Batanes [Thread 2]

[Mr.Punch]

^ Damn, kakainggit.  Nakakuha kayo sa March.

[ayionick]

Mr.Punch and/or l_neveph, may accommodation ka na ba? Baka gusto mong kunin na lang yung reservation namin sa DDD Habitat? We paid P2,000 in advance, sayang naman kasi kung di magagamit at mababawi yung binayad namin eh. 1 year valid naman daw.

[Mr.Punch]

September pa kami, but I will message you if we decide to stay with DDD habitat.  Gusto ko rin subukan ibang accomodation so I can't commit just yet. 

Of course, kung meron ibang mauuna, ok lang.

Guys, DDD is a good place to stay sa Batanes.  It's the newest inn in Basco and rooms are still squeaky-clean and Rose keeps them well-maintained.  Meron siyang roofdeck and it is perfect for inuman and stargazing.  (And, man, ang DAMING stars sa Batanes night sky.  )

[shegothim]

^agree, daming stars dun nakakatuwa. naalala ko naglalakad kami pabalik sa homestay na tinutuluyan namin napagkwentuhan namin na mukhang maganda panahon kinabukasan kasi clear iyong sky at maraming stars, so magiging ok ang tour namin. ayun after an hour ata biglang umulan. nabati ata namin pero napansin ko paiba iba ang panahon dun. minsan mainit tapos lalakas ang hangin then uulan din mamaya tapos huhupa din agad.

[l_neveph]

no accommodation pa mr.punch..still searching for the best yet affordable lodging..i will PM you if I'll go w/ DDD..thanks=)...

[l_neveph]

ay sorry mr.punch the message above was meant for  sis ayionick..

guys what would u prefer if there's only 3 of u in a group? Join a group tour or DIY?

[ayionick]

^sis, 2 lang kame sana kung natuloy kasi wala pa masyadong nagpupunta/group tours ng january. for us mas makakatipid kame kung package tour. pero since march ang travel dates nyo baka may group tours na. i researched kung san kame mas makakamura and i also haggle the prices dun sa package tours. so far ang mabilis, madali at maayos kausap yung sa DDD Habitat. si ate noemi ang contact person ko dun, she gave me bargained price talaga. i really appreciate that she considered the fact na 2 pax lang kame so hangga't mababawasan nya yung price ginawa nya. sayang lang talaga at di kame natuloy pero pag pumunta kame dun sa future dun pa din kame magstay. pero this year malabo talaga since inabisuhan na kame sa work na magleave na this month kasi sunod-sunod na ang overtimes on succeeding months.

inform mo ko, sis, in case you'll be interested to stay in DDD Habitat. nagtanong din pala ako kay ate noemi in case we will be joining a group, kung meron silang group tour na magstay dun. sabi nya pwede naman daw, mas mapapababa yung expenses namin for the package tour kung may makaka-join samin o makaka-join kame sa iba. hindi sila mahigpit sa ganun.

[Mr.Punch]

ay sorry mr.punch the message above was meant for  sis ayionick..

guys what would u prefer if there's only 3 of u in a group? Join a group tour or DIY?

If it's your first time in Batanes and you're staying for less than a week, then hire a guide so that you won't waste time trying to figure out where to go.  On your second visit, saka na kayo mag DIY.

The going rate is P800 per day.  It's better if you're three or more, mas distributed yung cost.  Take note, di pa kasama doon yung transpo cost.

Tip#1:  All lodging houses have tourist guide contacts, they can set you up with one.

Tip#2:  You can ask your lodging house to arrange a tricycle that you can rent for the entire day.  The rate is P150 per day, all in.  The good thing about this is that the tricycle drivers do not charge a separate tour guide fee, but they know the places to go.  Halos wala silang pinagkaiba sa tourguide.  I would recommend this option.

Tip#3:  For those who will stay in DDD - If you want to opt for tip#2, then you must insist with Noemi that you just want to rent a tricycle.  Meron kasi silang "in-house" na tour guide - si Joaquin - and their first impulse is to recommend him as your tourguide.  Ok naman si Joaquin, mabait at magalang - pero wala siyang sariling transportation so I had to pay pa for the motorcycle rental na naka-angkas ako while he's driving.  Hindi ko nakita yung added value ng pagiging tourguide niya kasi wala naman siyang added info na binigay tungkol sa mga binisita namin.  Early on, saka ko lang nalaman yung P150/hour all-in na tricycle rental.  Sana ganun na lang ang ginawa ko.

[ayionick]

If it's your first time in Batanes and you're staying for less than a week, then hire a guide so that you won't waste time trying to figure out where to go.  On your second visit, saka na kayo mag DIY.

The going rate is P800 per day.  It's better if you're three or more, mas distributed yung cost.  Take note, di pa kasama doon yung transpo cost.

Tip#1:  All lodging houses have tourist guide contacts, they can set you up with one.

Tip#2:  You can ask your lodging house to arrange a tricycle that you can rent for the entire day.  The rate is P150 per day, all in.  The good thing about this is that the tricycle drivers do not charge a separate tour guide fee, but they know the places to go.  Halos wala silang pinagkaiba sa tourguide.  I would recommend this option.

Tip#3:  For those who will stay in DDD - If you want to opt for tip#2, then you must insist with Noemi that you just want to rent a tricycle.  Meron kasi silang "in-house" na tour guide - si Joaquin - and their first impulse is to recommend him as your tourguide.  Ok naman si Joaquin, mabait at magalang - pero wala siyang sariling transportation so I had to pay pa for the motorcycle rental na naka-angkas ako while he's driving.  Hindi ko nakita yung added value ng pagiging tourguide niya kasi wala naman siyang added info na binigay tungkol sa mga binisita namin.  Early on, saka ko lang nalaman yung P150/hour all-in na tricycle rental.  Sana ganun na lang ang ginawa ko.

