Tips When Traveling to Batanes

Port of Ivana

Batanes is one of the traveler's dream destination. The place is simply breath-taking and the beauty of nature is mesmerizing. People in the island are so warmth that they even greet the tourists with their smiles saying good morning or good afternoon. However, Going to Batanes could really be expensive, and is more costly than traveling to Hong Kong or to any other Asian tourist destinations. Staying in Batanes for 3 to 5 days may not be an enough time to complete your traveling experience.

But there is an alternative way of spending your money in order to cut your budget cost based from my travel experience in Batanes. Below are some of my tips and the summary of my expenses and experience for you as a guide to look at so that you will be able to anticipate your cost to make a leeway to some unseen circumstances occur in the island. The more people traveling in the group is the better as this will lessen your expenses. But since I was the only one who went to Batanes, the cost was conservatively based from my personal experiences.

Travel Expenses:

• Airfare (roundtrip with Sky Pasada via Tuguegarao to Basco):  Php 7, 600
• Bus from Cubao to Tuguegarao - 575
• Bus from Tuguegarao to Cubao - 575
• Food Allowance for 7 days - 2,500
• Inns for 7 days - 3,000
• Pasalubong and souvenir items - 500
• tricycle rentals in Batan tour - 1600
• Tricycle rentals in Sabtang tour 800
• Jeepney allowance - 200
• Faluwa boat ride (round trip) 100

Going to Tuguegarao made via Victory Liner bus takes approximately 12 hours travel time. From Tuguegarao to Batanes is one hour plane ride.

Sky Pasada also offers an alternative route from Manila to Batanes which is more expensive. You can check the time, schedule and rates and reserve a ticket online www.skypasada.com. Schedules of flights may change, so you should be able to check your flight schedule prior to the departure time. My flight from Batanes to Tuguegarao when I purchased my ticket online was at 8:45a.m. But good thing I left the inn at 6:30 a.m. because the flight was earlier and it left Batanes 7:30 a.m. According to the staff, the schedules online in their website are NOT updated.

You are only allowed to check in 5 kilos of baggage and will pay more in excess of 5 kilos including your hand carry bag. In my case I have a total of 13 kilos, so I was required to pay the 8 kilos amounting to 404.00 pesos. This was a quite ridiculous experience because my returning flight from Batanes to Tuguegarao, I was only asked to pay 3 kilos excess which I paid the amount of 150 pesos only and they did not include my hand carry bag to pay an extra fee. Sky Pasada is a 19 seater plane and is suitable once you are in a budget travel. Make sure to get an advance reservation for your flights as much as possible if you are going through the month of February which is the prelude of the peak season.

Bring extra cash as there is only one ATM machine available at Basco which is Landbank. Also you cannot use your credit card for paying some goods, restaurants or any hotels/inns.

Hotels/Inns

If you are a backpacker, you can stay at some of the cheapest inn to cut your cost. Ivatan Lodge starts from 300 pesos per person a day. Some hotels/inns is more expensive averaging from 800 to 1500 pesos a day. Peak season occurs during summer. If you are going this season, make sure to make a reservation in advance as most of these inns and hotels are fully booked.

Restaurants

There are few restaurants you can find in Basco, Batanes. The one that I usually dine in is Zantan's Canteen owned by Susan. It is beside Ivatan Lodge. They have a free wi-fi internet. It opens from 9a.m. to 10p.m. The schedule might change depending on the season. SDC Canteen is found near the plaza and is the biggerst restaurant in town. Hiro's Cafe is a classy restaurant located at Abad St. Foods in Batanes are expensive as most of these goods are coming from Manila and Luzon island. You can also drop by at Vatang Grill along the national road going to Ivana. It is the only restaurant you can find along the main hi-way. Pension Ivatan offers an Ivatan food even if it is not a peak season. It is found outside the Basco airport. Ivatan foods are seasonal so Pension Ivatan is a good place to eat especially if you are looking for a local food. Foods there are really expensive so if you want these foods to be served as your meal, you can ask a caretaker in advance to cook for you.

Note: Please DO NOT eat a coconut crab or "tatus" for it is an ENDANGERED species.

Tour Guides/Car Rentals

Marlboro Country in Mahatao

If you are in a guided travel, tour guides charge their services from 1500 pesos or more for a whole day tour exclusive of car/van rentals. You may also hire a car/van and rental fee is 1500 a day. It's the same amount charged by tricycle owners for a whole day tour. You may not need a tour guide once you know the spots what you are going to visit and you can ask the driver to take you to some of these spots.  And usually the drivers know about it and could also be your tour guide. But hiring a tour guide is HIGHLY recommended if you don't want to miss out some of these spots. But I SUGGEST that you hire a tour guide!

Transportation has been a problem in Batanes. You can ride through a jeepney if you are going to another town. But please take note of their time for they only have two trips daily. One is morning which is as early as 5a.m. and the other is at noon at 12p.m. Make sure when you return to Basco, you don't miss the last trip which is around 3pm. Otherwise when you miss the last trip, you will be able to return to Basco the next day already. Ask for some people about the schedules of the trip.

Going to Sabtang Island

Lighthouse in Sabtang

Sabtang island is simply irresistible and is recommended to visit so you will be able to complete your tour. It highlights a lighthouse, the old houses and the Morong beach. But the trip could be dangerous as it involves traveling by water through Faluwa boat ride, a small boat used by locals for traveling back and forth. The weather condition changes from time to time, and it even changes in just a matter of minutes. The fare is 50 pesos only from Port of Ivana. They normally have two trips daily. First trip runs at 7a.m. If you are already in Sabtang, please take note of your time when returning to Batan. Schedules vary, depending on the weather condition as it is unpredictable in Batanes. Especially when low tide, the boat leaves the port early from Sabtang due to the weather condition is unpredictable and the boat can hardly leave the port when low tide. I had almost missed the trip returning to Batan due to the boat was leaving already the port in Sabtang and it was already the last trip during the day. DON'T MISS THE LAST TRIP if you do not want to stay overnignt in Sabtang.

Tricycle rentals for your half day tour in Sabtang is 800 pesos only. You can go to the tourist desk upon reaching the port in Sabtang and sign up there. They will be able to help you up to get a tricycle service and prepare some foods for you.

TIP: Always ask the locals if you have any questions anything about your travel in the island.

FOR MORE TRAVEL INQUIRIES AND BOOKINGS: Kindly post a comment or send me a message to johnluismiguelmadrigal@gmail.com to forward your inquiries to the tour guide.

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