The incomparable beauty of Batanes

I have not seen a single column about Batanes without a photograph of the place. And why not, maybe the photos would best illustrate what words cannot describe. Some columnists that wrote about Batanes say that they are at loss for words — that is fairly accurate of my own experience in Batanes when I visited the island last week. 

I was awestruck. 

I left for Batanes last Holy Week, taking advantage of the long break for some quiet time-slash-recreation. I also went on a photo safari class with Mandy Navasero. 

When I returned from my five-day sojourn, I was encouraging everyone to book a flight and just go! You do not know what you are missing!

How do you describe Batanes? Adjectives would not suffice. Allow me to write about how Batanes touched me. Experience…  memories... moments... after all make Batanes truly distinct. 

It reminds me of the shores of Maui, Hawaii.  

Several years ago, I went to Maui on coverage for Nagmamahal, Kapamilya. The dark blue water and the raging waves and the cool breeze disheveling my hair... how can I forget all these? I wanted to go back to Maui, but Batanes changed all that. 

Batanes is enveloped by the Pacific Ocean and the West Philippine Sea, two vast bodies of water. And naturally, the waves are intimidating. Not much of beaches but reefs. Unlike Boracay and Palawan, you don’t see much beaches, and yet, when in Batanes, even a restless soul like mine would want to just get settled and sit. The peacefulness unites you with the beauty of nature. You forget the time and space.

In one of the tourist spots there, popularly named the Dawn Zulueta hill because it was where the movie, Hihintayin kita sa Langit was shot, we just sat by the shore appreciating the Pacific Ocean slamming against the rocks, creating huge bursts of water. Like fireworks display, we were anticipating the next big wave, a bigger bang! The colors were different hues of blue, aqua blue trimmings in the waves! And when wave after wave hit land, it then retreats back into the ocean leaving froth, like steamed milk caressing the sand until it’s gone. 

The beauty of Batanes is its own, and yet, but it has been compared to other beautiful places in Europe and the Mediterranean. Some would describe the Batanes landscape like Scotland, its architecture like Greece because of the blue-painted doors. The houses made from limestone also remind other tourists of Provence. I’ve not been to any of those places, but I was able to visit Austria, and when I set foot on Batanes’ Marlboro Hills, I started singing like Fraulein Maria, “The hills are alive with the sound of music.” It was such a joy.

Speaking of movies, the rock formations in Batan island, the main island of Batanes reminded me of the movie Cliffhanger starring Sylvester Stallone. In other parts of the pristine island I remembered scenes in the movies, The Blue Lagoon, Lost and even Cast Away. The forest of Itbayat, Northern island of Batanes was like a scene from The Hunger Games. We trekked the forest and into the caves leading to the ocean with fellow adults and teenagers enjoying the adventure, away from the city.

My husband Orange was amazed at the teenagers in our group. The generation of iPad and iPhone users had an appreciation for the island, not wanting to leave! Whether Batanes was simply hard to resist, or the children were brought up to appreciate nature, I can only guess. 

Batanes is a small island in the Northernmost part of the Philippines, and thus it is awesome how it brings such rich experience to all those who visit. The adventure seekers can do mountain biking in the islands. A couple had their bikes with them, and they even loaded the bikes in the falowa, a local banca without outrigger, to cross over to the island Sabtang. Crossing the Pacific Ocean is an adventure in itself, especially in the part where the Pacific Ocean and the West Philippine Sea meet. It really feels like the water is about to consume our little falowa, but it’s normal for Ivatans.  

Our cheap thrill was riding on the roof of our service jeepney as we cruised by the ocean. For those worried about safety, we were slow and steady and there were hardly any vehicles in Batanes. Most access is farm to market roads, where carabaos pass with their sleds.

Batanes is also perfect if one desires a quiet space to reflect, to write and to be creative. I wonder how much of the island has influenced world-renowned artist Pacita Abad, an Ivatan. 

I met a composer with his family in Fundacion Pacita. He says he might be able to write an entire CD just if he stayed in Batanes for a month. A singer actress said, that the beauty of Batanes makes her want to cry. Batanes has a certain mystique or perhaps it’s the purity of the place — a disarming rawness to it.  

My husband, while seated at the garden of Fundacion fronting the sea, said that this is how movies would portray a dying person’s remaining days — peaceful and content looking into the horizon. Another visitor said that Batanes is like the Creation, how God created the world — from Genesis to the end of life. Truly, Batanes is Creation. 

My own words could never capture the essence of Batanes because, like anything beautiful, it communicates to us on a personal level, unique to one’s own. 

I know I’m being redundant because most of you have heard wonderful things about Batanes already over and over again. For sure, a trip to Batanes is in your bucket list. Let go of that list, and just go for words or images will never suffice to describe the place. To know Batanes, you have to experience it yourself.

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