Hello everyone!
I promised myself not to succumb to my procrastination when it comes to Batanes - my ultimate travel destination in the Philippines. I'll never get tired of saying that this trip has been decades in the making. Now that I've finally visited the very place that haunted my imagination since I first learned about the allure of the province, I'll also never get tired of sharing everything about the trip. So, be prepared for all the posts about Batanes until all my photos and videos are exhausted.
I was initially worried that I had set my expectations too high because I had this overhyped imagination that I would probably cry the moment we land in Basco Airport, but I didn't. It was a lackluster moment and I didn't feel anything.
This photo sums up my emotions (or the lack thereof) the moment we landed at Basco Airport. I just find it so funny that I looked like this kid who's been forced by his moment to pose for a photo. Did you know I instructed my friends to take a video the moment we landed just to capture if ever I would cry? Yeah. Disappointing.
The van from our tour agency was waiting for us outside the airport. For those planning to visit Batanes, you can't DIY your tour. We booked Batanes Byaheng Lokal as our tour provider. Thanks to @itskareninamoi for booking everything.
We stayed at Casa Feliciano, which was also part of the tour. It’s just a short walk from the airport. I swear, you can walk around Basco from end to end without breaking a sweat.
Can I just flex my @worldmappin hoodie? It finally arrived a day before our Batanes trip and after four months in limbo since it was shipped from Germany. Thank you @detlev, @lizanomadsoul, and the rest of team from Europe!
As we didn't have a decent sleep from the flights from Cebu, we decided to take a nap first before exploring the town in the afternoon. As the lighthouse is just on a hill that can been seen from our accommodation, we decided to visit that first.
As we got closer to the lighthouse, I started to notice how small the town proper of Basco is. Also, there's a reason why it's always recommended to visit the lighthouse during sunset. It's an iconic landmark that captures the imagination of tourists when talking about Batanes.
Basco is surrounded by hills and mountains which made the location strategic considering that Batanes is always on the path of strong typhoons. In the south are the hills going to Mahatao, in the north are Vayang Rolling Hills, in the east is Mt. Iraya, and in the west is Naidi Hills where the lighthouse is located.
I thought the lighthouse was constructed a long time ago, but it was only completed in 2003. It was constructed not only as a guide to fishermen and seafarers, but also as a tourist attraction. As one of the three main lighthouses in Batanes, you can't think of Batanes without these lighthouses attached to it.
There were people making arrangements and fixing some decorations in the lighthouse because there would be dinner with the Department of Tourism Secretary the next day. It was supposed to be a dialogue about the possible government intervention to boost Batanes' tourism without sacrificing the peace and way of life of villages in the islands.
After filling up the registration form, we immediately explore the vicinity of the lighthouse. It was just in time for the golden hour. You can access the top of the lighthouse through the winding stairs and the interior walls of the lighthouse has paintings depicting Ivatans' way of life.
It's time for the sunset photos:
Since Naidi Hills is facing the West Philippine Sea, it's one of the best places in Batanes for sunset watching. You know me, I'm a sucker for sunsets, so this one is for the books.
The view at the top of the lighthouse is immaculate, but it's so windy up there. No matter, the sunset is epic and I'd say we had a good start in our eight-day stay in Batanes.
This is the west view of Naidi Hills from the top of Basco Lighthouse. The verdant green rolling hills with occasional touch of white stone houses made it looked like we were not in the Philippines.
Some close-ups:
I guess that's all for this post. I still have a lot of photos to share, so be prepared because I'm gonna share them all even if no one's asking for them. See you!
Kim Ybañez
Welcome to Kim's small corner in Hive. He is a chemical engineer by profession but a blogger by passion. He is a wanderlust and an adventure seeker. Join his quests as he visits remote destinations, climbs mountains, tries new and exotic dishes, and explores his country (The Philippines). He's also a trying-hard photographer, so stay tuned as he shares his photos and his thought process while creating them.
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