BATANES: The Philippines' own Celtic getaway
Niña Terol-Zialcita / May 09, 2011 / 0 comment | = Click on the star if it's the place you want to see or recommend
Batanes has long been known for its rolling hills, its green pastures, its crashing waves, and its old stone houses—many claim that it is the Philippines' version of Scotland or New Zealand. I had long drooled over photos that I would see online, and at one point I had even fantasized about getting married there, to the tune of Arwen's song for Aragorn and a lot of other songs from The Lord of the Rings and Enya albums. So one morning, while at a breakfast meeting and still fretting over what to give my husband for Christmas, I did what for me was unthinkable, I booked an impromptu flight to Batanes (while pretending to take notes on my computer) and surprised my husband with a long-overdue-honeymoon-slash-Christmas-getaway.
I was surprised that I had allowed myself to be that spontaneous, considering how pricey Batanes tickets get during the peak seasons (almost Php16,000/USD360 per person, roundtrip, including terminal fees,); my husband was surprised that I was willing to get away where there was neither WiFi nor mobile signal. What surprised us the most, however, was how this unassuming and pristine location disarmed and charmed us—and made us fall in love all over again, in more ways than one.
The perfect escape
The first thing that draws you in about Batanes is how pristine, pure, and virginal everything looks. Even before landing at the Basco Domestic Airport (just about 90 minutes away via direct flight from the Manila Domestic Airport), the sights that will greet your eyes will already enough to declare the majesty of the location: deep-green mountainous islands stand proudly against the azure waters of the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, their lush mountaintops showing no signs of erosion or human intervention. Out of the eleven islands comprising Batanes, only three are inhabited by some 17,000 people (Batan, Sabtang, and Itbayat). The rest remain untouched and unspoiled, showing Mother Nature at her virtuous best.
Upon landing at Basco, Batanes' capital, it becomes clear that this is a place for those seeking a respite from the frenzy and the cacophony of Manila or any other big, noisy, polluted city. The first thing that greets visitors is the quaint stone-and-wood terminal that looks more like a lodge than an airport. Then to the right is Mount Iraya, a dormant volcano that is also Batanes' highest peak and is visible from anywhere in Batan Island.
Getting out of the airport is quite easy, especially since it is located just 10 to 15 minutes away from some lodgings. Most, if not all, hotels offer round-trip airport transfers for guests—just make sure to clarify your arrangements with the hotel and inform them of any flight changes (which almost always happen on the island). And should you wish to get to and from your hotel and around Basco on your own, the most reliable mode of transportation in Basco is the tricycle. However, tricycles here are booked on-demand; you won't be able to hail them just by standing on a street corner. For best results: ask the friendly airport or hotel attendants to call you a “trike”. To get around the rest of Batan Island, most rent a van (Php2,000/USD45 a day) . Jeeps and Fxs are also available for a lower daily rate.
We booked ourselves at Batanes Resort, which we later on discovered was the second-best lodge in Batanes—the best if you're on a shoestring budget. For only Php 1,800 (USD 41) a night, my husband and I were treated to a picture-perfect view of rolling pastures where cows lazily grazed, a beach whose waves provided the soundtrack to our vacation, and a vegetable patch from where we shared in the earth's bounty. Clean, well-kept rooms were spread out over ten stone duplexes (which could accommodate a maximum of 60 visitors in all), and friendly staff were on-hand to attend to everything from housekeeping to room service... to calling for tricycle shuttles and masseuses.
Our room (in the Sabtang duplex) was the one with the clearest view of the beach, and so from there we had the waves lulling us to deep relaxation during our entire stay there. And because Batanes is also a place where mobile and Internet signals are unreliable at best, my Blackberry was silent and I was completely unplugged and detached for five full days. It felt absolutely perfect.
Return to innocence
Of our five days in Batanes, one day was spent catching up on much-needed sleep, two days spent trying to discover the "eating places" in Batan (which could be counted with one hand), and two days spent touring the islands. Aside from not having had the time to plan everything in advance, I resisted the temptation to get a packaged tour because my husband Paul and I are the types to want to do things on our own, devoid of the usual pressures of doing everything with a group and a pre-arranged agenda. What we got was a glimpse into provincial life, where you awoke to the light of the rising sun and fell asleep to the sound of the waves, and where you got around either on foot or on tricycles.
