Batanes,Philippines: Budget Travel Guide
Batanes is a breath-taking. A visually charming, a postcard-worthy, and the genuine hospitality of the native people, the Ivatans, the honesty place I’ve ever experienced in my life, the zero crime rate, the tourist friendly place. Batanes is a very moody, a fragile, you need to balance her which day to explore, she’s changing moods, sometimes calm and too sunny, sometimes you’ll be facing the biggest typhoon if your timing is not right.
Batanes tourist icon are Ivatan’s indigenous house made up of stone, coral and lime walls, hardwood floors and windows, and cogon roofs, the Farolas or lighthouses, Spanish-era churches and grazing hills with literally a dropping jaw views of waves crashing the shores.
The country’s northernmost and smallest province, Batanes is among the most sought-after tourism frontier destinations located at the confluence of the west Philippines sea and pacific ocean. Batanes is nearer to Taiwan, which is just 190 kilometers north, than mainland Luzon which is 280 kilometers away from Aparri, the northernmost tip of the mainland Luzon.
HOW TO GET TO BATANES
The fastest and easiest way to reach Batanes is by air. However, the options are limited. Airlines such as Philippine air lines flies between Manila and Batanes ( Basco ) and Skyjet Air.
Philippine Airlines (PAL)- Dailly ( 6:00 am ) Manila-Basco
Skyjet Air- Monday, Wednesday, Friday (5:30 am ) Manila-Basco
Batanes flights are extremely expensive. Batanes airfare can go as high as Php 9,000 one way per pax, but sometimes you can catch Batanes tickets when your lucky nor its rainy seasons, my husband and I we score our tickets Php 6,100 one way per pax it cost Php 12,200 for two way per pax. We flew Batanes by month of July 2016.
WHEN TO VISIT
Batanes is a prone for typhoon, having more than shared of typhoon hits, when you visit this place you need to fully searched the weather before you explore this stunning place, as we did to flew Batanes, from time to time we searched the weather forecast, though month of July is a rainy season in the Philippines but we’re lucky we hit the place safe, calm and sunny for that week. The Destinations in the Philippines are best bet is from December to May, which is generally considered the dry season.
WHERE TO STAY IN BATANES
Fundacion Pacita Nature Lodge is the only hotel in Batanes, but if you are a budget traveller, there are many alternatives accommodation, Lodge, Homestays or Cheap Inns in the Basco proper town, but I am a highly recommended the Mac Homestays co-own by Marfel Lodge. The staff are very helpful, friendly, safe and clean room, you will feel like your in home. The Lodge are located in the town proper of Basco and by walking distance from the Airport.
Mac Homestays / Marfel Lodge:
Rate: Php 1300 per room (2pax) AC – Per Day
Php 800 per room (2pax) FAN – Per Day
Mac homestays or Marfel Lodge Contact Number: Smart: +639088931475 / +639209764966 Globe: +639178574493 / +639178833249
Fundacion Pacita- 2pax- 3D2N = Php 20,870 / 4D3N = Php 29,350 / 5D4N = Php 34,850
Note: free wifi but don’t expect to catch all the signals because your in an Island and its not yet civilized for the internet connection, I mean very poor in internet signal, even you have your own data you cannot catch those signals, I just put the mobile numbers here to reach them but be patience to communicate with due to choppy signal sometimes.
WHAT AND WHERE TO EAT IN BATANES
When in Batanes as many travellers saying, must try the traditionally and local food. Uved Balls and Lunis are usually the authentic dishes in town, but since the day we visited some of the items are not available, we just try the pansit Ivatans and local fish kinilaw, prices usually range from Php150- Php450 per serving.
Usually, after the tiring day we just buy food to cooked for our dinner, and we admire the local fish in the market, since we are a homestays its easy to cooked and have freedom what to eat.
Pension Ivatan Restaurants – ( Basco )
Octagon Restaurants -( Basco )
Paulvana’s ( Mahatao proper )
Note: There are no proper wet market or supermarket in town, usually the stores for goods are located or install in front of there houses to become a grocery stores, fish and meat are all in one. The local people or the travellers are only just come and go.
WHERE TO BUY SOUVINERS IN BATANES
TOP THINGS TO DO IN BATANES
Batanes composed of 10 Islands with only three inhabited ( Batan, Itbayat, and Sabtang) while the islets of Dinem, Siayan, Ditarem, Misanga, Mavudis, dequey, and Vuhus are uninhabited. It has six municipalities, Basco, Mahatao, Ivana, and Uyugan this are located in Batan, and the Island towns of Sabtang and Itbayat. However, for tourism purposes, Batan Island is divided into two, the north and south batan, as per kuya toto our Ivatan guide.
