Fountain of Youth

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Part 1: Dios Mamajes

Part 2: Sabtang

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Third day was rest day. Our only destination was in Mahatao to see what they call Racuaydi Nakavajayan aka Fountain of Youth. We drove from the hotel to the Diura Fishing Village and from there trekked to the fountain.

The trek was about an hour, not really tiring. There was also a great view of the sea on the way.

According to our tour guide, the first inhabitants of Batan island lived in the uplands near the now called Diura fishing village. On our way to the fountain, we saw several of stones where early Ivatans anchor their house.

When we arrived, the fountain was being renovated. The locals were fixing the falls probably to facilitate better water flow. But it was okay because there was an infinity-type pool overseeing the sea.

We first swam in the sea but found it too rocky so we settled for the pool. The water was so clean and crisp cold. Swimming in here is a must not miss so make sure you bring extra clothes if the place is included in your itinerary.

We spent the rest of the day in the hotel sleeping.

Sabtang Island

First part: Dios Mamajes

Day 2.

We had to be up as early as 4:30 in the morning on day two of our Batanes trip coz we travelled from Batan Island to Sabtang Island via boat they call Faluwa.

Notice the water? It's really blue in real life.

Sabtang is just around three miles from Batan but faluwas leave early to avoid big waves. The two islands are separated by the Pacific Ocean and with a boat the size of faluwas, waves can be big and violent. Capsized boats travelling from and to these islands are not unheard of here.

Our Jack Sparrow

His Gibbs.

Weather was great when we left but an hour or so it started to rain and waves started to get big. I was scared as hell coz I dunno how to swim. To make it worse, they had to put some plastic cover of some sort similar to that in jeepneys so we won't get wet from the rain and waves. With an obstructed view and humid and suffocating air, I got seasick. Lols.

Nearing the shore the first thing that will grab your attention is of course the light house. Too bad tourists are not allowed to come near the Sabtang Lighthouse as the land where it is erected is a private land.

Sabtang lighthouse. 

Unlike Batan where many of the houses are already modern, most houses in Sabtang are still stone houses.

Less talk more pictures now.

We visited Chavayan, the southermost barangay of the island. Our van had to be towed though coz driving in the muddy road is too much for it. There are lotsa road development and renovation going on in the island. Good for tourism and trade and the economy in general.

If Batan has the oldest stone house in Batanes, Sabtang has the oldest person alive.

With the 104-year old Lolo Marcelo.

Another breathtaking view. According to our tour guide, installment of zip line is on plan.

I wasn't able to much take pictures of the food we ate as I was too consumed on the eating. Lols. But the food they served were really delicious, uvud being my favorite. Native Ivatan food were so delicious that for a few days all the food I ate in Manila when we returned tasted either crappy or mediocre. Haha.

Yummy greenies.

Flying fish yata.

Coconut crab.

Us, the vacay people.

The famous natural arc of Sabtang.

The obligatory jump shot, of course.

Day two ended with us having dinner in Batan lighthouse. Too bad it was too dark and all I got were crappy pictures.

Dios Mamajes

We went to Batanes last week for a much-needed vacation. It was also some sort of a pre celebration as we are turning one this November. Yiheee.

However, Batanes wasn't exactly on top of our mind when we were thinking of vacation. Why? Two things. First, the weather. September is one helluva not only rainy but also a typhoon-y month. I'm a rain person but it kinda dampens other people's high spirit and you don't wanna surround yourself with people in those state. Also, chances are your flight will get cancelled. And that happened to us. Twice.

Second, Batanes is expensive. Prolly one of the most expensive vacay destination in the country. In fact, it's much cheaper to go abroad (HK, SG etc.) than go to Batanes. Only two airlines fly to Batanes, SEAIR and SkyPasada, so fare is steep. Accommodation and food are also steep though I must say now that our Batanes vacay was worth every single cent.

What made us go to Batanes? Discounted vouchers! We bought our vouchers in CashCashPinoy, an online site that offers deals on products and services with great discount. And no this is not a paid ad. Lol. But if you want to know more about it and if you find a deal that interest you, do register by clicking this link. Thanks! Again, not an ad.

So after being cancelled twice, our trip finally pushed through. We were wary (I was nervous) that it'll be postponed again because typhoon Pedring just entered the country. Fortunately, it wasn't raining hard and not much wind when we left. We experienced very little turbulence up in the air. And when we landed in Basco, the weather was awesome like a possum.

