Braving Basco, Batanes is the first of the Because Beautiful Batanes series.

Getting to Batanes used to be a luxury when the regular roundtrip tickets via SkyJet costed around PhP 20,000. So when I learned in 2013 that PAL Express, which was Airphil Express then, is having a direct flight to Basco, I’d waited for the inaugural flight details, patiently followed its Facebook page and requested to be notified for its every post. I had a strong feeling then that they would be staging up a sale like any business will usually do. In February 21, 2013, they announced their first flight in May 1st and opened a seat promo. Without hesitation and with luck of finding good dates, I immediately booked. I learned that after few hours of my successful booking, seats on sale on the travel period were already gone in a snap. Good call!

I didn’t care how many leaves of absence I should file. I didn’t mind the possibility even of getting stranded in one of the Batanes islands due to weather. I just needed to cross this off from bucket list. It will cost more when I let the chance slipped. I got my golden ticket for only PhP 5,947.00. Sweet deal. Although as of writing, PAL Express once had a ultra-low price roundtrip ticket less than Php 2,000.

Because of the benefits of expanding my network through travel, Mark, whom I met in Mt. Pulag hike, gave me the contact numbers of Ate Rory and Ate Remy. Mark used to work with Ate Rory in the province while Ate Remy works as one of the registered travel agency owners in Batanes. They took care of the lodge and the tour. Vacation all covered!

The descent to Batanes Group of Islands.

Pictured above are the uninhabited Vohas and Dequey Islands, two of the seven islands of Batanes. Batanes is the northernmost and smallest province in the Philippines.

Break In Basco

The small and unique airport of Basco decorated with flat rounded and smooth rocks.

I almost kissed the soil after the safe touchdown out of excitement or as what the Swedish would perfectly described as a resfeber. The cold winds were blowing and slapping me. I find it cool though. Pun. I met Ate Rory and Ate Remy and the other guests who will be joining the 3-day adventure. My travel lodge, and even the city proper, is just few meters away from the airport. Because the tour will start late in the afternoon, I stroll Basco by myself even under the gloomy weather and drizzle.

Kilometer Zero in Basco aligned with the flagpole of the provincial capitol and Rizal’s monument.

This should not be confused with the Kilometer Zero in Manila which is also aligned with Rizal Park. For a primer on the kilometer markers in the Philippines, get informed here.

An art wall of Yaru Nu Artes Ivatan, a cooperative and gallery art center in Basco

Kids and teens playing in the rocky beach near Batanes port under the rain

Backdoor

My appreciation of the lighthouse, the biggest one that I’ve seen, led me to a path less, or the least even, taken. I explored the place without knowing the right direction. So I ended up trekking tall grasses of the hills at the back of the lighthouse… in the cemetery. My heart pounded fast while navigating the way up on top of the tombs. Only to figure out that it’s dead end. Fail but fun. I discovered the correct way to hills later.

The backdoor of the Naidi Lighthouse

Bunkers in Naidi Hills. Find the goat in the picture.

Unaltered snapshot of Naidi Lighthouse from a point-and-shoot camera.

A photogenic cow with Mount Iraya as its background

Naidi Hills facing South China Sea

Despite the abrupt change in the weather in Basco and the threats from China during the standoff that time, I couldn’t contain my enthusiasm to see the rest of Batanes with this good sneak preview. Few hours after the solo treat, we went to Northern Batan for a half-day tour.

To be continued…