Throwback: Batanes

What better way to start the weekend than with a throwback post. There will be many of these, since, like mentioned previously, I lost a lot of my posts when I moved back to Blogger from a self-hosted site which I recently terminated.

The wanderlust in me pops out every time I look at these pictures. But to those travelling to the Philippines, Batanes is one of the places you absolutely must visit if you have time. Now that flights there are much cheaper than before, there is really no more excuse not to visit the northernmost island of the country.

Undulating hills, clear blue waters, with a lifestyle that is more laid-back than what is normally considered laid-back. Batanes is unlike any other place in the Philippines that I have been to. I guess it's not surprising since it is one of the remotest islands of the country. That can have its drawbacks as some of the creature comforts that we are used to having in the mainland are either hard to find here, expensive, or totally non-existent. Like a decent mobile phone signal (but that can actually be a good thing!).

But being in this place is like a dream. The beauty is surreal. This place will make you forget everything else because of it's raw beauty. I have not had that same feeling since I visited Granada in Spain many years ago! Even the pictures here don't do justice as to how beautiful this place really is when seen with your own eyes.

When they say that there is beauty in tragedy, this place is a living testimony of that. Batanes is one of the places is the Philippines that gets visited by the most number of (and the strongest) typhoons each year. So the Batanes islands remain lush, and almost wild to a certain extent. Even the people have learned to adapt, especially in Sabtang Island, where almost all houses are made of limestone lined with a roof made from cogon grass that is nearly 12 inches thick. These are the only types of structures that can withstand wind speeds that can exceed several hundred kilometers during a strong typhoon. No tall buildings, no fancy architecture. Just plain and functional buildings that blend well with the beauty of its surroundings.

A word of advise though: make sure to time your visit to Batanes as they have a short dry season (we went there is October). When the typhoon season starts, getting there will be next to impossible.

But if you are lucky with the weather like we were, drop whatever plans you have a book a flight to Batanes! You will be treated to one of the most beautiful views that the Philippines has to offer. It's really that amazing, and I am still dreaming about it up to this day!