The province of Batanes is the northernmost province of the Philippines. It is the smallest province in the country in terms of land area and population. The island province of Batanes is composed of 6 municipalities : Basco, Mahatao, Ivana, Uyugan, Sabtang and Itbayat.
Below is a list of our itinerary and expenses during our recent visit to Batanes. We are a group of four people. The tricycles in Batanes can only take a maximum of four passengers so we had to rent out 2 tricycles at a time. We spent 8 nights in Batanes (6 nights in Basco and 1 night in both Sabtang and Itbayat). If a meal (breakfast/lunch/dinner) is not included in the list, that means that we have cooked our own food. Expenses were already part of the grocery on Day 1. For more details, please read DIY Batanes Travel Guide.
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| Basco Lighthouse |
6:30AM: Departure from NAIA Terminal 3
8:30AM: Arrival in Basco
9:00AM: Check in at Nanay Cita’s Homestay
10:30AM: Basco Walking Tour (Welcome Basco Arch, Breeding Hill, Batanes Resort
12:30PM: Tricycle from Batanes Resort to Basco Town proper (P60/4; 15 mins)
1:00PM: Late Lunch at SDC Canteen (overpriced food, not recommended) P240/4
1:30PM: Basco Town Proper Walking Tour (Basco Cathedral, Municipal Hall, Park, etc)
2:00PM: Trike to Valugan Boulder Beach & Japanese Tunnel (P200/2; 15 mins)
2:15PM: Photo Ops at Valugan Boulder Beach
2:30PM: On the way to Japanese Tunnel (10 mins)
2:40PM: Photo Ops at Japanese Tunnel
3:00PM: Chillax at Basco Park
4:00PM: Walk to Basco Light House and Naidi Hills (15 mins)
4:15PM: Photo Ops and Chillax (Basco Lighthouse, Naidi Hills)
6:30PM: Back to Homestay
7:00PM: Dinner (Grilled Fish, vege, rice – P232/4
Other Expenses: Grocery P380, Baggage P450 (shared), Homestay P350
Total Expenses Day 1: P1,465.00
Day 2 (Sabtang Tour, Ivana & Mahatao)
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| Chamantad-Tinyan Viewing Deck |
5:30AM: Trike from Homestay to Ivana Port (P220/2; 30 mins)
7:00AM: Departure Ivana Port to Sabtang (P75, 30 mins)
7:30AM: Arrival in Sabtang, rent trike whole day plus pick-up drop off to the port the following day (P1600/4)
7:40AM: Paid Tourism Registration fee (P200)
8:00AM: Started Sabtang Tour, on the way to Chamantad-Tinyan View Deck
8:30AM: Explored Chamantad-Tinyan View Deck
9:50AM: On the way to Chavayan
10:30AM: Departed Chavayan going to Sinakan for Lunch
11:00AM: Lunch by the port (P500/4)
12:30PM: Arrival at Malakdang Viewdeck
12:50PM: Photo Ops at Barangay Nakanmuan
1:10PM: Arrival in Barangay Sumnanga
1:40PM: Photo ops at Morong Beach
2:30PM: Photo Ops at Sabtang Lighthouse/Barangay Malakdang
3:00PM: Explored Barangay Sinakan (Cathedral, Old Lighthouse, Old Deep Well)
4:00PM: Photo Ops at Barangay Savidug
5:00PM: Arrived in Barangay Chavayan, checked in at homestay (P150/night)
Other Expenses: Accommodation in Basco P350, Adaptor P70
Total Expenses: P1480.00
Day 3 (South Batan Tour)
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| Racuh A Payaman aka Marlboro Country |
5:00AM: Departed Chavayan to the port
6:30AM: Boat Departed Sabtang to Ivana Port (75)
7:00AM: Photo Ops Ivan Church
7:20AM: Breakfast at Honesty Coffee Shop (P20)
8:00AM: Walking Tour Ivana (House of Dakay, Spanisgh Bridge)
9:00AM: Jeep from Ivana to Mahatao (P15, 15 mins)
9:10AM: Explored Mahatao (Church, old light house)
9:20AM: Rented Trike to Visit Racuh A Payaman, Diura Fishing Village, Arcuh Aidi Srpring, Tayid Lighthouse etc) P400/2
10:00AM: Explored Racuh A Payaman a.k.a Marlboro Country
11:00AM: Photo Ops at Racuh Aidi Spring of Youth
11:30AM: Photo Ops Diura Fishing Village and paid P50 tourism fee in Mahatao
11:45AM: Photo Ops at Mahatao Lighthouse
12:00PM: Lunch at Paulvanas Canteen in Mahatao P320/4
12:45PM: Walk from Mahatao Proper to the Shelter Port (10 mins)
