Win two round-trip SEAIR airline tickets to Batanes Philippines!
Posted by on April 14, 2008
I have been there last February. Now it’s your chance to visit the country’s nothernmost province! It’s a once in a lifetime chance for you to visit the breathtaking Batanes! Visits the stone houses in Sabtang. Buy some snacks at the Honesty Cafe or climb the rolling hills at the Marlboro Country. Climb its lofty lighthouses or just simply be amazed at how the Ivatan people live their life here.
BYAHILO: Ito ang Trip Ko! and the SEAIR Adventure Club is giving away not one, but TWO round-trip SEAIR tickets to Basco, Batanes!
All you have to do is leave a comment here telling us why you love Batanes (or why you like to go to Batanes) by Sunday, 20 April 2008 at 8:00 p.m. Make sure you place your full name in the name field since you will need a valid ID to claim the tickets if you win. The winner will be drawn at random and will be notified by e-mail so make sure you double check your e-mail address before submitting your comment. Finally, one entry per IP address so only the first entry from each IP address will be counted. Tickets will be valid from now until 15 October 2008. Good luck!
Ang hirap naman nito. How can I possibly explain why I love Batanes, eh I haven’t been there yet? That’s why I want to go there in the first place, to experience the beauty of it.
Also, is there an age limit? Can my brother join too? :p (in any case, I don’t ever write for him… :p)
Batanes, I believe, is the last frontier in our country. Batanes is simply beautiful. No words can best describe it. You need not to have a passport to see an Irish fjord, a Marlboro country and a place to unwind, to soul-search and to say “This is the most beautiful place I’ve been to.”
Shari> i dont think there’s an age limit. pwede mo pa mapa sali si Robby
the lighthouse and green grassy hillside which reminds me of new zealand. i’ve never been to batanes but i’ve seen many pictures of it and fallen in love with place.
Seven words. Lord of the Rings in the Philippines.
The best way to explore the island is to bring a mountain bike with you. Just make sure you stay away from the edges because it sure is a loooong way down.
onga..bat nga ba ganyan ang tanong..limitado sa mga nakarating na o local ng batanes..gusto ko pa naman manalo ng free rt ticket..pero la akong alam tunkol sa subject matter..
watching the trailer of adolfo alix’s “kadin” (2007 cinemalaya entry) on youtube gave me a glimpse of what the island looks like. the 3 minute clip showed its beauty but it wasn’t enough. i know there’s a whole lot more, got to check it out myself.
wanna find out also if the urban legend is true, that in batanes you can hear faint sounds which came all the way from taiwan.
wooops.. forgot to include my legal name. it’s ELISEO VIRATA ASPILLAGA III. sana valid pa rin entry ko.
I love Batanes because it is rich in not only natural and built heritage but also the customs and traits they pass down to generations past. You can leave your wallet in a bench but still find it untouched the next day, or so I’ve heard.
Batanes is also the only province in the Philippines with zero incidence of poverty.
I want to experience the beauty of Batanes =)
I really love travelling and seeing the wonders of our country so I can promote the beauty of our place. I have heard a lot of wonderful things about Batanes and I would really love to be able to experience going there. It is one of our prestine and preserved white sand beaches, whales can still be seen there, and really relaxing place. I really hope I’d be able to get a chance to go there too! =)
I want to go to Batanes for several reasons:
- the weather is cooler there, summer in Manila is like hell
- it’s a very beautiful place to relax and soul-search
- to spend quality time with my wife
The reason why i want to go to Batanes is to discover its beauty and to capture them in my lenses.
I’ve been facinated with Batanes becuase as a child, I grew up in a street called batanes. 781 Batanes St. Sampaloc, Manila was our address back then. Going through Araling Panlipunan during my elementary years, I was surprised that there was a province named Batanes. Ever since, the prospect of seeing the real Batanes excites me. Just to see a province with just 15,00 people and towns numbering between 1,000 – 5,000 people where virtually everybody knows everybody is something worth visiting.
I’ve heard so much about Batanes and also seen it from TV,movie and online Ithat’s why it’s one of my dreams to go there and discover it for myself how beautiful and enigmatic it is.
I also want to experience life the Ivatan way which is so simple. I heard that people from Batanes are very honest. As Eugene Domingo said in her interview at Cinema One,you can even put your cellphone at your window the whole day without even worrying at all.
I also want to see the house of Butch Abad because they say that at the view from his house is really breathtaking.
Isa ang Batanes sa mga pinakamagaganda at ipinagmamalaking probinsya dito sa ating bansa. Ang kanilang maliliit na kabundukan, malawak na karagatan, luntiang kapatagan at mga mamamayan ay maituturing na kayamanan. Sinong hindi mag-aasam na makarating sa paraisong ito?
The Filipino Channel (TFC) saturates its programs with plugs about the relatively unknown tourist destinations in our country. One of them is about the wonders of our northernmost province – Batanes.
Just like what Eric told us, Batanes as shown on TFC is one breathtaking place, with its windswept hills, craggy cliffs, exotic-looking houses, quaint lighthouses, and charming countryside trails. It is what they say in the vernacular as, “Parang hindi sa ‘Pinas”, and for good reason.
