To be honest, we weren’t really all that peaceable with going to Batanes because of the difficulty of traveling with our baby boy. We had to bring a 25kg balikbayan box with us so we could bring his stuff to our trip. It was a hassle – plus we know that it would be a vacation toppled with a little bit of work in trying to take care of Leo.
The fact that our flight was at 6am meant that we had to leave home at around 3am. We were able to leave at 4am. Sucks. So, driving my dad’s Montero, we headed straight to the airport (the original plan is to meet-up at my parents’ home then head to the airport). It was really early and we were all groggy as we boarded the plane. I wasn’t able to feel the flight at all as I was asleep the entire flight until we landed.
We prayed at take off and had a rough landing as the airport runway is a short 3km (the standard is at least 8km). Overjoyed, we jumped out of the plane to explore the sights and nature of the island.
We were blessed with excellent and hospitable tour guides who made the trip comfortable and easy for me and my family. They helped us with carrying the balikbayan box to our resort room. I wasn’t able to see a sedan car in Batanes because some of the roads are still under construction. The population is also really low compared to Metro Manila.
Another thing I noticed is that there are lots of bikes in Batanes. Mostly cruiser types – they’re pretty much everywhere. When I asked our guide, he said that you can go through all of Batanes through biking. I wanted to take that on but we didn’t have enough time.
February 22 is the day I got married to the most beautiful, loving girl in the entire world. It just so happened that we got to celebrate our first anniversary in the beautiful island of Batanes – right at the marine sanctuary of Batanes resort’s beach.
Leo was the best part of the entire trip. He really just makes us so happy – and all pictures we’ve taken with him makes the memory twice as fond. He was well behaved in the tours. It would only become difficult when we’re back at the resort and he doesn’t want to be detached from Apple.
The sights were simply breathtaking. It’s arguably the most beautiful place in the Philippines. Makes me wonder why people go out of the country to see beautiful sights when Batanes is just amazing. The breeze and weather is also perfect for a guy like me who heats up and perspires easy. It was cool and windy and everything I would love for a weather to be.
The mountains and hills are perfectly green and the trees seem to always be in the best places – out of the way of the beauty of the tail end of the hills as it meets with the sea and the crashing waves. The rock formations and corals are really beautiful – in the immortal words of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe “God is in the details.” This is the place where that phrase is most alive.
In the words of my brother, Kevin, “There is not a bad angle at Batanes.” Pretty much all our photos are, in my own opinion, beautiful. But I’ll let you decide for yourself.
It’s definitely an experience that I’d love to go back to. Someday I’ll bring my own cruiser bike and explore the entire island on bike. It’s a place that I would highly recommend to people who wants to see the beauty and grandeur of the Philippines.