But, of course, tours were needed to be able to see the best spots on the isles, so we asked the hotel to find us a good tour guide whom I could interview and engage while going around (and who was going to give me a lot of soundbites for my prospective travel pieces). We were referred to Jack Labrador, an Ivatan who has been working as a government-licensed tour guide for three years now, and who was very knowledgeable and articulate on all things Ivatan. Tour guides usually go for about Php 800/USD18 a day, but with Jack's brain and candor, we seemed to have gotten a lot more value for our money. He also customized the tour according to our needs, for a price that was lower than what was quoted in some brochures. (Jack Labrador: 0921-2416455)
For our first tour with Jack, we took the Batan Island day tour, which revealed the majesty of the mountains and seas and the simple abundance of pastoral living. Lasting from half a day to whole-day—depending on your arrangement with your tour guide and how long you take snapping away at your camera—the Batan Island tour will take you to the Chawa Viewdeck, the Old Church at Mahatao, Ivana town and the Port of Ivana, the San Jose Church Ruins, and the Honesty Coffee Shop; the Southern Tour composed of the Uyugan town tour, the Song-song Ruins, and Marlboro Country (Racuh-a-payaman); and the Northern Tour composed of the Tukon Radar Station, the Ivatan Fortress at Idjan, the Valugan Boulder Beach, the Naidi Hills (where the Naidi Lighthouse and the Bunker Cafe are located), and Vayang Ranch.
While at Ivana, remember to pass by the House of Dakay, the oldest standing stone house in Batan Island, and say hello to Lola Florestida “Lola Ida” Estrella, whose family built the house in 1887. Also check out the wares at the Honesty Coffee Shop and practice your math while paying for items only using a drop-box and without an attendant in sight. Make sure to have enough batteries to take great photos at Tukon Chapel, Valugan Boulder Beach, and the Naidi Lighthouse.
For all these, it is important to note that Batanes gets very, VERY chilly during the wintertime (between November and February), so fashion must-haves for this season include sweaters, windbreakers, scarves, and even bonnets. Never step out without a windbreaker, andmake sure to end your tours just before sundown as it gets dark very quickly. Bring flashlights as contingency lighting should you decide to walk around the streets at night. (And, fear not: Batanes is famous for having practically a zero crime rate.)
Now, just in case you plan to head to Batanes during the summer, dress warmly and bring lots of sunblock. Locals say that they experience extreme temperatures in Batanes, and summers tend to be scorching.
A lesson in history
If the Batan Island tour revealed beauty in simplicity, the Sabtang Island tour revealed character in history. A choppy, 45-minute falowa (boat) ride took us from the Port of Ivana in Batan to the Port of San Vicente in Sabtang, where we were to see villages populated by the traditional Ivatan stone houses. According to Jack , the Ivatans are a people who deeply value their culture and are happy to keep modernity at bay, so it was no wonder that one of the villages in Sabtang Island, Chavayan, has been nominated as a UNESCO Heritage Site for having preserved their stone houses from as far back as the 1800s.A tour around the Savidug and Chavayan villages revealed centuries' worth of history written on the stone walls' faces, their character dignified (not destroyed) by age. According to Jack, some of the houses were left in ruins because of some families' migration to Manila and other parts of the Philippines. However, even in decay the stone ruins were a fascinating sight.
While going around Savidug and Chavayan, I found myself entranced by the stone houses' windows and doors. The stone walls were all made of limestone from crushed corals and were constructed in pretty much the same fashion, but a house's character was almost always shown by its door or window. Some would be made of carved wood, others of painted plywood; some would have modern curtains adorning them, others, screens. Regardless of the way in which they were adorned, I always wondered about the stories behind these walls and the secrets that they kept. I also observed: even in the chilly winter and in the pregnant silence of the tour, the villages were not eerie at all but seemed to exude the quiet elegance of a grand old matriarch.
It was also at Chavayan where I met Lolo Marcelo, the oldest resident of the village. At 104, he was still lucid enough to be entertaining curious visitors like us—and repairing fish nets of all things! (He was also quick to point out: “I don't eat meat, especially pork.”) A quick chat with Lolo Marcelo revealed that he and his wife were married when she was 14 and he was 25, and they had 16 children (15 births, but one pair were twins). Sadly, she passed away four years ago, but their sepia wedding photograph remains proudly on display by Lolo's water dispenser, a poignant reminder of happier times.
The next time you pass by Chavayan Village, do give Lolo Marcelo a “courtesy call” and a quick hello. He seemed to have been genuinely pleased with the company, and—well—one never knows until when he will be around to tell his own story.
A testament to life lived with passion
Another must-see in Batanes, without which one's tour will be rendered incomplete, is Fundacion Pacita, now a bed and breakfast but formerly the workshop of the late artist Pacita Abad. Born in Basco but educated in the United States, Pacita was a consummate artist who traveled to five continents, lived and worked in 80 countries, and painted over 3,500 paintings throughout her three-decade-career. According to her biography, Pacita's works now reside in collections in over 70 countries around the world, among them the famed Singapore Art Bridge.
After Pacita's untimely passing in 2004, her artist sanctuary in Batanes was lovingly converted by the Abad family into a lodge that was to support the projects of the Jorge, Aurora, and Pacita Abad Foundation, an organization dedicated to preserving cultural heritage in Batanes as well as supporting indigenous Ivatan artists through the Fulbright Program. It houses not only Pacita's own passionate and inimitable works of art, but also the hopes and dreams of young artists for a bright future in the creative field.
