The main island of Batanes. This is where Basco, the provincial capital and Batanes airport are located. Aside from being home to Basco, it’s also where you can find the majority of the accommodations and tourist spots in Batanes.

Batan is divided into two areas: North and South. This division can also be your basis for how you will create your itinerary for Batan tours.

Located south of Batan, Sabtang is mountainous and dotted with steep cliffs. The island is less populated than Batan and is notable for preserving most of its old stone houses with cogon roofs.

To get here from Batan, you need to ride boats that depart Ivana Port in Basco between 6:00 AM to 7:00 AM and travel back between 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM.

• Book a Sabtang Island & North Batan Batanes tour

Sometimes there are still boats until 5:00 PM but make sure to check with the boat operators first. To be safe, be back at the port by 2:00 PM. The travel time is around 1 hour. 

The largest island among the three in Batanes is located north of Batan. The island is notable for its coastline with steep cliffs and interiors of rolling hills and grasslands. It also features rainforests and caves. Electricity in Itbayat runs only until 12 midnight and resumes at 6 AM the next day.

To get here, you need to board boats that depart Basco Port in Batan between 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM and travel back between 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Sometimes there are still boats until 5:00 PM but make sure to check with the boat operators first.

Depending on the water currents and winds, travel time is around 2-4 hours. If you’re prone to motion sickness, make sure to bring your meds, ointments, and a motion sickness bag.