It does not look like the Philippines. It looks like somewhere near Samwise Gamgee’s and Frodo’s The Shire (in New Zealand, actually), or somewhere in the Scottish countryside.
But it is unmistakably Filipino. Although a good percentage of the population resemble native Southern Chinese, it heartwarming to see that they all exhibit that unique Filipino trait – hospitality.
Another interesting fact about the people of Batanes is their renowned honesty. Do you imagine going into a café, getting your usual dose of coffee or some snacks, with no one bothering you to pay? That would be unimaginable in the other parts of the Philippines, or of the world for that matter, but in Batanes, people take what they want and pay for it, even when no one is looking.
I have not been to Batanes yet, but I would love to be there. Just the thought of going is already exciting. And Eric’s free ticket just added to that thrill.
After graduated from college, I spend my life here in Boracay Island. Now, I already considered myself as one of the islanders. But every time I’m reminiscing my childhood years I cannot deny the fact that I remember my favorite noontime TV Show, Eat Bulaga. I and my siblings used to watch that show and before it starts we gathered in front of our television. I cannot forget their theme song which starts with “Mula Aparri hanggang Jolo saan ka man ay halina kayo, and sooner they changed the Aparri into Batanes. Then I promised to myself that someday I’m going to visit Batanes and Jolo to see the place and know the people, fellow Filipinos. I know that Batanes is far from our place, Negros Island, where I grew up, that is why I have to study hard to finish my studies and to find a better job and able to buy my plane tickets for me to go to Batanes.
At the moment, I am working in one of the resorts here in Boracay Island. Few months ago while I was viewing my friendster’s account, I was intrigued with the pictures of my friend. His pictures were taken in Batanes Island. I was really amazed with the pictures because the place is still virgin. There were still many trees around the place and the beach is so clean. Then I keep on viewing more of his pictures.
This is the moment. I know that this is the right time for me to go to Batanes. After visiting Byahilo.com and many days of surfing the net about the beautiful Batanes, Philippines, I am now sure that I am excited to visit BATANES flying SEAIR.
B – Beautiful
A – Amazing
T – Terrific
A – Astonishing
N – Nature and
E – Exhilarating
S – Sceneries
S – Service for
E – Excellence and
A – Aiming for
I – Intercontinental
R – Relaxed journey
BATANES – I would want to go to Batanes to personally see the Ivatan houses; It’s like the Hobit House of the movie Lord of the Rings.. Not only that, I also want to see Batanes’ beautiful mountain landscapes.. I want to go there! I’ve been jealous of my friends who had been there.. I hope this would be my chance!
I have never been to Batanes but I have seen pictures of lucky people who have been there and all I can say is the place is amazing. For the photographer in me, the chance to take wonderful photos would be the top reason why I want to go there. For the food lover in me, just the thought of what unique delicacies Batanes has to offer makes me want to fly there in the blink of an eye. And for the proud Filipino in me, blogging about Batanes and its beauty would surely encourage other Filipinos to travel around the Philippines and explore what our country can offer.
Batanes is a place that I’ve always wanted to visit. The beautiful, rugged landscape at the edge (almost) of the Philippines, coupled with the simplicity of the people and their habitat, has always fascinated me. Maybe it’s because that it is so far removed from the Philippines that I know, which is mostly about the hustle and bustle of life in the metro. Anyways, I hope that this can give me an opportunity to experience this beauty first hand (and capture it on my camera; like many here, I am an avid photographer).
Cheers!
Traveling, for me, is always a chance to see a world that’s different from what I’ve gotten used to. I swore to myself that I will explore as much of the world as I can, especially the wonders in my own country.
I have traveled to numerous domestic destinations, but I’ve always dreamt of seeing Batanes. The rugged terrain, the interesting architecture, the friendly people–they all entice me to experience this wonderful place.
I’m hoping I get my chance to be transported to this different world through this contest.
If not, though, I will surely set foot on Batanes, one way or another. 
In my opinion, traveling is one of the best experiences once can partake in. There is nothing like exploring a new place or re exploring a place visited in the past. Nothing beats getting to know a place and their people.
I have visited quite a number of countries. But sadly, I have not visited many places in the Philippines, apart from the usual tagaytay and Subic. I feel that Batanes has so much character and so much to share to Filipinos as it seems to be so untouched by technology.
With this in mind, I want to experience going to a place that is purely Filipino.
Batanes is always featured on tv as one of the best place in the Philippines. So definitely, I should be there… re-living Dawn Zulueta’s film – Hihintayin Kita sa Langit.
I want to go to Batanes. I’ve been to many places here in the Philippines, but never been to the country’s smallest province. As if it is my ultimate goal. I’m a nature lover, and I’m sure that with the flora and fauna that the province offers, my visit there would be a breathtaking, memorable experience!