Perched atop a high and rocky cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the view from Fundacion Pacita is nothing short of breathtaking. The lodge houses six rooms in the main building and five additional rooms in extension structures a few hundred meters down the hill, with each room offering privacy, understated luxury, and the best getaway experience that money can buy in that part of Southeast Asia. Starting at Php 6,300 (USD142) a night for a minimum stay of two nights, the room rates are a world away compared to the rest of the accommodations in Batanes, but the experience is by far the best, truly a sanctuary for world-weary folks in need of spiritual and cultural reinvigoration.
We found it timely that, on our last afternoon in Batanes, after enjoying a leisurely tour of Fundacion Pacita, the winter sun finally shone and gave way to a glorious sunset. It was a sight happily etched onto our memories—the first full sunset that we had seen for the year and the first, we hope, of more great travel memories to be made in 2011.
Post-scripts: Where to go, what to eat
Ivatan cuisine is characterized by a lot of seafood such as cuttlefish, tanigue, and lobster; dry adobo; and the use of gabi leaves, banana core (puso ng saging), and dry vegetables such as okra, string beans, and ampalaya. People like their vegetables fresh in Batanes, and you will almost always find a vegetable patch within one's territory, even in the hotels and lodges. However, there are very few restaurants in Batanes, and here are the ones that we tried and enjoyed:
Therese Coffee Shop at Pension Ivatan
We liked their Ivatan adobo (cooked dry, similar to lechon kawali), Ivatan salad (dried seaweed, okra, beans, onions, tomatoes), and turmeric rice. Great value for money at only roughly Php 250 (USD6) per person for a large meal. (How to get there: tricycle)
Hiro's Cafe
A must-try is their honey fried chicken, which is actually deep-fried, breaded chicken nuggets or balls. We also tried their cuttlefish and grilled octopus. Also great at roughly Php 250-300 (USD6-8) per person. (How to get there: tricycle)
Fundacion Pacita
Fundacion Pacita accepts non-hotel-guest diners only upon reservation of at least two days, and depending on their capacity (and kitchen stock). Consider yourself lucky if you get squeezed in! For inquiries, call Protogenes Galarion at (0939) 198 2733. (At least Php 350/USD8) per pax, including soup, main course, and a light dessert. (How to get there: tricycle or van)
Casa Napoli
Casa Napoli is the only Italian restaurant in Batanes and serves pizza with freshly baked dough and fresh, homegrown ingredients. It is open from 3 to 8PM, but it is also best to call and reserve early (via 0917 5125345) to make sure its proprietor, Xavier Mirabueno, makes enough dough to fill your appetite! (Php 350-400/USD8-9 per 8-inch pizza) (How to get there: tricycle)
The lunch with the Sabtang Tour
This was our best meal of the entire trip—serving seaweed soup, cuttlefish and tanigue with garlic, minced beef and string beans, Ivatan adobo, and, the star of the show, lobster. Php 300 (USD8) per pax (How to get there: boat to Sabtang from Port of Ivana)
Caveats: Throw your cares to the wind!
Batanes is home to very strong winds and waves and, thus, unpredictable weather. If you are flying to Batanes from Manila (via SEAir or Zest Air), be ready for canceled flights, delayed luggage, moved bookings, and a host of other travel concerns. A tip: pack enough clothes on your hand-carry, and do not book meetings close to your arrival date in case you experience delays. One lady we encountered at Basco had a two-day flight change—and she didn't know about it until she arrived at the airport!
The same goes for the Sabtang Tour: the unpredictable waves can force you to stay overnight (or two, or three) at Sabtang Island, so make sure you don't risk heading out in cloudy weather a day before your return flight to Manila.
DIRECTORY
Batanes Resort
Cellphone No: (+63 927) 582-9078 / (+63 908) 882 4510 – Look for Elmo Muro
Batanes Landline No: (+63 78) 533-3444/ (+63 78) 533-3456
Manila Office No: (+63 2) 927-2393
Fundacion Pacita
Manila Address:
Room 308, Philippine Social Science Center Bldg.,
Commonwealth Ave, Quezon City
Contact Number.: (+63) 927 290 2404
E-mail: myla.pisig@fundacionpacita.ph
Therese Coffee Shop at Pension Ivatan
Call in advance to order food before going to the restaurant.
(+63) 929 207 4643, (+63) 905 303 5855
http://pensionivatan.net/index.php
Hiro’s Cafe
Basco, Philippines
(+63) 939-198-6918
Casa Napoli
Located along Abad Street • Contact numbers: (+63) 917.5125345 (Look for Xavier Mirabueno)
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Niña Terol-Zialcita
"For Niña Terol-Zialcita, life is a plush and vibrantly colored quilt made even more beautiful by the many connections that can be made between people, places, cultures, and ideas. As a journalist, she has covered artists and festivals, movers and shakers, issues and changemakers, and many other things in between. She confesses to be an odd mix of the pure and the profane, loving politics and Twitter just as passionately as she loves paintings and poetry.When Niña isn’t writing, curating ideas, or changemaking, she packs her suitcase for the next voyage of discovery, She counts Batanes among her favorite destinations worldwide, second only to La Rochelle, France."
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