Month: October 2012

Rest of Batan: Rakuh A Payaman

Where wild cattle and carabaos (water buffalos) roam in endless rolling hills – a communal pastureland offering picturesque scenes of farm fields and the Pacific Ocean.

There is also the Mahatao lighthouse and Mt. Iraya in the distance, adding to the already breathtaking view.

Rakuh A Payaman translates to “big pastureland” and as with the rolling hills of Vayang, one becomes just a speck in the midst of the sweeping landscape, the vastness unimaginable.

While horses are a rare sight these days, tourists know it more as Marlboro Country, perhaps resembling the backdrop of a long running cigarette campaign,

Posted on by Jenn 2

Basco Jaunts: Quaint Little Café in Naidi Hills

Heard one of the bunkers in Naidi Hills is now a café.  Open only after office hours because the owners have day jobs.  So I noted to self: to have dinner there tonight.

Naidi Hills used to just be a nice spot to chill and to watch the sunset, nothing there really except for the old bunkers.

These bunkers, forever a fixture and leaves much to be desired, sits atop stunning rolling hills with equally stunning views of the town, Mt. Iraya and the bay.

They couldn’t have picked a better site for the café, finally making good use of the old bunkers.

When I returned in 2007, a 6-storey lighthouse with a viewing deck on the 5th level was a new addition to the vicinity, adding to the Naidi Hills charm.

Built next to it is an Ivatan inspired house that was a guesthouse then, a souvenir shop now.  Guess the guesthouse didn’t pan out so well.

Rows of flowers grown near the house brightens up the already pretty site.
Mt. Iraya peeking out of the clouds as seen from the plaza.

Just a short hike from the town plaza, we walked to dinner passing Sto. Domingo de Basco Church along the way.

Established in 1783, making it the oldest church in Batanes, and perhaps one of the oldest in the Philippines.

Having had our share of coconut crabs in Itbayat already, lobsters were next on our list.

Kinilaw na isda (fish cooked in vinegar), a pako (fiddlehead fern) dish, and inihaw na baboy (grilled pork) complemented the sweet lobsters, steamed to perfection.

When evening came, the mood changed.  The spotlights puts focus on the dinner tables outside and the lighthouse dramatically provides the backdrop, bringing al fresco dining into a whole new level.

Setting ambience aside, Bunker Café is a delight in the food department.  Put pack ambience and the café is definitely a winner.

A must visit when in Batanes.

Posted on by Jenn 8

Basco Jaunts: Vayang Rolling Hills

Credits: Red overlay by Kari Holts or iKari Design.

It is perhaps the most visited in Basco.  This place somewhat epitomizes Batanes in the minds of many… endless rolling hills, blue skies and magnificent views of the sea, the South China Sea.

The first time I made it here, I was mesmerized by the unfathomable vastness, how small one can feel within its green expanse.  In 1998, one has to walk up hills upon hills, no vans, no tricycles, and no paved roads.  You get there by walking on unpaved trail.

A trip to Batanes then needs at least 5 days for a complete walk through of Batan and Sabtang.  Those were the days – though I still get goosebumps, I think I like it better then. I can’t deny though that the comforts of today made it a pleasant revisit, especially on a hot summer’s day in May.

The scenery of Vayang is so immense no photo can capture exactly the true essence of the place.  Having said that, here’s an attempt on capturing even just a bit of its flavor and spirit.

Posted on by Jenn 5

Basco Jaunts: Valugan Bay

Credits:  Quickpage by Antonia Krajicek using the “4Ever” kit, a collaborative kit created by Jessica Sprague.com; Suede Alpha by Miss Behaving 2011.

From where we got off, I could hear the splash of the waves; the boulders hardly visible.

The sea is calmer in May.

The rambling of the rocks that hits the ocean floor becomes clearer when you are closer.

With picture-perfect spots scattered all over the islands, Batanes is easy to love.  To pinpoint one specific spot that I love the most is a tall order and perhaps impossible.

Valugan Bay though is so different from any beach I’ve seen, it has left indelible memories and has landed on my top 10 lists of favorites.

I’ve never come across any beach as dramatic as Valugan Bay.

Spewed out by Mt. Iraya and polished through time by powerful waves of the Pacific Ocean, large multi colored rocks covers a kilometer stretch of beach

Taken February 2006 when the waves were larger.

and made more mystical by the ocean mist when waves are strong.

The rambling of the rocks soothes my senses every time I’m here.

The troubles of my world easily fades into a renewed spirit as God whispers through those ramblings that everything will be as polished as those beautiful rocks.   I could sit here forever.

Posted on by Jenn 6