Batanes Island Adventure — Batan & Sabtang

This full-day adventure covers the two main islands of Batanes, Batan and Sabtang, taking in the rolling hills, sea cliffs and centuries-old stone villages that make this windswept province unlike anywhere else in the Philippines. After an early boat crossing to Sabtang Island, you explore the heritage villages of Savidug and Chavayan, where rows of limestone-and-cogon Ivatan houses built to survive typhoons still stand, and locals wear the traditional vakul headgear.

Back on Batan Island you take in the highlights of the south and north loops: the sweeping grasslands of Racuh A Payaman (Marlboro Country) rolling to the sea beneath Mount Iraya, the panoramic Vayang Rolling Hills, and the historic House of Dakay, the oldest stone house in the province. A stop at the unmanned Honesty Coffee Shop in Ivana sums up the trust-based Ivatan way of life.

With dramatic coastal scenery, lighthouse viewpoints and deep cultural immersion, this is the essential Batanes day out, best enjoyed at a relaxed pace with plenty of photo stops.