Northern Batan Not By Foot

Leif

I did not cover all of northern Batan by foot. I might have been able to if I started out before the sun reared its head over the horizon. On second thought, I don't think my short legs would have taken the rigors of this hilly island.

All other options out, a van, which can accommodate 8 passengers, was hired at Batanes Cultural Travel Agency for Php 1700 for the whole day. Leif, the driver, also served as the tour guide. And what do you know, Leif is from Cebu. (Haaayyy salamat! Now I can let my tongue take a break from stumbling over Tagalog words.) Leif moved to Batan some seven years ago to marry an Ivatan. Aside from being a driver and tour guide for BCTA, he also helps out at the airport.

Van? Check. Driver slash tour guide? Check. Camera? Check. Self? Check. Go!

The road snakes over the hills of Batan

Basco Idiang as seen from the roadside.

An idiang is a fortress where the ancient Ivatans lived.
Idiang comes from the Ivatan "Idi" or "Idian", meaning home.

Leif mentioned that it is possible to go to the idjang but one needs to have ropes and other climbing gear.

Dipnaysupuan Japanese Tunnel

According to the sign outside the tunnel, it was built during the Japanese occupation as a shelter for soldiers. It is a five-door tunnel with a series of chambers, a bunker, and a water reservoir.

Be sure to bring a flashlight if you want to venture in.

 

The hills of Tukon
Tukon actually means hill, if you must know.

The lovely tree lined street on the way to... 

Valugan Boulder Beach

Where'd all these boulders come from? Majestic Iraya spewed these boulders a gazillion years ago.

Yeah, yeah, I obviously don't know when but surely it was way before you or I were born.

...and here I am resting on a boulder, before heading to...

Vayang Hills

 We passed an old Spanish road and hiked thru the woods...

to find the Nakamaya Burial Site.

 

Walk a bit farther, towards the clearing near the ocean, to find more graves.

The boat shaped tombs point toward the sea which, according to the old Ivatan folk tale, is the final resting place of man. 

You can tour northern Batan in one day if you hire a van or rent a bike/motorcycle.

By foot, maybe, if you take long strides and walk fast.

Here's a map to help you decide if you want to walk it or ride it.

If there's a north, then there must be south. Southern Batan next time.

How Batanes bore a hole thru Mustachio's pocket:

This is just a third of the trip. Will tell you when I'm done.

If you missed my other Batanes posts, do not fret:

Sketch Batanes

Hello Batanes

Northern Batan on Foot

Northern Batan Not By Foot (you're here!)
Southern Batan
Sabtang Island
Itbayat

Northern Batan on Foot

Explored parts of northern Batan on foot, armed with a camera and my mouth (to ask directions for I had no map).

First stop: Basco/Naidi Lighthouse on Naidi Hills

Next stop: Sto. Domingo de Basco Church / Basco Cathedral

Photo by Bee Chavez

On the way to Fundacion Pacita is the charming Tukon/Mt. Carmel Chapel.

On the ceiling of the chapel are paintings of the churches of Batanes and their patron saints. Above left is a painting of Basco Cathedral and its patron saint Sto Domingo de Guzman.

View from the east side of the chapel

Not far from Mt Carmel Chapel is the PAGASA Station or Tukon Radar.

 

Photo by Bee Chavez

 

This is where I discovered how PAGASA predicts the weather... using a magic crystal ball. Just kidding. It's a heliograph, used to measure the intensity of the sun. And no, I don't know how to use it.

Last stop for the day... okay, it was getting dark and I was getting tired... is Fundacion Pacita. There's a sign on the main road saying you can't enter Fundacion Pacita without an appointment but I turned a blind eye to it.

 

Office/Reception area of Fundacion Pacita

Dusk told me it was time to head back. It was getting dark and I had no flashlight. Walked the deserted road and occasionally looked behind to check if there were approaching tricycles. My legs had brought me back to Tukon Radar when one tricycle passed. After hesitating a second or two, I called to the tricycle driver to check if he was going my way. He was going to Ivana, and I to Basco, but he still offered to take me to the lodge for free. My second dose of Ivatan kindness.