I want to visit Batanes before it gets commercialized (but I’m praying it would be spared from commercialization). Just seeing Batanes on tv and on the web makes me marvel at how GOD really took time in making this masterpiece! I would love to experience being in awe of MY CREATOR’s work of art, and experience heaven on earth, and i can only do that in Batanes!!!
i grew up south of the philippines (zamboanga – almost at the lower tip of the country)….. i wanna see what’s up there!!! take me there please!
Nais ko talagang mapuntahan ang Batanes habang kaya pa ng tuhod ko. Magiging golden girl na ako next year at iyon sana ang aking birthday wish. Gusto kong magkaroon ng magagandang alaala na sasariwain ko sa aking katandaan.
I love to go to batanes because its a paradise. A paradise that a traveller ever dream of visiting. I want to experience Batanes lifestyle, food and culture as well as the famous Marlboro country. Also I want to prove to other Filipinos abroad that there are still places like this in the Philippines, and they should try to explore first Philippines before they appreciate other countries.
I want to go to Batanes, because its already been in my brains during elementary days that the island of Philippines starts in Batanes, and also everybody knows the Eat Bulaga song – “mula Batanes hanggang Jolo…”.
I’m very curious on how beautiful the place, after the movie Batanes, everyone is curious to visit and see the main attraction of the island. I’m starting to be a foreigner in my own country, haven’t visited other parts of the island, and I guess Batanes is good start to visit.
in my life, haven’t traveled far away like Baguio, but getting out of Manila and go to Batanes will be the best ever.
Pwede pa ba ko sumale dito? I want to go to Batanes with my wife kase we’ll be having our church wedding rites by August 8,2008 & I wanted my wife to really appreciate it being there with me.
i have been travelling a lot and i have a philippine map where in i plot all the provinces i visited. and my goal is to visit all of the provinces in the philippines before i die. so far i still have 7 provinces left in luzon, i visited 3 provinces in visayas and none in mindanao. i’m getting married and i wanted it to be in batanes with my travelling friends.
as i woke up today and saw a message on my phone from my mom asking me to search the internet as to where to buy tickets heading for batanes… apparently my lola wants one…
you see my “nana”, as we ever so dearly refer to our grandma, is an ivatan. a native of ivana (where the honesty cafe is located, i was told). she then studied here in manila for a couple of years and then returned to the province and began teaching there at basco national high school until her retirement. now she’s in her 90′s and she lives with us in caloocan, having no one to take care of her there, my mom (the daughter who followed her footsteps as a teacher) decided to take her in our care.
lately nana has been having these visions of flying cows, floods in her room, and flying children singing their hearts out. one time she even told me very emotionally how someone was after her and was trying to enter her room through the floor. i don’t know what to say or even feel, i just stroke her back and told her it’ll be alright.
and so today i replied to my mom’s text asking her, why would nana want to go back? probably she wants to be able to make peace with her native land, and be in a place that’s familiar to her where she feels at home. my mom just wouldn’t respond.
i have been dying to go to batanes ever since i have been aware that it was our province. even before everyone became obsessed with this tiny little province and suddenly everyone knows it aside from being an island frequently barraged by storms. once i had been there but i was just 3 years old then. the memories that i have of that visit was being on a boat, fishing and seeing a table full of different kinds of seafoods. but i know i would have to postpone my wanting to go there.
…i can see her cane touching first the sun burnt concrete on the airport as she makes her next foot to give her balance. as the first breeze sweeps her face i know she will smile, she might cry even. and then start to make her way towards what she would realy call her home…
I see u guyz were totally craving to be there.
i’m an Ivatan.. Batanes is my homeland and I was there until my 16 years of age.
I’m so proud to be an Ivatan (infact, I write lots of articles about the wonders of Batanes and em glad I won those pieces to every writing contest. know why? coz di aq nawalan ng dahilan kung bakit natawag ang Batanes na “the lost paradise of the Pilippines”.)
I’m now studying here in Manila but still whenever we’re required to write an article,, I always have first in mind my beloved province. my paradise.. BatAnES…
I really wanna get home and feel the breez of the freshiest air ever!
zero crime rate na.. paradise pa.. san pa kamu?
hehehe.. much of it. nagreresearch pala aq ng references about batanes. wahaha,, natuloy tuloyna naman pag type q. hihi
I love batanes because i love nature.
i guess i’m too late to leave my comment here. but i just wanna share my feelings. since college i’ve been visualizing BATANES. i’ve never been there but i know it’s way way far from manila. i am a nature lover so distance is not a hindrance for me to travel. the farthest i’ve been to is Vigan. i wish someday i can visit batanes to satisfy my visualizations of it.
Its been over two months now since I lost my mother from breast cancer and still everything is fresh. The past two months without her is like a nightmare to all of us, her children. Hindi pa totally nagsink-in sa amin lahat na wala na talaga sya. Masyado kaming naging stressful during her battle up to her last breath up to now.
With this, I think Batanes is a one-of-a kind place na ang sarap gumising sa umaga at huminga ng malalim na walang iniisip na problema. I’ve never been there pero parang ang sarap matulog sa batanes na puro masaya ang napapanaginipan. Parang ang sarap sarap magreflect sa lugar na tulad nito.
I need this place,,, quiet,simple at malayo sa problema.