Batanes

Batanes is the northernmost province of the Philippines, made up of a compact group of islands that form the country’s most northerly land. The archipelago is notable for its traditional Ivatan culture and durable stone and lime houses adapted to frequent strong winds.

Terrain across the islands features rolling grassy hills, cliffs and rocky shorelines with limited flat coastal plains. Visitors are drawn to the dramatic coastal scenery, vernacular architecture and cultural landscape; boat and land travel connect the inhabited islands.

Historically inhabited by the Ivatan people, the islands have long maintained distinct maritime and agricultural traditions adapted to the local climate. Administrative services are centred on the provincial capital and smaller municipal towns.

Batanes lies off the northern tip of the main Philippine archipelago and is the country’s northernmost administrative province; the main inhabited islands are Batan, Itbayat and Sabtang.

• Cultural and geographic significance: Consists of a small group of islands that form the northernmost province of the Philippines and preserves Ivatan cultural traditions and distinctive stone houses.
• Population note: Three islands are permanently inhabited and the overall population is small compared with other Philippine provinces.

What to See #

• Main islands: The province comprises around 10 islands in total, with three principal inhabited islands - Batan, Itbayat and Sabtang - each retaining distinctive Ivatan architecture and landscape.