RegionOutline guide

Batanes

Province in Cagayan Valley, Philippines

Photo: tharty, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Batanes is the smallest and the northernmost province of the Philippines.

Getting there and around

Getting there

By plane
There are two airports serving the province of Batanes. Both can only accommodate light and turboprop aircraft.
By boat

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Getting around

There are not much cars or heavy vehicles in Batanes due to high costs, logistical difficulties when it comes to importation, and short distances. There are passenger jeepneys servicing Batan Island.

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Airports and nearby hotels

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Basco Airport

Basco · Regional · BSO

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Read before you go to Batanes

Articles and travel topics about Batanes and Philippines.

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Full travel guide

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Islands

UnderstandBatanes lies off the northern coastline of mainland Luzon, and is an archipelago composed of three inhabited islands and other smaller islands.

Get inThe best time to visit is during the dry season between March and June, when the winds and waves are calm. Otherwise, expect frequent cancellations at the last minute.

Get aroundThere are not much cars or heavy vehicles in Batanes due to high costs, logistical difficulties when it comes to importation, and short distances. There are passenger jeepneys servicing Batan Island.

See

BuyBasco is the only place in Batanes where banks are available, so bring plenty of cash.

EatEating out in Batanes can be expensive due to importation and transportation costs of foodstuffs, which is why restaurant listings in the provinces often change very frequently.

DrinkThe endangered alcoholic drink of choice is palek, made from fermented sugarcane juice, which is threatened by imported brands from outside the province.

Stay safeThe entire province is a place far from the maddening crowd with no traffic and pollution problems. There is practically zero crime rate except for simple drunkenness and other relocated incidents.

Stay healthyThe only hospitals are the Batanes General Hospital in Basco and the District Hospital in Itbayat, but try not to get into a serious medical emergency, as you will need to be evacuated to mainland Luzon due to a lack of…

ConnectElectricity is on a rotational basis, with generators and solar panels being the norm.

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Sources and licences

Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Batanes" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Summary from the Wikipedia article "Batanes", available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikipedia
Photo: tharty, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

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