Melo Villareal
Explore the Wonders of Sabtang Island in the Philippines
(Sabtang Island, Philippines) Are you searching for an exciting destination to visit in the Philippines? Look no further than Sabtang Island in Batanes. I want to assure you that Sabtang Island is worth the visit, even if you have doubts about what you may have read in travel magazines.
When you are leaving Ivana port, Sabtang Island is just a mere 45-minute faluwa ride away, and the faluwa boat will bring you to the awesome cultural heritage and natural beauty of Sabtang. Once you leave Ivana, you will cruise over gorgeous waters and come up upon the rugged and awe-inspiring cliffs for which the island is well known and often photographed. The nature and wonders of Sabtang are world-renowned and well worth the visit.
Sabtang Island Travel Guide by Samaria via Unsplash
For those involved in cultural or historical tourism, Sabtang is a required stop. It is the only place in all of Batanes where the original Ivatan houses of lime and stone can still be found. Think a modern house is better? Think again when you watch a typhoon blow down all the modern houses and these Ivatan houses is still standing strong. Those with no windows faced the strongest winds.
Moving on to Chavayan, visitors will find that the stone houses are inhabited! The villagers live in a traditional way and still engage in traditional native handicrafts such as the manufacture of traditional headgear and clothing such as the Vacul made from the Vuyabuy palm tree. It doesn’t get much more Batanese than that!
Wildlife and nature lovers are also in for a treat on Sabtang where a number of unique endemic and endangered species can be found both on the land and in the sea. A favorite with visitors are the beautiful butterflies which can be found in all of the Batanese gardens and yards. The beaches of Sabtang are also amazing and offer a great place to swim, dive, or just lounge around and enjoy the beach. One such place is Nakanmuan Beach.
The food on Sabtang is fairly typical of Batanes cuisine, but has some Ivatan specialties which include different types of vegetables, fired fish, coconut crab, buko juice, steamed sigarilyas, and my favorite steamed lobster. The price won’t set you back an arm or a leg either since it rings in at under 300 php per person for the very best the island offers.
It doesn’t take you days and days to explore the island and you can easily do it as a day trip, but I recommend finding a great little spot to camp on the beach and just hanging out for a day or two. The boats make semi-frequent trips back and forth.
Depending on the time of the year you go, you should be prepared for some touch and go weather. Dry sacks are a good idea if the weather is rough and don’t forget, the pirates wear eye patches to prevent seasickness, so if you feel ill on the boat, just close one eye. LOL
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Read:
- What Made Me Say It’s Most Fun to Travel in the Philippines
- Top 10 Best Things to Do and See in Sabtang Island, Batanes
