hazygrains

April 3 – Day 4, Thursday

We had originally planned to go to Itbayat but decided to just spend the rest of our days in Batan island instead. We changed our minds after learning that the boat ride would take around three to four hours depending on the weather, and the plane option was a bit beyond our budget. Plus, we weren’t really in the condition for hiking, and most of the tourist spots there require it.

So on our fourth day, we stayed in Basco and moved to a new accommodation, Villa de Babat. It was much better than our first one, though also pricier, and conveniently located right next to the airport. We started our day early with nothing particular in mind, just wanted to find a laundry service and wander around. We rented bikes, but dang, I thought I could last for hours. In less than an hour I was already so tired and decided to return the bikes and rent a scooter instead. Lol.

We just roamed around town and I got my daily dose of taho, looked for places to eat and snacks to buy, revisited some of the spots we’d been to during our tours, and even went further down the road. We went so far that not even Google Maps could help us for a while when my data connection dropped, and we ended up getting lost.

Then we went back to our place to rest and later headed out again for dinner at Vunong at Jessica’s Place, where we had booked a reservation the day before. It started to rain on our way there and poured by the time we arrived, but we still enjoyed the experience. We were the only customers since they only accept reservations. The dishes were served wrapped in leaves and eaten bare-handed — the food was delicious! The whole experience was really nice. The rain, the cold air, the al fresco setup surrounded by nature, the food, and the warm lighting all made the night feel so calming and lovely — except for the mosquitoes, hah!

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Day 5 – April 4, Friday

On our fifth day, we planned to visit Ranum ni Kumalakal, also known as the Spring of Youth. No one else was there when we arrived, so we went ahead and walked down the path to the man-made pool overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Mt. Iraya. It was really beautiful! Asis went for a quick dip while I just took in the view.

We also dropped by a private property where one of the lighthouses was located, and later stumbled upon old, fallen wind turbines when we strayed off the main road. That detour led us to one of the most breathtaking views of Batanes. Endless rolling hills, a narrow winding road, and a shortcut that somehow connected back to different parts of the island. We thought we’d gotten lost, but it turned out everything was connected. It was amazing to see how every road seemed to lead somewhere beautiful.

After that, we stopped by Little Café Batanes for some coffee and quiet time, just enjoying the slow pace of the day.

Later in the afternoon, we went back to our hotel to rest, then headed out again for a late lunch-slash-merienda. We decided to buy food and eat it at Vayang Rolling Hills, but man, it was so hard to eat there because the wind was so strong and it was freezing! Of course, we still managed (barely). After that, we went back to the plaza to chill and people-watch, and we even caught the locals’ end-of-the-week flag ceremony. It was a slow, easy day. We were already in bed by around 8 p.m. when we suddenly decided to go out again and hang at Little Café for a bit.