Batanes’ rugged and unspoiled terrain is fascinating to no end, especially for the average Filipino who regularly sees coconut-fringed white sand beaches. With more commercial flights coming in and out of Basco, making that Batanes dream come true has become a matter of getting lucky at seat sales.
And if you’re the kind who loves being outdoors, you’ll love Batanes even more: with well-paved roads on Batan Island, going around by yourself on a bike is not at all impossible. Biking around Batanes may sound a bit too much of an adventure, but it’s definitely one of the best ways to see the province’s stunning vistas!
Before deciding to bike around, remember the following:
- Batan Island’s terrain consists of long and sloping roads. Most of them are paved, but you have to be very comfortable at riding a bike and physically fit in order to pull off at least half a day’s worth of pedaling. Mountain bikes are recommended.
- Navigation is straightforward, but extra care is needed in negotiating cliffside roads. Finish any route before nightfall.
- Bike rentals are possible. Rates are by the hour (starting at ₱25 for city bikes) or day (₱300 to ₱1,000 depending on bike type).
- It is recommended to do the north and south routes on separate days. The south Batan route stretches over 30 kilometers (18.6 miles).
Biking Around Batan Island, Batanes
Biking around Batan Island can be done in two phases: north and south. Please note that some areas in the north usually included in tours, such as Vayang Rolling Hills and the PAGASA radar station at Tukon are best reached via tricycles or hired vans because of the very steep terrain.
North Batan
Naidi Lighthouse, Basco
The lighthouse at Naidi is one of three lighthouses in Batanes and is the easiest to reach among them. Just a little distance up a hill from the town proper, the lighthouse offers a view of the sea, the Basco port where cargo ships from mainland Luzon dock; and the nearby islands of Dinem and Itbayat. On the opposite side, Mt. Iraya, the town proper, and the town cemetery are also visible. The Naidi Lighthouse is a good spot for watching the sunset.
Valugan Boulder Beach, Basco
True to its name, Valugan has a carpet of boulders spewed by Mt. Iraya during its last eruption. The beach faces the east, making it an ideal spot for the sunrise. Expect to bike for around 15 minutes from the town proper. If you plan on biking to Valugan Boulder Beach for the sunrise, make sure to familiarize yourself with the route the day before.
South Batan
Batan Island’s southern end is a much longer and more exhausting route, but this is where the adventure really happens. The route starts right outside Basco into a stretch of cliffside roads to the center of the next town, Mahatao.
From Mahatao town proper, you can choose either of two routes. The first route will go inland to the other spots of Mahatao, which includes Diura Fishing Village, Tayid Lighthouse, and Marlboro Country; Barangay Imnajbu in the town of Uyugan; the towns of Itbud and Ivana, and back to Mahatao again before ending in Basco.
The second route is the opposite of the first and involves going straight to Ivana from Mahatao town proper, to Itbud and Uyugan, and uphill to Marlboro Country. From here, it’s downhill to Diura Fishing Village and Tayid Lighthouse, Mahatao town proper, and Basco.
National Road, Mahatao
Probably the most adventurous part of the route comes rather quickly at this stretch of roads carved from the mountainside, plunging rather unabashedly into the big blue that stretches as far as the eyes can see. Along the road is the Chawa Viewdeck, which has concrete steps leading all the way down.
Be extra careful in navigating this road because of its many blind curves. It is not recommended to traverse this at night, especially for first-time visitors.
Town Proper, Mahatao
The Mahatao boat shelter port signals your entrance to Mahatao’s town proper. At the town center is the whitewashed San Carlos Borromeo Church, a Baroque church constructed in the late 1700s later recognized as a National Cultural Heritage Treasure by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
Twelve kilometers (7.4 miles) from Basco, the town proper can also serve as a pit stop, since there are a couple of stores and eateries around.
Diura Fishing Village, Mahatao
Pedal further inland to reach Diura Fishing Village, a small community of fishermen. March signals the start of the fishing season in Batanes, at which time the fishing community conducts a ritual called the Kapayvanuvanua, which involves butchering a pig and ‘reading’ its liver for tidings from the gods. The pig serves as an offering for a lucrative season for the fishermen. Outside the fishing season, the families usually return to live in their huts near their fields to farm.
Tayid Lighthouse, Mahatao
Tayid Lighthouse or Mahatao Lighthouse, is accessible via a steep uphill road. The lighthouse overlooks Mahatao’s hills and farmlands and the Pacific Ocean.
Racuh a Payaman, Mahatao
One of Batanes most photographed spots, Racuh a Payaman or Marlboro Country is a communal pastureland offering perhaps one of the best views in Batanes. Mt. Iraya, Diura, and Tayid Lighthouse are visible from here.
Alapad Pass, Uyugan
Downhill from Racuh a Payaman at the southeastern end of the island is Barangay Imnajbu, whose most striking feature is a huge rock formation called the Alapad Rock Formation, part of a hill through which a part of the National Road was built. The spot offers a sweeping view of the beach. Further down is Imnajbu Proper, the site of the first Catholic mass in Batanes.
Songsong Ruins, Uyugan
As you make your way farther, you’ll pass by what appears to be a clump of abandoned, roofless stone houses overrun by vines—the so-called Ruins of Songsong, a barangay that has been abandoned following a 1950s tsunami.
Honesty Coffee Shop, Ivana
After a rather long stretch that will take you past the rest of Uyugan and Itbud, you’ll emerge at the town of Ivana, the home of the popular unmanned store aptly named Honesty Coffee Shop. The coffee shop offers snacks and souvenir items, and visitors simply have to list down whatever they take and drop their payment in a box.
Right next to the shop is the Port of Ivana, where faluwas—outrigger-free passenger boats—leave for the nearby island of Sabtang, which is visible from the port.
On the opposite side of the road, on top of a hill, is the San Jose de Ivana Church, completed in the early 1800s.
House of Dakay, Ivana
Ivana town proper is home to some well preserved stone houses, including the House of Dakay, the oldest in town. Like most stone houses in Batanes, the House of Dakay is squat and features thick limestone walls and small windows, so designed to protect from fierce winds and rain. It has a cogon roof, which is replaced every three decades.
From the House of Dakay, it’s going to be another long stretch to Mahatao, with a possible pit stop at Vatang Grill, where you can sample local cuisine.
As soon as you are back at Mahatao’s town proper from either of the two routes, simply retrace your way to Basco.
No comments:
Post a Comment