These far-flung islands’ isolation has preserved their old captivating charm. Over the centuries, harsh weather conditions and rough seas have shaped the islands’ picturesque cliffs and land formations. It is composed of a group of islands defined by the splash of sea against rugged cliffs, verdant hills dominated by grass and stunted trees, and the great Mt. The landscape of Batanes is also distinct from other Philippine provinces - steep cliffs, rolling hills, deep canyons and boulder-lined shores. It is also the smallest province in the Philippines in terms of population and land area The native dialects are very Chinese sounding. The islands are closer to Taiwan than the mainland Luzon. These islands have been compared to New Zealand, Ireland and the Scottish Highlands.īeing composed of several small islands, the largest maybe ten miles long and a couple miles wide, it is also the most isolated province, separated from the mainland of Luzon by about 130 nautical miles.
Located north of Luzon, they compose the northernmost part of the archipelago with the three major islands of Batan, Itbayat and Sabtang and 7 smaller islets: Dequey, Siayan, Mabudis, Ibuhos, Diogo, North Island, and Y'ami, the northernmost point of the Philippines.
Popularly known as “typhoon island”, as I traveled around this northernmost part of the Philippine Archipelago holy week 2008, I discovered that what I read about the place is true, if not an understatement.īatanes province is a small group of islands that can make a great destination.
Batanes – “Arava u mayet an namaes u ryes” Thus the Ivatan version of the proverb ‘there is no strong man when the sea is at its worst’.