Batanes has been on our bucket list for a while now, but it was a destination we thought we'd visit maybe in 3, 4, 5 years. Then as we were thinking of a good way to celebrate Cholo's 30th birthday (a milestone birthday!), we toyed with the idea of going to a place we'd always wanted to visit but had never been before.
And everything just fell into place, and Batanes became a reality.
As with every trip, I did my research and read up on what to expect, what to pack, and how to go about planning our itinerary. You can never really plan for every thing though, and there are several things I wish we'd known before going.
Here are a few tips for those who are planning to visit Batanes:
1. As early as a month and a half before our trip, Accuweather became my best friend, as I obsessively checked for chances of rain on our travel dates. September is usually typhoon-month in the Philippines so we were worried that the rain might ruin our vacation. Add to that the common perception that Batanes is hit by most (if not all) of the typhoons that enter the country.
As relayed to us by our tour guides and other locals, Batanes being constantly battered by typhoons is a huge misconception. Batanes is a reference point as it holds the last weather station in the northern tip of the country, which is why it is mentioned frequently in connection with typhoons.
In our 4-day stay, it rained for brief periods. Mostly late at night (while we were asleep), and mostly just slight drizzles. Not enough to disrupt our tours, thankfully.
Travel Tip: You can never really predict the weather, so always have a plan B!
Travel Tip: Bring a waterproof bag to protect your belongings/gadgets from the rain.
Wanderlust waterproof bag from https://instagram.com/trippy.ph
2. Based on travel blogs and Instagram posts, I knew Batanes would be windy. Notably, I knew that it would be foolish to pack short skirts and dresses for the trip. Nothing that could fly up and expose unmentionables, please!
What I didn't expect was that the wind in some places (particularly the rolling hills) were so strong that it was a bit terrifying to keep walking without anything to hold on to. The view blew us away, and the wind almost quite literally did too.
Travel Tip: Plan your outfits accordingly. My trip outfits consisted of maxi dresses and rompers - leaving no chance for possible wardrobe malfunctions.
Climbing up this steep hill, trying not to topple over from the wind
...to reach this amaaaaaazing view.
3. Given that we were worried about the rain (see #1), we didn't even think about how hot it might possibly get during the day. We were out in the sun for our tours for a good part of each day and by day 2, we realized that we had major sunburns.
Sunburns in September. How ironic.
Travel Tip: Use sunblock! If you're extra diligent, bring a wide-brimmed hat to shield yourself from the sun.
Tan lines galore.
4. I read a million and one horror stories about how crazy the boat ride to Sabtang Island would be, and that Bonamine was a must. We even had friends that warned us about how when they went, they were puking like crazy once they got to the port. We aren't the type of travelers though that get seasick, so we decided to risk it and just face the boat ride Bonamine-free.
Further proof that the weather in September is much nicer than you would have imagined, our 30-minute boat ride to and from Sabtang was as calm as can be. We didn't experience the killer waves that every Batanes blog talks about, it was about as peaceful as you could hope for.
Travel Tip: If you're the type that gets seasick on island hopping boat rides, err on the side of caution and bring medicine.
All smiles, on a very calm faluwa boat ride
5. Be warned, there is no signal for iphones. And apparently, android phones as well (per the hotel staff). Regardless if you are a Globe or a Smart subscriber, newer phones are virtually useless in Batanes. We had brief windows of Smart signal in the airport though, as well as in one particular restaurant (Pension Ivatan). When we got home from our tours every afternoon, the hotel wifi saved our lives and kept us connected to what was happening in Manila. What apparently does work on the islands, per the locals, would be myphone, cherry mobile and nokia phones.
Travel Tip: If you absolutely need to be contacted, plan ahead and bring old school phones. Otherwise, give your family/friends a heads-up about the signal situation, and tell them to just contact you via Viber.
Thought bubble: "Still no signal?"
6. Batanes is that one place where everywhere you look, there's a picture perfect scene waiting to be photographed and preserved. On day 1, as we were visiting the last stop of our tour, our camera AND my phone both gave up. Fully drained thanks to all the sights we visited before that last one. What was worse was that the last stop was the lighthouse at sunset, which was easily one of the prettiest sights of the day.
Travel Tip: Make sure to charge your cameras. Make sure to charge your phones, which can act as back-up cameras. More importantly, have a fully-charged power bank ready to top up your camera and phone batteries.
7. Enjoy!!! We had such a good trip, and we appreciated the break we had from work, from the daily routine, and from the Manila traffic. Originally, we wanted to try so many things, eat in so many places and maximize the time we had, but we realized that we also had to take time to rest. We were, after all, on vacation.
Being away from it all made us realize that the slower pace of the province, the familiarity of the locals (who all seemed to know each other), and yes, even the lack of signal, was oddly refreshing.
Travel Tip: Soak it all in. Remember that you're on a break and that not every minute should be scheduled and planned.
I mean, come on. This view. How can you not just sit back and enjoy every second?
Watch out for more Batanes posts in the coming days!
Super love. I WANT TO GO ALSO
ReplyDeleteGo!!!! :) It's one of those trips that you really have to go on, at least once.
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