Buti na lang at di pa kame natuloy, may malalaman pa pala akong hindi ko alam dati.

[shinta]

nakakainggit naman magbasa sa thread na ito. dream local destination ko talaga ang batanes. sana makapunta din ako dito someday.

[yikee]

If it's your first time in Batanes and you're staying for less than a week, then hire a guide so that you won't waste time trying to figure out where to go.  On your second visit, saka na kayo mag DIY.

The going rate is P800 per day.  It's better if you're three or more, mas distributed yung cost.  Take note, di pa kasama doon yung transpo cost.

Tip#1:  All lodging houses have tourist guide contacts, they can set you up with one.

Tip#2:  You can ask your lodging house to arrange a tricycle that you can rent for the entire day.  The rate is P150 per day, all in.  The good thing about this is that the tricycle drivers do not charge a separate tour guide fee, but they know the places to go.  Halos wala silang pinagkaiba sa tourguide.  I would recommend this option.

Tip#3:  For those who will stay in DDD - If you want to opt for tip#2, then you must insist with Noemi that you just want to rent a tricycle.  Meron kasi silang "in-house" na tour guide - si Joaquin - and their first impulse is to recommend him as your tourguide.  Ok naman si Joaquin, mabait at magalang - pero wala siyang sariling transportation so I had to pay pa for the motorcycle rental na naka-angkas ako while he's driving.  Hindi ko nakita yung added value ng pagiging tourguide niya kasi wala naman siyang added info na binigay tungkol sa mga binisita namin.  Early on, saka ko lang nalaman yung P150/hour all-in na tricycle rental.  Sana ganun na lang ang ginawa ko.

Mr. Punch, since pwede pala magrent na lang ng tricycle, magkakalapit lang yung tourist spots na pupuntahan? kering keri lang ng tricycle?
how about for sabtang kaya pano? kase parang napaisip ako bigla, maganda nga yung tip #2 lalo na kami 2 lang kase kami, tipid mode talaga. kung magrerent kami ng tricycle for batan/basco tour, yung sabtang na lang bale ang ikukuha namin ng tour guide?

saka pala as per tip #2, 150/day all-in nakalagay, pero as per tip #3, 150/hour?

thanks ng madami bro!

[Mr.Punch]

Ooops, sorry, that's P150/hour all in.  Hindi required pakainin yung tour guide, pero pakainin niyo na rin.

As for Sabtang, there's no distinction between a guide and a driver.  Yung nagda-drive, siya na rin yung nagga-guide.  Apat lang naman yung village sa Sabtang na pwede puntahan, and they are all along the national road.  When I was in Sabtang, wala akong nakitang tricycle, kahit isa.  There are lots of motorcycles, a few jeepneys, some multicabs, and one van.  The jeepneys, multicabs and van are P2,000/day.

Oh....I actually blogged about this pala:

http://deaconblue.multiply.com/journal/item/127/Batanes_Travel_Tips

[ayionick]

^Mr.Punch, kung meron lang like button ang multiply site malamang madami ng nag-Like sa blog mo about Batanes. take note ko lahat ng nabasa ko sa blog mo para pag natuloy na kame dun someday maging sulit ang stay namin. ok na ba ang 4 days stay? parang kulang ata para sayo eh?

[yikee]

^^thank you sobra! read your blog and i have to agree with sis ayionick, sobrang helpful and informative 

[Mr.Punch]

Ok na ang 4 days/3 nights stay.  Maaga naman dumarating yung plane on the first day, so you still essentially have three whole days of travel time.

I prefer 5 days based on experience.  I initially booked a 5-day stay on the observation that most itineraries are 4D/3N.  So I figured I'd do that and have an extra day just on my own - no guides, no fixed itinerary.  The experience confirmed it.  I had a grand time on that 1 extra day that I rented a bicycle and set out for the southern towns of Mahatao and Ivana.

And I would not have been able to take pictures of this bird in a guided tour:

http://deaconblue.multiply.com/photos/album/72/Batanes_Series_4.2

[LeStSkY]

naka avail kami ng promo of seair for only 6972 RT travel date mar 21-24..anyone coming on those dates para makisabay nlng kami sa group that way it'll be cheaper=)

 awww ilan kayo sis?? yan rin yung itnatarget ko na date dati kaso.. magbobohol nalang ako nafrustrate akowala kasi makakasama e sayang

[l_neveph]

@lestsky ay sayang nga sis, 3 lang kami kung nagkataon ikaw yung pang 4..and malay mo may makita pa tayo duon na gusto sumali sa group..but Bohol is not a bad choice naman..

[l_neveph]

Thank u sa mga nag reply ..
sorry kung medyo makulit ako ha, sis ayionick and Mr. Punch how about the group tour offered by the hotels/resorts is it wise to consider them?kasi may food and accomodation na di ba? Ang hesitation ko lang is baka hindi mga local delicaies ang e-se-serve nila, eh that's another reason pa naman why im excited with this trip..but with this kasi i dont have to worry about the transpo etc..malaki ba price difference to just get a tour guide than getting a package tour?

[l_neveph]

ay last na pahabol hehe ..im dying to try their coconut crabs, uvud and kung anuman local delicaies meron cla, what resto or kainan kaya puede nyo ma recommend na masarap ang food esp the native foods nila..

TIA sa mga insights

[LeStSkY]

^sis babalikan ko lnag ang bohol nakapunta narin ako 2007 pero ayun [textspeak!] inulan kami sa chocolate hills hehe.. sayang talaga sana maaga ka nagpost.. haiz