BATANES travel guide with sample schedule & budget

I didn’t like the idea of returning to Batanes. At least, not in the beginning.

It’s not because I did not delight in my previous trip. quite the contrary. Batanes has always been atop my list of dream Philippine destinations, and when I was finally able to set foot in it in 2014, it gave me much much more than I imagined. site after site, day after day, Batanes blew my mind and snatched my heart. ideal was a word I had never used to describe a journey, but that’s exactly what it was. It was perfect. I was scared that a second trip would destroy all my precious, flawless memories of it.

But it could not be helped. We were invited to a wedding there, and our old Batanes travel guide seriously needed some updating. With a unusual mixture of excitement and nervousness, we went back. In classic Batanes fashion, as soon as we landed, rain poured so hard, we could barely get a clear view of our surroundings. but in a matter of minutes, the sky cleared up and we saw that not much has changed. and in this case, that’s a good thing, a very good thing.

I’ve said this before: When the time comes that you have to leave Batanes, she will break your heart. and I left heartbroken the second time around.

WHAT’S covered IN THIS GUIDE?

UNDERSTANDING BATANES
WHERE TO stay IN BATANESSearch for more: Batanes Hotels

HOW TO get TO BATANES
HOW TO get around BATANESBy Bicycle or Motorcycle
By Tricycle
By group Tour
Basco to Sabtang
Basco to Itbayat

PLACES TO check out IN BATANESNorth Batan
South Batan
Sabtang Island
Itbayat Island
Other Attractions

WHERE TO eat IN BATANES
SAMPLE BATANES ITINERARY
BATANES budget BREAKDOWN (EXPENSES)
OTHER suggestions FOR THE poor TRAVELER
FREQUENTLY ASKED questions about BATANESIs Batanes safe?
When is the best time to check out Batanes?
What is the power socket/plug type used in Batanes?
How is the Internet data / phone signal in Batanes?

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UNDERSTANDING BATANES

Remote and isolated, Batanes is the northernmost province in the Philippines. It’s a 10-piece archipelago, with the three most significant islands being the only ones inhabited: Sabtang, Batan, and Itbayat. Sabtang and Itbayat are their own municipalities, while Batan is even more divided into Basco, Ivana, Uyugan, and Mahatao. Although it is the capital, Basco isn’t a city but a small town. It is also where the main airport is located and the most populated.

Sabtang, the largest island, is situated 45-minutes by boat from the town of Ivana, while Itbayat, in the extreme north, 3 hours from Basco.

For tourism purposes, the provinces is divided into four zones:

North Batan, which is essentially Basco.

South Batan, which covers the attractions in Uyugan, Mahatao, and Ivana

Sabtang Island, can be reached by boat. Day trip from Batan Island is possible, although an overnight stay is highly recommended.

Itbayat Island, can be reached by boat or plane.

Here are much more things you need to know about Batanes.

Language: Ivasayen (northern parts of Batan Island), Isamurongen (Sabtang and southern parts of Batan), and Itbayaten (Itbayat). Tagalog, Ilokano, and English are all widely understood and spoken.

Currency: Philippine Peso (PHP, ₱). PHP100 = USD 2, EUR 1.57, SGD 2.56 (as of February 2018).

Modes of payment: Cash. There’s also a Cebuana Lhuillier branch along Abad Street, where you can receive money, pay bills, or purchase travel insurance.

WHERE TO stay IN BATANES

As the capital and commercial center of the province, Basco is a good base for tourists. Inns and homestays are heavily concentrated in the poblacion area, which is also where the airport is located. trip operators also have their offices here.

The most affordable options are homestays. two popular homestays are Troy’s Lodge, where we stayed the first time, and Marfel’s Lodge, which is a favorite among travel bloggers. here are the details.

TROY’S LODGE
A loft with a few rooms for guests on the 2nd floor.
Rates: P700-P1000 per room (up to 3 pax)
Contact No.: +63 938 976 2237

MARFEL’S LODGE
Started out as a single house, it is now a network of 4 separate lodges — main Lodge, Annex Lodge, Triple MP Homestay, MAC Homestay — being marketed together.
Rates: P500-P600 per room (2 pax), P350/person for a single fan room
Contact No.: +63 908 893 1475

Both inns are located in the town proper of Basco and near the airport.

Search for more: Batanes Hotels

HOW TO get TO BATANES

The fastest and easiest way to reach Batanes is by air. Basco has an airport (Basco Airport) located in the town proper. travel time is 70-110 minutes, depending on your choice of airline and departure.

Fares to Basco are infamous for being expensive. Year-round fares can cost much more than P10,000 per way if you book at the last minute. but there are ways to save more.

Fly buddy from Clark. buddy flights from Clark are considerably less expensive than from Manila. I did amock booking for April 2018 (April 24-28) and found these fares:

Book a Tuesday/Wednesday Flight. Manila/Clark-Basco flights scheduled on Tuesdays and Wednesdays are considerably lower than other days. While return flights (Basco-Clark/Manila) are less expensive on Fridays and Saturdays.

Watch out for SEAT SALES. promotion fares to Batanes are rare, but they exist. You just need to catch them when they’re up for grabs. How? Stalk Philippine Airlines. like them on Facebook. follow them on Twitter. Subscribe through email. This way, you’ll be the first to know when a big Basco sale is about to happen. Seat sales typically open at around midnight.  (For much more information, read: how to book Piso Fares.)

How much did it cost me to fly to Batanes the first time? P1757, roundtrip. Yep! No kidding. I got it from a P288 base fare sale that amounted to P1757 with taxes and all.

Breakdown of my Manila-Basco Fare. P288 SALE.
Just last week, my pal Angel was able to score fares for Clark-Batanes for only P2500!

If you want to be notified when there’s a new BATANES SEAT SALE, download the Traveloka app and set up the price notifies feature. When the price of Batanes flights go down, you will get a notification on your phone so you won’t miss it. much more info here: Traveloka price Alerts

HOW TO get around BATANES

By Bicycle or Motorcycle

The bicycle is the most affordable way of going around the island, but make sure you have the stamina to match. The landscape is rugged and a bicycle ride can take you up and down the slopes of rolling hills a hundred times over. Not really a hundred, but you get the point.

Bicycle Rental Rates:

Old bikes: P25/hour

Small/Japanese bikes: P300/day

Mountain bikes: P600-P1000/day (depending on the type and how long you’re gonna use it).

For those who have a driver’s license and can drive two wheels, the motorcycle is a good option. Motorcycle lease costs P500-1000 per day. Gas is not yet included.

By Tricycle

For short distances, the tricycle is the most typical mode of transportation. here are the fares:

Within Basco town Proper: P30

From Basco town proper to outskirts: P50

You can also book a tricycle for a full-day tour. This is terrific if you’re a party of two or much more because you can split the costs. The good thing about this is that the chauffeur already know where to go or have bits of local info about the place. The rate is typically P200 per hour. given the time it takes to trip these zones, here are the estimated (and the usual) trike rates, good for two (2) persons:

North Batan: P1000

South Batan: P1500

Sabtang Island: P1000

Again, the rates above are good for 2.

Note that the rates for Sabtang island cover only the trip within the island. Not included are the boat ride and the tricycle transfers from Basco to Ivana port and back.

Our tricycle chauffeur was: Dale Veracruz, 0929 341 0941.

The faluwa that ferries passengers from Ivana to Sabtang, and the cogon-roofed tricycle.

By group Tour

Numerous travel agencies and hotels offer tours, but the one that we have personally tried on our many recent check out was Bisumi Tours, a duly-licensed local trip operator based in Basco.

Bisumi trips can personalize an schedule for you. You can even request to have it bundled with accommodations and airport transfers. but if you only need a guide and a way to get around conveniently, you can join one of their group tours.

Compared to just hiring a tricycle driver, Bisumi’s trips are pricier for a reason. These trips are led by trained local guides. While it’s true that some chauffeurs can serve as your guide, many of them can only share limited information about the sites you visit. If you want a better appreciation and deeper understanding of the places you visit, join a group trip instead. This way, you’re not just taking a look at random rolling hills, you’re also learning about their significance.

Below are the rates PER person (as of February 2018):

North Batan Tour: P999

South Batan Tour: P2000

Sabtang Island Tour: P2000

Each booking is inclusive of the following:

Complimentary Round-trip Basco airport Transfers

Tour guide Services

Lunch

Registration fees and taxes

Round-Trip “Faluwa” boat ride (for Sabtang Tour)

To inquire, contact Ryan Cardona, 0998 988 5898.

Basco to Sabtang

To get to Sabtang Island, you will need to travel by tricycle first to Ivana Port and then board the faluwa to Sabtang. One-way tricycle fares (per ride, not per person):

If you’re alone: P120

If yo’re a group of two: P220-250

The boat leaves some time between 6:00am and 7:00am and returns between 1:00pm and 2:00pm.

