Melo Villareal
There’s only one way to get to Batanes for now, and that is by plane. The island province of Batanes is accessible by air and served by air with 3 flights per week from Manila by SkyJetAir, and from Tuguegarao, Cagayan by small local airliners (as of January 2013). Budget carrier PALExpress started their flights to Batanes last May 1, 2013. PAL Express flies to Batanes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
PAL Express now flies to Batanes
In some cases, smaller aviation companies like those based in Tuguegarao have a minimum number of passengers required for a flight. The flight will be delayed/rescheduled for 24-72 hours if there aren’t enough. While it’s a little expensive to get to Batanes, the reward is definitely worth it. Basco, the capital, has a lot in common with Taiwan, less than 200 kilometers to the north.
Batanes sits with the China Sea on one side and the Pacific Ocean. Batanes is not simply one island, though.
The province comprises ten islands, of which three have populations. The people of Batanes are called the Ivatans, and they are unique from other Filipinos because their culture developed independently. Like the islands, they are beautiful and interesting people.
Also Read: Batanes Travel Guide: Explore Breathtaking Batanes
Once you reach Batanes, you will fall in love with the landscape, the people, and the culture of this province. Some say it is more like New Zealand or Polynesia than the Philippines. One way that you can’t get to Batanes is swimming… That I’m pretty sure, LOL. I heard passenger boats used to have weekly trips to Batanes from Curimao Ilocos Norte but stick to the airplanes for a safer journey.
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Also Read: Batanes On My Mind: Dreaming Of A Batanes Vacation Even After It Was Over
