First blog post: Why BATANES should be on top of your Philippine Bucket List?

"BREATHTAKING BATANES!" Are you planning to travel more in 2017 but don’t know where to go? Let me show you the beauty of the country's northernmost and smallest province through this post! (.... and the story of my dream travel destination)

Dubbed as "Nature's Playground". It definitely deserves the title! That alone should be enough to convince you to book a flight to Batanes for your next travel! Lol.

Undulating terrain, diverse marine life, limestone cliffs, and panoramic sceneries. Batanes is among the most sought-after tourism frontier destinations.

WEATHER? Even during summer, weather in Batanes is relatively cooler than the rest of the Philippines. The coolest months are from December to March where temperature fall below 10 degrees. Dry months are from late March to June. (According to Kuya Fahran, our tour guide)

Luckily, I went here last April, my birth month! Nights before the trip, I had a hard time sleeping. That's how excited I was. I couldn’t wait for the day I would ride the plane to go the place I had only seen in my dreams. I had been dreaming of going to Batanes ever since I was a kid. You might be asking, of all the other places, why Batanes? It's because of its serene and exceptional beauty. As someone who loves color green and anything nature, I believe Batanes is the happiest place on Earth.

One of Batanes' tourist icons is its Ivatan indigenous house made up of stone, coral and lime walls, hardwood floors and windows, and cogon roofs.

Pristine white beaches are APLENTY. It boasts of stretches of white and cream colored sandy beaches and clear water. What’s great about Batanes is that it is not as commercialized as other beach destinations in the country like Boracay and Cebu, although it gets a good number of tourists all-year round. You will not find big resorts and clubs here so it’s perfect for those who love a laid-back provincial life.

There is no perfect word to describe how I felt the moment I stepped on the pristine white sand, gazed at the mesmerizing limestone cliffs, and swam my way through crystal clear waters. It was during those moments when I unconsciously stopped thinking and started living. I never complained nor felt that something was missing inside me. That was when I knew I was truly happy.

BASCO:

SABTANG:

Natural formations are surreal. Batanes will give you serene vibes. The moment you step foot on Batanes' soil, you will be transported into a different environment. Everyone here seems happy and high on life -- it’s contagious!

To get to Sabtang from Basco, you travel first by jeepney to San Vicente or Radiwan port in Ivana (Php 28 for a 30 minute ride). Motorized ferries (falowa) will bring you to Sabtang (Php 75 for 30-40 minute ride). If you arrive at San Vicente or Radiwan Port at 6:30 AM, you are in for the first boat trip to Sabtang. Sabtang is best enjoyed at least with an overnight stay and leave early the next day. It is the closest you can get to experience the old Batanes.

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Local culture is one of a kind. Religion? According to Kuya Fahran, most of the Ivatans are Roman Catholics and they appreciate visitors observing conservative dress code whenever they enter their churches.

There are no specific greetings for any specific time of the day. Older men and women are your "Uncles" and "Aunts" in Batanes. It is an accepted way to say hello. "Kapian ka pu nu Dios" is also used as greetings any time of the day.
And yes, you will fall in love with the local culture. In fact, some people come to Batanes and never left the island because they fell in love with the place, the vibe, and the people. You will meet many different types of people with different nationalities and eventually learn from their culture. The locals are warm and hospitable too! They provide stories that will make you want to stay in the island a little bit longer.

Cool physical activities. Jeepneys from Basco to other municipalities are available from 5:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Private vehicles; motorcycles and bicycles are also available for rent to tour the islands of Batan and Sabtang. Cars in Batanes are very rare and people go from one place to another through motorbikes. Long-stay tourists usually rent motorbikes to save on costs. Take the opportunity to learn or level up your motorbiking skills here.
The highlight of my dream travel was when I tried the Zipline at Sabtang, and I can say that it was the BEST VIEW & RIDE OF MY LIFE. One of the activities you shouldn't miss!

When we are about to leave, I was in awe. Happy tears suddenly came flowing from my eyes. I couldn’t help but think about how lucky I am to be in a place where my heart is at its happiest state, free from the chaos of the world.

You know when you have this dream destination that you can’t stop thinking about? You would always check photos of it online and tell yourself, “I will go there someday!” The thing is, you really don’t know when because financially, you can’t afford or at least, think you can’t. But I tell you, it’s just a matter of setting a goal and finding a way to make things happen.

(@raynarojas - Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and tucked inside the tranquility of BATANES. woot! woot!)

All pictures are mine, taken from my phone and DSLR
Special thanks to:

• Kuya Fahran of Basco, Batanes for being our tour guide/photographer/driver during our stay (highly recommended! Contact number: 09165020431)
• D' Islands Lodge for sumptuous breakfasts!
• @immarojas, my aunt, for introducing steemit