This'll be a series of posts since we stayed there for six days and five nights. Let us start.

Day 1.

First stop was in Chawa View Deck where we had a great view and feel of the refreshing breeze of the West Philippine Sea and the rest of hilly Batan Island. There is a stair down the cliff so tourists can have a closer view of the waves hitting the rocky shore.

Second stop was in San Carlo Borromeo Church in Mahatao. It may look like just any other church on the outside but inside you can see that it was wonderfully preserved, with reeds lining portions of its ceiling. According to our tour guide, it is being maintained by the people of Mahatao thru bayanihan. The church was built in 1873 and is now declared a National Cultural Heritage Treasure.

Next to Mahatao is Ivana, the smallest of the six municipalities of Batanes. Ivana hosts the famous House of Dakay, the oldest surviving stone house in Batanes. Two things come to our mind when we hear Batanes: typhoons and stone houses. Early Ivatans are said to make houses made of stone because their land is frequently battered by typhoons, strong winds and waves. We know now that the thing about Batanes being hit by typhoon a tad to frequent than any other parts of the country is not true so maybe the stone houses are really for the winds and waves.

The 127-year-old House of Dakay is a UNESCO heritage site.

When Batan island was hit by an earthquake in the late 1910s, House of Dakay was one the very few houses that remained standing unscathed. However, the walls of the house are now slowly eroding they forced to patch portions of it with cement.

Just as famous as the house is its owner, the octogenarian Lola Ida. Lola was sleeping when we arrived so we took pictures of her house as silently as we can. She woke up and invited us to get in. It was quite hot outside as it was around noon when we arrived but it was surprisingly cool inside. The air was freely flowing in the windows and doors. The inside was kinda messy because Lola was not able to clean the house for days because of joint pains. If you plan to visit Lola and her house, please please bring some medicines for her as she lives on her own and doesn't have livelihood. Food and some money are just nice as well.

Lola Ida *photo by Wi Cardel*

If Mahatao has the 138-year-old San Carlo Borromeo church, Ivana is proud of its 227-year-old church. Ivana Church started out as a small chapel in 1787 but had undergone quite a few makeovers since then. In, 2001 it was renovated after being damaged in an earthquake that occurred a year earlier. Undamaged however are the floor tiles laid during the Spanish period. You can still see these tiles on the church.

It is also in Ivana where you will find the famous Honesty Store, which is now named Honesty Coffee Shop. If you ask me, its former name was more appropriate as it doesn't exactly have a coffee shop feel to it. Anyhoo, the concept is still amazing. We ate our packed lunch here and I bought a bottle of garlic bits.

After lunch, we headed straight to DOST-PAGASA Basco Station. This is my favorite stop that day, or at least the inner geek in me says. Too bad, there weren't PAGASA people around so no tour inside the station office and no explanation and demonstration on their thingamobobs.

Orgasmic.

But we climbed the tower! The view was amazing! The feeling up there was amazing. My knees were amazingly wobbly too! Lols.

Wobble.

Tapang tapangan. Lols

Not far from Basco PAGASA station is Fundacion Pacita. Fundacion Pacita is the most expensive place to stay in Batanes. According to our tour guide, who is an HRM student in Basco College, Fundacion is a five star hotel. Now, I'm not familiar rates hotel and how are they rated so I'm taking his word for it. 

Fundacion Pacita by the artist Pacita Abad.

We didn't get the chance to go inside as it was closed for renovation. But its location, standing on a cliff overseeing the West Philippine Sea, was absolutely awesome. The location, the view, the ambiance, everything was awesome. Now if only the price wasn't steep. Lols. If you have the caching, stay here.

Pagpalain ka ng Diyos.

Second to the last stop was the Valuvagan Boulder Beach. Yeah, not friendly with those who have b-v speech defect. Lols. I've seen sandy, rocky and corally beaches but a boulder beach is new to me. Tour guide said that the boulders were from Mt. Iraya.

Finding Golem.

And finally our last stop for the day was the Rolling Hills. It was the perfect last stop as it gave us the time to absorb all the awesomeness we witnessed, both God-made and man-made. It was everything Batanes was all about; cool wind, vast land, blue sky and endless sea.

Rolling Hills.

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