Northern Batan:
Basco Lighthouse in Naidi Hills
See Related Post and click here: Top Places To Visit In Northern Part Of Batanes, Philippines
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- Mt. Carmel Chapel
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- PAGASA “Tukon” Radar Station
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- Fundacion Pacita Nature Lodge
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- Basco Idjang Viewing
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- WWII Japanese Hideout / Tunnel
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- Boulder Beach in Valugan
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- Sto. Domingo Cathedral
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- Vayang Rolling Hills
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- Chadpidan Beach
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- Basco Lighthouse in Naidi Hills
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- Basco Town Proper
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- Mt. Irayat View
- Sunset Viewing
Southern Batan:
View from Racuh a Payaman aka Marlboro Hills, The Tayid Lighthouse and Diura Beach.
See Related Post and click here: Top Mind Blowing In Southern Part Of Batanes, Philippines
- Paderes Point and Cliff Road
- Chawa Viewing Deck
- Mahatao Boat Shelter
- Mahatao Town Tour
- San Carlos Borromeo Church
- Mahatao Spanish Lighthouse
- Mahatao Tayid Lighthouse
- Hohmoron White Beach
- Hohmoron Lagoon ( Spanish Blue Lagoon )
- Malapad Rock Formation
- House of Dakay ( Ivatans Old Stone House )
- Old Spanish Bridge
- San Jose De Ivana Church and Ruins
- Honesty Store
- San Antonio De Florencia Church in Uyugan
- Ruins of Songsong
- Songsong Beach
- Our Lady of Miraculous Medal in Itbud
- San Lorenzo Ruiz Chapel in Imnajbu
- Alapad Hills and Rock Formation
- Diura Beach
- Racuh a Payaman aka Marlboro Hills
Sabtang Island:
The Chamantad – Tinyan Viewpoint
See Related Post and click here: Top Things To Do In Sabtang Island, Batanes Philippines
- Town Tour ( Malakdang and Sinakan )
- San Vicente Ferrer Church
- Malakdang Lighthouse
- The Old Deep Well
- Sabtang Lighthouse
- Barangay Savidug Stone Houses
- Savidug Idjang Viewing
- Sto. Thomas Aquinas Chapel
- The Old Beaterio
- Lime Kiln
- Chamantad Cove and Tinyan Viewpoint
- Barangay Chavayan Stone Houses
- Chavayan Beach View
- Sta. Rosa De Lima Chapel
- Sabtang Weavers Association
- Nakabuang Cave
- Mayahaw ( Natural Arc Formation )
- Morong Beach ( swimming, snorkeling -optional )
HOW TO GET AROUND BATANES ( TOUR )
If you want a hassle free tour you can avail of tour packages offered in Batanes, Mac Homestay by Marfel Lodge offers and arranging tour packages, Php 9,000 all in with free lunch, Tour and transfer, registration fees and permits, round-trip boat rides for sabtang Island tour, driver and a guide good for two pax. We prefer that time is by tricycle rather than a van with ac.
Note: I won’t recommend the bike or Bicycle, the way of going around the island, due to hilly and jagged landscape, and the distance of the tourist attractions from each other are a bit far, unless you have a experienced mountain biker. For motorcycle rental, to those have a drivers license and can drive a motorbike, this is a good option for you, but for us my husband and I, we rented the motorcycle during our last day, because we have an idea already which way going to the attractions to spend our free time, just check our sample itinerary and we did the last day is sabtang island just almost half day only and after you still have time to explore the northern Batanes if you want to embraced more the beauty of Batanes.
Batanes Tour Rates per person
By Tricycle:
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- North Batan Tour – Php 1,000 per person
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- South Batan Tour – Php 1,500 per person
- Sabtang Island Tour – Php 1,350 per person
By Bike:
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- Php 25 per hour
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- Php 300 per day for small bikes
- Php 600 per day for mountain bikes
By Motorbike:
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- Php 120 per hour with gas
- Php 500 – 1000 per day gas is not yet included
Here’s the two easiest transportation options:
Faluwa Ride to Sabtang Island and back to Ivana Port
Tricycle Cogon Roof in Sabtang Island Tourist Transportation. #itsmorefuninthephilippines 😉
BATANES TOUR RATES PER PERSON
We arrange our tour packages in Mac homestays by Marfel Lodge, if you wish your tours hassle free, Php 9,000 for 3 days, 2 pax, with driver/ guide and free lunch, we preferred tricycle just to feel locally rather than a van with AC, Our tricycle driver is kuya toto ( Narcizo Fainza ) a very good driver and a guide.