1:05PM: Hitch hiked Shelter port to Chawa View deck
1:08PM: Photo Ops at Chawa View Deck/Chillax
2:30PM Trike from Chawa View Deck to Homestay (P20 each)
Homestay: P350
Total Expenses Day 3 P810.00
Day 4 (South Batan Tour, Uyugan)
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| Alapad Rock Formation |
10:00AM: Jeep from Basco to Imnajbu (P46, 1 hour)
11:00AM: Walking Tour Imnajbu Village, Church, Loran Station
11:30AM: Photo Ops at Alapad Rock Formation
12:00PM: Walk from Alapad to Itbud Village
12:15PM: Photo Ops Itbud Village
12:20PM: Lunch at a store near the school P32
01:00PM: Another Walking Tour in Itbud Village going to Song Song Ruins
2:30PM: Took the last trip of jeepney to Basco (P40)
3:30PM: Back in Basco
Homestay P350, cooked our dinner
Total Expenses for Day 4 P468.00
Day 5 – 6 (Itbayat)
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| Lake in Itbayat |
6:20AM: Left homestay to Basco Port
6:40AM: Ocean Spirit Boat Left Basco to Mahatao (P450, 3 hours due to bad weather & crazy waves)
9:45AM: Arrived in Itbayat Port
10:10AM: Departed Itbayat Port to town proper by Trike (P100/2; 20 Mins)
10:30AM: Checked-in at Cano’s Lodge (P200/night)
12:00NN: Lunch (P200)
1:20PM: Started our Half-day tour around Itbayat by Trike (P1000/2 guide fee; P750/2 Trike rental
2:00PM: Explored Torongan Cave, Torongan Hill, Nahini Votox
4:00PM: Walking Tour in Barangay Raele
5:00PM: Photo Ops at the inland lake
5:15PM: Passed by Itbayat Airport
6:00PM: Back at Cano’s Lodge
Brought our own dinner
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| Ocean Spirit unloading passengers and cargo |
7:00AM: Walking Photo Tour around town (Church, municipal hall, etc)
8:00AM: Paid Tourist Fee at the Municipal treasurer office (P90)
8:25AM: Left Cano’s Homestay to Port by trike P100/2
8:45AM: Arrived at Chinapoliran Port
Snacks P20
11:00AM: Ocean Spirit Boat departed Itbayat (2.5 hours, P450)
Homestay in Basco P350
Total Expenses for Day 5-6 P2,735.00
Day 7 (Solo trip to my Fave Spots in Uyugan and Mahatao)
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| The coastal barangay of Imnajbu |
10:00AM: Jeep Basco to Alapad P25, 50 mins
10:50AM: Photo Ops / Chillax at Alapad Rock Formation
11:50AM: Walked from Alapad to Marlboro Country
12:45APM: Arrived in Marlboro Country, photo ops and slept on the grass
4:30PM: Hitched-hiked from Marlboro Country to Basco
5:00PM: Arrived in Basco
5:30PM: Walked from Homestay to Naidi Hills for Sunset
7:00PM: Back in the homestay
7:30PM: Trike to Casa Napoli for dinner (P50/2, 15 mins)
7:45PM: Dinner at Casa Napoli (P260/2 – regular pizza+drinks)
8:30PM: Walked from Casa Napoli to Homestay (30mins)
Homestay P350
Total Expenses for Day 7: P575
Day 8 (Walking Photo Tour around Basco)
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| Vayang Rolling Hills |
11:00AM: Started walking around Basco
12:00NN: Snacks (P64)
2:00PM: Late Lunch at D.Y.’s Food and Beverage House (P65)
3:30PM: Walked from Basco town proper to Vayang Rolling Hills (20mins)
3:50PM: Arrived at Vayang Rolling Hills, Photo Ops, Chillax and waited for the sunset
6:45PM: Dinner in Basco town proper P60
Homestay: P350
Total Expenses for Day 7: P539
Day 9 (Goodbye Batanes)
6:30AM: Trike to Airport P5mins, P40/3
Terminal Fee P50
Total expenses : P65
Total Expenses without Airfare = P8,137.00
Total Expenses with Airfare from Manila-Basco-Manila = P9,894.00
This blog post is part of our absolutely free BATANES TRAVEL GUIDE. You no longer need to spend a lot of time researching, we already did it for you. All you need is just a click away! Please share, like or comment if you find this post useful. Thank you for reading.
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Thank you so much for very detailed blog.
Nothing more to ask for❤
Keep on inspiring us through your travels, stay safe always.
i will be here before my 50’s. Save!