Batanes : South Batan Gateaway

My Ultimate 8-Day Batanes adventure continues...

For our third day, Bisumis’s Tours & Services' South Batan Tour started at 9:00 AM. BISUMI which stands for Basco, Itbayat, Sabtang, Uyugan, Mahatao and Ivana are the towns in Batanes.  This whole day activity covers Uyugan, Mahatao & Ivana.

Our first stop was at Chawa View Deck located at the west coast of Mahatao facing the West Philippine Sea.  It is the best site for sunset viewing. There are benches where you can sit and relax or you can take the stairs down the rocky shore.

Next stop was at Mahatao Boat Shelter Port. It was built in 2007 to protect the fishing and passenger vessels from damage in case of bad weather conditions.

The San Carlos Borromeo Church or Mahatao Church was declared a National Cultural treasure in 2001.  It is where the Maywang A Libro Du Vatan or the Batanes Blank Book Archive is located.  You can pay an entrance fee of P50 and you are free to write your thoughts on the blank pages of any book.

Mahatao Spanish Lighthouse or Tayid Lighthouse is a modern structure built in 2000.  It is not functional since it does not have complete facilities.  It serves as a tourist attraction with the panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean and other parts of the Batan Island . They say it is the only octagonal lighthouse in Batanes. But the truth is, it is hexagonal.

At Lunch time, we ate at Paulvanna’s Catering located at Marlboro Country. You can freshen up and change your outfit after that sweaty stroll on the hills and after that tiring jump shots.

Racuh-A-Payaman is a protected location in the island of Batan.  Anyone can shot some awesome photos even if you are not a professional photographer beacause the place is imcredibly beautiful.  Dubbed as the "Marlboro Country" by Tourists, Racuh-A-Payaman makes you wonder if you really are in the Philippines.

Our next destination was at House of Dakay.  This is perhaps the most photographed Stone House in Batanes.  The residents of this house have a vakul for rent. If you want a photograph wearing it, you can pay P10 for rental fee.  A Vakul is a native women’s headgear that is Abacca fiber-made for sunlight and rain protection.  They also sell some souvenir items like ref magnets, keychains, t-shirts, etc.

The most famous man-made tourist attraction in Batanes is the Honesty Coffee Shop.  The uniqueness of its store concept is what makes it famous.  Customers log down what item they bought and the price.  Exact payment is then placed at the cash box.  If you happen to have a change, consider it as a tip.  This business concept is being replicated in many housing lodges in Batanes.

San Jose de Ivana Church is one of the most preserved churches in the region. It is said that Filipino revolutionaries waved the Katipunan flag in the church's bell tower on September 18, 1898. Today, ruins of the abandoned portion of the church can still be seen.

Uyugan has the most number of intact stone houses in Batan Island.  That is why the The Uyugan Church or the San Antonio De Florencia is also relatively intact. This is the smallest church we have been to. It is one of the churches you should not miss in Batanes.  

The Ruins at Sitio Song-song is what remains of the baranggay when a Tsunami slapped Batanes in 1954. We were not able to get down at the site because of extreme heat.  It is advisable to bring your hats or cap for this tour.

Our Lady of Miraculous Medal  is also a small church in Itbud. Walking around in this town feels like you are back in time.

The Alapad Hills and Rock Formation is one of the magnificent tourist destinations in the Batan Island. Actually, It is my favorite site . With the view of the curvy hills, rock formation and the Pacific Ocean. No doubt, every angle would be picture perfect. The scenic road cliffs of Imnajbu is definitely a WOW!

It is also the place where the famous scene from the 1991 movie "Hihintayin Kita Sa Langit" by Dawn Zulueta and Richard Gomez.  You can mimic their "I-Dawn Zulueta mo ko" move with your loved one.

The ruins of the old USCG LO-RAN Station (Long Range Naval Station) was the center of what used to be Little America during the American era.

Imnajbu is considered the birthplace of Christianity in Batanes. It is in San Lorenzo Chapel where the first holy mass and baptism were celebrated.  Lying right across the San Lorenzo Chapel in Imnajbu is a sand-and-shingle beach where locals obtain the stones they use for their homes. 

At 5:30 P.M. we were back at Amboy's and enjoyed the awesome sunset at the beach just across the road.

We had our dinner at Amboy's.  We ordered ahead of time. Finally, we had our coconut crab or locally known as "Tatus".  We also tried their Sweet & Sour Lapu-Lapu which you should definitely try! The best Sweet & Sour Lapu-Lapu I've ever tasted is here at Amboy's.

After dinner, we went to see our group for a dessert at Octagon. Octagon is the only establishment that closes late at night.  They have a good wifi connection, too. Tambay mode on whenever we are there.

We had a nice bonding with our tour group, asking everyone about life and love and work. 

It was Cha's birthday that day.  She  will be working abroad right after this trip.  She shared her "walang forever" love story.  She was with a friend named Nats, who seems reserved & shy.

One "couple" who we fondly called Basha & Popo are also leaving the island that next morning.  Well, they are just friends they say. They are friends who travel together for the first time...with a past. 

Then the Tres Marias.  Ms. Ellen and Ms. Evelyn are sisters while Ms. Luz is Ms. Evelyn's bestfriend. We caught them taking pictures of us in our "buwis-buhay" selfies. Whenever I looked at them,I am seeing ourselves, five or more years from now. We might still be travelling together, making good memories & sharing experiences.It was nice to be with this group.

I will be posting our next adventure which is the Overnight Tour at Sabtang Island very soon. Dios Mamajes, Batanes!