BATANES - THE HIDDEN PARADISE ( Part 4 )

Batanes is rich with lessons for us tourists. Walking around the place, mingling with the Batanes folk one gets to look inward and reflect. One gets to think ----- it is  as if we are hurled back in time, when life was so simple and we did not have as much wants as today.... We get to envy the Batanes folk in leading such simple, self- sufficient lives, not dependent on others.

On my last day at the island.... here are the places where I went....

BATANES - THE HIDDEN PARADISE ( Part 3 )

Before coming here to Batanes---- I had no inkling at all that such a paradise existed in the Philippines. I was not prepared for what I would experienced. The beauty, ambience and the totally refreshing atmosphere of the place matched the amazing and breathtaking scenery I saw when I toured the island.

If you  want to escape the hustle and bustle of the overpopulated cities in the Philippines, Batanes is the perfect place.  Its distance from Luzon is an indication of what to expect. Being in Batanes is like being in another country in the sense that the sights are not the typical sunny, white sand beaches you usually see in the archipelago. Being there also feels like you are intruding in a secret place where majority of the towns have been untouched by the changing times.

BATANES - THE HIDDEN PARADISE ( Part 2 ) Home of the Winds

Ask a Filipino if he had been to Batanes. More often than not, his answer will be no. Due to the remoteness of Batanes from the capital city of Manila, not too many Filipinos have had the chance to visit this enchanting islands. Batanes is about 660kms from Manila but it is ONLY about 190kms from Taiwan.

Being in Batanes is like being in another country. The landscape and even the weather is very distinct from the rest of the country. A leisurely trek on the grassy hills rewards hikers a grand view of Basco Bay. Batanes is the place to commune with nature, to soak a few moments of solitude and to get away from the hustle and bustle of Manila. A refreshing contrast to other city centers, Basco ( capital of Batanes ) has neither a mall or Starbucks coffee shop ---- yet. The pseudo- commercial center is a small lane filled with tiny groceries , supplies stores and ukay-ukay stores. Only a couple of jeeps and automobiles exist here. Tricycles, bicycles and scooters are the main transport mode within the town.

BATANES - THE HIDDEN PARADISE ( Part 1 )

I love to travel the beautiful islands of our country because " nature tripping " has become one of my outlets. I dreamt of going to Batanes for the longest time. Having traveled to many countries in Asia,  I think Batanes outshines many tourist destinations.

So much has been said and written about Batanes. Opportunities for magnificent photographs abound. It is the dream destination of shutterbugs because anywhere you look at there is a perfect photograph just waiting to be captured. Almost half of Batanes is made up of hills and mountains enveloped in breathtaking seascape. Batanes holds such magical mystery.

Today --- let me take you to the beautiful place called Batanes.