The Batanes island group is the smallest province in the Philippines in terms of population and land area. The capital of Batanes, Basco is 280 kilometers north of Apari, Cagayan. Batanes consist of 10 tiny islands of which only the islands of Batan, Sabtang, and Itbayat are inhabited.
The people who inhabit these islands are called Ivatans who descended from Austronesians who migrated to the Batanes Islands 4000 years ago during the Neolithic period. They lived in fortified mountain areas called idjangs and drank sugar-cane wine, or palek. They also used gold as currency and produced a thriving agriculture-based industry. They were also seafarers and boat-builders. Ivatans are honest, gentle and polite but brave and robust. They are proud of their heritage and their land.
The main languages spoken in Batanes are Ivatan, which is spoken on the islands of Batan and Sabtang, and Ichbayaten, which is spoken primarily on the island of Itbayat. The Ivatan which is dominant in the province is considered to be one of the Austronesian languages. The dialect is widely spoken from college level down to elementary level.The landscape of Batanes is also distinct from other Philippine provinces due to the steep cliffs, rolling hills, deep canyons and boulder-lined shores. These natural earth formations make Batanes a very exciting place to visit. Take for example the picturesque Batanes Hills and the rocky shore in Valugan Beach where one can be one with nature.
The weather of Batanes is cool and windy. And it rains any month of the year. Compared to the rest of the country, the Batanes weather is rather pleasant. It has an almost temperate temperature from December to February where temperatures dip as low as 7 degrees centigrade. It enjoys practically four seasons, the best one being summer which is from March to June. Average monthly rainfall is 450 mm.
The wind swept islands of Batanes are beautiful and enchanting and they are like no other in the Philippines.
