned restaurants<br />
in Basco Island, so if you are not the cooking type of<br />
person, you’re safe! I said cooking type because most of<br />
the accommodations here are homestays where you can<br />
cook your own food, and probably save a little money. I<br />
brought canned goods when I traveled here, so I did save<br />
quite a lot.<br />
ENTERTAINMENT<br />
Batanes is heaven for photographers and videographers. A<br />
lot of prenuptial shoots and weddings happen in the island<br />
chain. Who doesn’t want to be married in one of the most<br />
beautiful places in the Philippines right?<br />
There are no movie houses, nor malls in Batanes, and<br />
that’s a good thing! Because you’ll get as close to nature<br />
and the simplest form of living while here. Network signal<br />
for mobile data is also very weak in all the islands, so<br />
you might as well leave your phone in your bag and enjoy<br />
the breathtaking views with no distraction. If you need to<br />
access your email or browse the internet very urgently,<br />
there’s an internet cafe in town, though I didn’t need to<br />
utilize it, so I can’t say how fast the speed is.<br />
I know you want to SEE and READ more of what I<br />
have experienced in Batanes, well you’re in luck<br />
because I’ve made a 4D/3N article on my travel<br />
blog! Just look for it on www.terrifictraveller.<br />
wordpress.com you can also follow my<br />
adventures on Instagram @mon.villa, and<br />
Facebook Page @terrifictraveller!<br />
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