PH · Batanes · 20.58°N 121.90°E

batanes

Rolling green cliffs, stone houses and wild seas at the country's northern tip.

Best time
March to May is the best window, with calmer seas and clearer skies. Typhoons are common from around July to October, and the cooler months from November to February bring strong winds and rough seas.
How long
3–4 days
Getting there
Fly KL to Manila (about 4 hours), then about 1.5–2 hours on to Basco, the capital. Flying is the only practical way in.
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PH · Batanesbatanes20.58°N 121.90°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Rolling green cliffs, stone houses and wild seas at the country's northern tip.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingBatanesPH, Batanes
KLbatanes
≈ 2,925 km from KL, as the crow flies
Sabtang is one of the most laid-back and peaceful places I’ve been to in the country.

Photo: Ranieljosecastaneda · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

The Philippines' northernmost and smallest province, a scatter of islands closer to Taiwan than to Manila. Its grassy hills, sea cliffs and stone villages look nothing like the rest of the country, and many Ivatan families still live in thick-walled stone houses built to ride out typhoons.

Makan

  1. LunisIvatan-style pork, salted and slow-cooked in its own fat.Map ↗
  2. UvudBalls made from banana stem pith mixed with minced meat or fish.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Basco LighthouseOn Naidi Hills above town, with views over the coast and Mount Iraya.Map ↗
  2. Marlboro CountryRolling pastures above the sea cliffs in Mahatao, with grazing cattle and big skies.Map ↗
  3. Vayang Rolling HillsMore green hills and ocean views in the north of Batan island.Map ↗
  4. Valugan Boulder BeachA shore covered in smooth volcanic boulders, thrown out long ago by Mount Iraya.Map ↗
  5. Sabtang IslandA boat ride from Ivana to the stone-house village of Chavayan.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Flights are often cancelled by bad weather. Leave a spare day or two before any onward connection.
  • Boats to Sabtang only run in calm seas, so try to go early in your trip.
  • Bring enough cash. ATMs are few and not always working.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.