2days – 2pax = Php 5,900
3days – 2pax = Php 8,900
4days – 2pax = Php 9,550
SAMPLE ITINERARY
The typical Batanes Itinerary is 4D3N which includes North and South Batan and Sabtang Island Tour, but Itbayat I cannot include here in my itinerary because of my squeeze time, due to rainy season by month of July 2016 we visited Batanes. We fully searched and catch the time it is because of a good weather that week, if you wish to include Itbayat in your itinerary I suggest adding 3-4 more days to be able to explore Itbayat, but please do check the weather update before proceeding to Itbayat, Just in case the boat trip back to Basco gets cancelled because of a bad weather, and take note 3-4 hours by boat travel from Basco to Itbayat. The attractions from Itbayat is mostly required is hiking.
4 days and 3 nights Tour Itinerary
Day 1- Arrival and half day tour (Northern Batan Island Tour)
6:00am- Manila Terminal 3
7:45am- Basco Airport
8-9am – Hotel or Lodge check-inn, breakfast and rest
12:00 pm-welcome lunch ( Octagon Restaurants )
2:00pm- Start of tour
5-5:30pm- Sunset Viewing
6:00pm- back to hotel
7:00pm- Dinner
Day 2- Whole Day Tour (Southern Batan Tour)
7:00am – Breakfast
8:00am – Start of Tour
12:00pm – Lunch ( Paulvanas )
4-5:00pm – swimming, fishing or snorkeling ( as per our preferences )
5:30pm – Back to Lodge
6:00 pm – Dinner
7:00pm – Freshen up and Rest
Day 3 – Island Hopping ( Sabtang Island Tour )
5:00am – Wake up call and early breakfast
6:00am – Travel to San Vicente Port / Radiwan Port in Ivana
6:30am – 30 minutes Faluwa ride to sabtang Island
7:00am – Sabtang Port
7:30am – Start of Tour ( Registration at sabtang tourism information center )
11:00am-12pm – Swimming or Snorkeling ( optional, as per our preferences )
12pm – Lunch
1:30pm – Travel Back to Port
2pm – Faluwa ride to Ivana Port
2:30pm – Travel back to basco
3pm – Souvenir Shopping
3:30pm – Back to Lodge and Rest
4-6pm – free time ( we rented motorbike to stroll the northern batanes “again”, to embraced the breathtaking batanes on our last day )
6:30pm – Dinner
7:00pm – Rest
Day 4 – Departure
5:30am – Breakfast
6:00am – Travel to Airport
6:10am – Check- inn
7:30am – Flight back to Manila
DIOS MAMAJES!! 😉
Batanes Trip Expenses
Tourism Fees – Basco – Php 100
Tourism Fees – Mahatao – Php 50
Tourism Fees – Sabtang – Php 200
Falowa / Boat – Basco-Sabtang-Basco – Php 150
Terminal Fee – Manila-Basco – Php 100
Terminal Fee – Basco-Manila – Php 100
Fllights ( via Philippine AirLines, PAL ) – Manila-Basco-Manila – Php 12,200 ( two way, assuming its a regular flight, seasonal )
BUDGET BREAKDOWN – (4D3N for 2Pax)
Here’s a list of expenses that my husband and I made during our trip to Batanes (4D3N) to give you an idea how much budget you will prepare but it doesn’t mean you will spending the same as we did because your spending habits may be different rather than us.
- Php 3,900 -Mac Homestay, 3 nights for 2 pax, AC Room, (Php1300 a day)
- Php 9,000- Tour package, 3 days for 2 pax, free lunch, tour and transfer, registration fees and permits, round trip boat rides for sabtang Island tour with driver/ guide
- Php 12,200 x 2 = Php24,400 – Air Tickets (Philippine Airline, PAL) , two way per pax ( July 2016 )
- Php 3,000 – Breakfast and Dinner for 3 days and some souvenirs
- Php 120 per hour x 2 = Php240 – Motorbike Rental
- Php 100 x 2 = Php 200 Terminal fee Manila to Basco
- Php 100 x 2 = Php 200 Terminal fee Back to Manila
Over All Batanes Travel Budget for 2 pax = Php 40,940
Some of the travellers saying that traveling to Batanes is very expensive they rather go to Hong Kong or Singapore because the Budget are almost the same, but most of us telling that we’re lucky to visited this stunning place because money cannot buy everything but the memories and the genuine beauty of Batanes are totally inserted in our hearts and soul to embraced the natural beauty of the Philippines and being a Filipino I am proud to be one.
( Note: Photo idea from #followmeto ) View from Sabtang Island, Mayahaw ( Natural Arc Formation ) and Morong Beach.
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Dios Mamajes!!
THECHEFESCAPE: Chef Abby
See Related Post and Click Here:
Top Places To Visit In Northern Part Of Batanes, Philippines
Top Mind Blowing In Southern Part Of Batanes, Philippines
Top Things To Do In Sabtang Island, Batanes Philippines
The Stunning View of Vayang Rolling Hills, Batanes Philippines
Basco Lighthouse in Naidi Hills and Fall In Love of the Sunset