Aside from the scenery and the immensity of Batanes, my interest was also drawn to the architecture indigenous to the islands. The Ivatans have managed to develop their own construction techniques. The houses were made of stone walls at least a meter thick and thatched roofs designed to last up to three decades of the constant battering of typhoons. Furthermore, these houses have a layer of solid wood window shutters, and their roofs have no eaves so wind cannot enter the house and blow away the roof during a storm. Locals are used to this type of weather and typhoons are no longer a major cause of concern to them. In the event of a storm warning, they just close up the whole house and they are safe with zero casualties.
On the first day of our trip, our first stop was the Mount Carmel Chapel on the hill of Tukon, which means “mountain” in the Ivatan language. Similar to the Ivatan stone houses, the chapel was also made up of boulders spewed out by Mount Iraya, one of the two volcanoes in the island. The chapel is also showcase of traditional Batanes architecture and artistry and creativity of local artisans.
Upon entering, the interiors that welcome guests are simple but one’s gaze is quickly drawn to the ceiling. Hand-painted by the scholars of the Pacita Abad Center for the Arts, the ceiling is adorned with large-scale images of the patron saints of the six municipalities of Batanes. This church, which started out as a dream of the Abad family, was officially opened in 2008 and is now an idyllic spot for weddings and special celebrations.
Another scenic spot in the Tukon area is Fundacion Pacita, a quaint bed-and-breakfast which used to be the home of internationally known artist Pacita Abad. (More on this in my next column.) Valugan Boulder Beach is also a site to see as boulders originating from an eruption of Mount Iraya about 400 years ago cover the entire stretch of the beach. Sitting and watching waves as high as 2 meters crash into the boulders is exhilarating experience in itself. The pictures that I took, one of which is shown here, don’t come even close to doing the spectacle justice. You just have to fly out to Batanes and witness it for yourself.
Our tour also included a trip to the Pag-asa Radar Station, the Japanese tunnels whose small, dark caverns led us to an exit where we were greeted by the most perfect double rainbow I’d ever seen. The rainbow spanned from end to end and I was almost sure that I could see the pot of gold. We also passed an Idjang, a stone fortress which was used by the Ivatans as a refuge when tribal wars still raged. Of course, a trip to Batanes is never complete without a visit to its churches and scenic lighthouses. I climbed to the top of the Naidi Lighthouse and got a 360 degree view of the whole island. Another highlight for me that day was the Vayang Ranch Rolling Hills. I sat down on top of a cliff overlooking the sea and watching the playful waves of the West Philippine Sea collide with the tumultuous waves of the Pacific Ocean. The colors, the scenery, the fresh air and overpowering cliffs calmed my senses and I just sat there in awe of the vista. It was peaceful and tranquil, and we were all left to our thoughts as we sat gazing at the ocean.
We took to an early start the next day as we headed to Sabtang Island via a 20-minute ride on a “faluwa,” a small and rigger-less boat designed to withstand the strong waves of oceans. We were prepared for one hell of a ride but our guides told us that the water was peaceful that day. Sabtang Island was also enchanting and we visited churches and quaint traditional villages with stone houses such as Savidug and Chavayan. I felt like I had been transported to another time and place as we wandered around the villages. We also visited Tinyan Viewpoint and trekked along its cliffs and made our way through crags and mountain peaks. I felt like we were part of a Lord of the Rings movie. It was here where I tried to fit into the shoes of a local Ivatan as I tried on their “vakul” headgear. We also had local Ivatan food such as Lunis, their local version of pork adobo, and vegetables and yellow turmeric rice by Nakabuang Beach. I was immersing myself in nature and I couldn’t have been more content in Batanes.
On our last day, we traveled to the south of Batan Island and took an ATV around. Again, each place we visited was magical and breathtaking. Nature has a way of looking so pretty and serene, yet up close it can be massive, overwhelming, powerful and mesmerizing. (The crashing of the waves against the edge of the cliff as we descended the 150 steps of the Chawa Deck from the road was spectacular—as every site in Batanes is). The highlight of the day was Racuh-a-Payaman, also known as Marlboro Country. This ranch is government-owned and locals can leave their horses and cattle to graze at the site. This is another good site for a 360-degree view of the island and the hills were calling for me to roll down. It was much too tempting to resist.
I left my heart in Batanes where everything is pristine but also energizing and refreshing. There is a certain charm to the island. The vastness of the sea and the immense waves are nothing short of hypnotic. Sitting atop the cliffs and gazing at the landscape of the province invariably leaves one struggling for words to describe the experience. The burn of the hot sun disappears with the strong, steady wind blowing all around you. Batanes is now on the top of my list of places to see in the Philippines, and I don’t mind going back and staying longer just to take a break. The islands are surreal, remote, and unassumingly breathtakingly beautiful.
***For more inquiries on Jeron Active Tours, e-mail info@jerontravel.com or nikkigrecto@gmail.com.