Five or so months after, I took the liberty of tracing my steps with the help of Google Maps. (Click on maps to enlarge.) It's really not too far. According to Mr Google, I walked about 6 kilometers.

How Batanes bore a hole thru Mustachio's pocket:
Please be patient, the series hasn't ended yet, it has just begun.

If you missed my other Batanes posts, do not fret:

Sketch Batanes

Hello Batanes
Northern Batan on Foot (you're here!)
Northern Batan Not By Foot
Southern Batan
Sabtang Island
Itbayat

Hello Batanes

The province of Batanes, composed of ten islands, lies at the northermost tip of the Philippines, about 860km from the Philippine capital. Of the ten islands, only the three largest are inhabited - Batan, Sabtang, and Itbayat.

A regular roundtrip ticket to Basco (Batan island) from Manila would cost Php 12,000+. Ouch. Batanes had to wait. And wait, I did. Two years. Grabbed the chance to go to Batanes when SEAir had promo fares for Basco. March 2011 was it.

Peeking out the window of the 32-seater plane after one and a half hours, I was greeted by the greens of Batan and the blues and whites of the raging Pacific.

Touchdown Basco. And my first dose of Ivatan kindness. At the airport I asked a police officer for directions on how to get to Ivatan Lodge, where I will be staying for the next few days, and received an offer for a ride as an answer. Way to welcome a visitor!

With my limited budget, I chose the Ivatan Lodge (single 300/double 400/triple 600). The rooms are located on the second floor (government offices occupy the ground floor) and are quite big with its own bathroom. Not too shabby! But there is no restaurant, just a small dining area with a refrigerator and a water dispenser. You'd have to look elsewhere for your meals. And elsewhere can mean just next door or a five-minute walk.

Finding the first place that offered breakfast, Shanedel's Inn, just beside Ivatan Lodge, I ordered what was recommended --- one-day old daing with egg and garlic rice. Good thing I had finished my food before asking for the bill or I would have choked --- that simple meal cost me Php 120!

 View from Shanedel's Inn (left) and the 120-peso breakfast (right)

Day one was spent walking around town and wherever my feet could take me. If you had read my previous post, then you know I only recently learned to ride a bike. A bike would have been a great way to explore the island of Batan. Yes, there are bikes for rent at Batanes Cultural Travel Agency. Another option is to rent a van but the van rental is for the whole day. No half day rates, thus the decision to just walk it the first day.

Basco is a quiet little town with boats parked on the streets and not cars; where everyone you meet will greet you good morning/afternoon/evening, whatever the case may be, with a smile on their face; and with, unfortunately, too few stone houses left.

 

Street parking for boats

 

Around town

 

An abandoned stone house

My legs brought me to the Church of Sto. Domingo de Basco, Basco Lighthouse, Mt Carmel Chapel, Fundacion Pacita, and PAGASA station. But I will leave that for another post.

PS While walking around, I found out that the airport is just a 10-minute walk from Ivatan Lodge. Mental note: walk to the airport on departure day.

A note on accommodations:

Ivatan Lodge and Batanes Resort are both government owned. The contact number for Ivatan Lodge/Batanes Resort is 0908 882 4510. Other options are Batanes Seaside Lodge [0921 229 0120], Shanedel's Inn [0920 447 0737], Pension Ivatan (right next to the airport), Fundacion Pacita (the most expensive).

How Batanes bore a hole thru Mustachio's pocket:
Will reveal the magic number after this series :-)


If you missed my other Batanes posts, do not fret:
Sketch Batanes
Hello Batanes (you're here!)
Northern Batan on Foot
Northern Batan Not By Foot
Southern Batan
Sabtang Island
Itbayat