Some people skip Sabtang Island Batanes when visiting the island, but I personally think it wouldn’t hurt to spend extra bucks for the tour.
Sabtang Island Batanes is known for its heritage villages like Chavayan and Savidug. There’s more than meets the eye as it also has viewpoints, beaches, and churches worth visiting.
Sabtang Island Batanes itinerary
If you’re choosing Batanes Travel and Tours, here’s the list of places you’ll visit during your Sabtang Island Batanes tour:
- Savidug Village Vernacular Houses
- Chavayan Village Vernacular Houses
- Sta. Rosa de Lima Chapel
- Morong Beach & Ahaw Arch Formation
- San Vicente Ferrer Church
- Sto. Tomas de Aquinas Chapel
- Limestone Production
- Chamantad Viewdeck
- Tinyan Viewdeck
- Savidug Idjang Viewing
Let me walk you through some of the spots we visited.
Our tour started with Chamantad Viewdeck to avoid the crowd in the late morning. It was sooo hot, so be sure to wear sunscreen! It’s worth every tan line I got, nonetheless, as I witnessed the deep blue waters sparkling like stars on earth.
Meanwhile, Chavayan Village is a famous spot for trying vakul, which is the Ivatan version of a headgear. I tried it for only PHP 20, and it is surprisingly cool on the head.
Towards the end of the village, there’s the limestone production area. Lime is a mixture of corals and other materials that Ivatans use to build their houses. Cement didn’t arrive on the island until the Japanese occupation, so the Ivatans had to be a little creative.
Here’s the tour guide showing us the lime:
Across the production area is a beach with the famous “kissing rock”. How cute is that?
Our tour ended with Morong Beach and Ahaw Arch, which is located at the topmost part of Sabtang Island Batanes. This is also where we had our lunch at Panaypanayan Canteen, with a set meal priced at PHP 350 per person.
Honestly, going to Sabtang Island Batanes can be a little scary because you’ll pass by the meeting point of the West Philippine Sea and the Pacific Ocean. I guess it’s why tours end as early as 1 PM. Travel time is about 30 minutes from Batan Island.
Note: The boat fare from Ivana Port to Sabtang is PHP 200 per person for a round trip. Additionally, there’s a registration fee of PHP 200 per person at the Sabtang Port.
Visit Honesty Coffee Shop after your tour (since you’re free from around 2 PM onwards). It’s a modest pitstop after a tiring morning in Sabtang Island or maybe when on your South Batan Island tour.
For full details, view my Batanes itinerary.
Here are other Batanes posts you might like: