Batanes: South Tour

 

The sun is up and summer has just kissed Batanes, though the weather is unpredictable in this island, their dry season starts in June, as told.

South Batan Island Tour is about 7 hours, depends on how you or your group ponder the moment with the vividness of the surroundings. It is recommended to get a guided tour for this sightseeing. 

South Batan Island Tour as for my experience is not the typical "biking distance" trip. Though touring the island on a bike is more enjoyable and entirely different from touring on a motorized vehicle. I remember the night I can't feel my legs, from biking 3 hours just around Basco. But I did bike again the next morning and in the afternoon, and the next day, and the next. 

 Mahatao is an uphill-downhill terrain with zigzags, making that 6 kilometers from Basco beyond normal for biking. Ivana and Uyugan are farther with unpaved roads.

Among the tourist spots in Mahatao are, of course the Chawa View Deck, the Mahatao Boat Shelter Port, the Tayid Lighthouse aka Mahatao Lighthouse, the church of San Carlos Borromeo, the evergreen Racuh-a-Payaman and Racuh-a-Idi Spring of Youth.

Boats bound Sabtang is situated in Ivana, across the San Jose de Obrero church. 

The famous Honesty Coffee Shop is also placed near Ivana port.

Uyugan is the least populated municipality in Batan Island. The ruins of Song Song can be seen in this municipality. The Itbud Idjang or the "ancient fortress" can also be spotted.  

The village of  Imnajbu, according to history, is where the first mass in Batanes was held. 

Everywhere is picture worthy, From time to time, I have to tell the driver to stop to a certain area to savor the view and take pictures. 

Batanes is such a lovely place from all angles. I have no words to describe what it feels to be in this dreamy place. I was overwhelmed by the exquisiteness of the island. 

Disclaimer: I'm not saying that biking the South is not possible. I just want to give a thought to those who would wish to just bike the entire Batan Island the possibility of exhaustion. Actually, I made an arrangement to just bike the entire Batan Island like what I read in blogs, but I'm glad I did not.