Boat fare: P100 one way.

The chauffeur will take you to the port in the early morning and will come to fetch you in the afternoon.

Basco to Itbayat

To get to Itbayat, you may travel by boat that leaves Basco at 6:00am.

Travel time: 2.5 to 3.5 hours.
Fare: P450.

You may also travel by plane. It takes only 10-12 minutes, but the cost is at P1800 and the plane should be full each flight.

PLACES TO check out IN BATANES

Tourist spots in Batanes are typically divided into four zones: North Batan, South Batan, Sabtang, and Itbayat. I always recommend taking the North Batan trip first because it gives just the best dose of what’s to come, sort of a teaser. If you’re based in Basco, it is the closest and shortest of the tours. The whole thing takes just half a day, around 4 hours.

South Batan takes much longer, covers a larger area, and in my opinion, much much more breathtaking. If you do South Batan first, the North might leave you a bit underwhelmed.

Important! Please take note of the following tourism/environmental fees:

Batan Island (collected upon landing at Basco Airport): P350

Sabtang Island: P200

Itbayat Island: P100

More info per zone below.

North Batan

The North Batan trip takes only half a day (around 4 hours including the lunch stop). This is much more about visually spectacular landscapes and a little bit of history. There isn’t any stop here where you can swim or take a dip.

Below is the list of attractions in the northern half of Batan Island. For much more information about these sites, read: 10 amazing places in Batan Island North

Tukon Church

PAGASA weather Station

Dipnaysupuan Japanese Tunnel

Valugan Boulder Beach

Basco Lighthouse at Naidi Hills

Vayang Rolling Hills

Chadpidan Boulder Beach

The first stop is typically either Tukon Church or Valugan Beach. If you want to start early in the morning, check out Valugan beach first because it faces east — Valugan implies “east” — and is a terrific spot to view the sunrise.

On the other hand, if you’re exploring in the afternoon, you might want to request making Vayang Rolling Hills your last stop because it is a ideal place to see the sunset.

Chadpidan beach is also typically not included in trip itineraries, and might entail additional fees. However, you can have a good view of this boulder beach from Vayang Rolling Hills.

South Batan

Roaming the southern half of Batan Island takes an entire day. It straddles the municipalities of Mahatao, Ivana, and Uyugan.

Below are the traveler spots in many southern itineraries. For much more information about each site, read: 12 Must-Visit spots in Batan South

Chawa Viewdeck

Mahatao boat Shelter

San Carlos Borromeo Church

Tayid Lighthouse

Racuh-a-Payaman (Marlboro Country)

Alapad Pass

Motchong Viewpoint

San Jose El Obrero Church

House of Dakay

Spanish Bridge

Honesty Coffee Shop

Songsong Ruins

Imnajbu Beach

Maydangeb White Beach

Homoron Blue Lagoon

The sheer number of stops makes this an exhausting tour, but you won’t be complaining because this trip will leave you breathless. The first stop is typically Chawa Viewdeck. The picture-perfect Diura beach is also on this side of the island, but many trips don’t come close to it. However, you can have an unforgettable view of it from Racuh-a-Payaman.

There are two spots where you can swim — Homoron Blue Lagoon and Maydangeb White beach — so make sure to bring a towel, swimming attire, and extra clothes.

Sabtang Island

If you want to see much of the island, we suggest that you stay overnight. but if you have just enough time for a day tour, that’s fine too. below are the common stops.

More information about what to expect from a Sabtang Island trip at: 6 amazing places in Sabtang

St. Thomas de Aquinas Chapel

Sinakan village stone Houses

Savidug village stone Houses

The Old Beaterio

Lime Kiln & Savidug Idjang

Chamantad-Tiñan Viewpoint

Sabtang Weavers Association

Chavayan stone Houses

Morong beach and Ahaw Arch Formation

Sabtang Lighthouse (P50)

If on a day trip, make sure you’re back at the port between 1pm and 2pm. better yet, before you leave Sabtang port ask the boatmen or tricycle chauffeur what time the boat is leaving the island for Batan and be sure to return by then. There’s only one trip per day so if you miss that boat, you’ll be forced to spend the night in Sabtang.

Itbayat Island

For what to expect in Itbayat, check out: Itbayat travel Guide

More information about the outstanding places to