Batanes [Thread 2]

[ayionick]

May seat sale nanaman at natetempt ako! June 1 to July 31 ang travel period, siguro naman summer time na ito? Nagmock booking ako, yung price na nakuha namin dati around 14k for 2pax ganun pa din ngayon...ano gagawin ko?

[ayionick]

Weather in Batanes can be likened to a confused mix of the typical Philippine wet&dry seasons setup on one hand, and the 4-season setup of those countries further away from the equator, on the other.

SO here's what actually happens:

December-February is "Winter" in Batanes because it's at its coldest. 

Following the 4-season pattern, March-May is supposedly "Spring".  However, since this is also the time of the year that Batanes is at its sunniest, it's also referred to as "Summer" - same as the rest of the Philippines.

Still following the 4-season pattern, June-August should be "Summer", except that it is during this time that winds and rains pick up in intensity, ushering in the stormy season.

Finally, September-November is supposedly autumn, but is more similar, in fact to the previous 3 months of windy and rainy weather.

To complicate matters, Batanes experiences what is known as an "Indian Summer" - wherein for a few days or 2 weeks at most, summer-like weather takes place in September or October.

So to be absolutely accurate, I'd say Batanes does not actually have 4 seasons - contrary to what the guidebooks say.  It's just the same wet and dry season as the rest of the country - with its dry season experiencing a cold and warm phase...and its wet season experiencing a very brief Indian Summer inside it.

Base on this info pinaka-ok ang months ng March to May and upto first half siguro ng June, tama ba? Sayang wala pang bonus nun! Hmm, back to budgeting mode...

[Mr.Punch]

^ It's hard to say, because really it could rain in Batanes anytime.  I can refer you however to Ironwulf (Ferdz Decena) who visited Batanes in June last year.  He held a photography workshop and was expecting for rains to occur.  hindi naman inulan yung photoshoot nila around Batan and Sabtang.  He talked to the locals and he was told by locals that weather patterns in Batanes have changed in recent years.  Most storms daw arrive in October na.

[carmilina]

^thanks for the info bro, gusto ko pumunta sa Batanes....=) [textspeak!] by summer....

[Mr.Punch]

^Sale seats have already been sold out, I think.  better be prepared to shell out more than P9,000 round trip.

[javazcript]

gusto ko talaga magpunta sa Batanes, may pera na akong inipon ipon ko from my 13th month pay, hahaha!kaso naman wala ako credit card, hindi yata pwede magpabook ng promo sa hotline nila. tas dami ko pa nababasa issues bout sa delayed flights/stranded issues...mawawalan ata ako ng trabaho hehe! (stranded issues)

[Mr.Punch]

^ There are two ways by which you can take advantage of discounted rates if you don't have a credit card:

1.  SEAir allows bank deposits for those without credit cards.  What you need to do is call up their number and tell them you want to take advantage of the seat sale rate as advertised in the internet but you don't have a credit card.  They will then provide you instructions for a bank deposit.  They will give you their bank information as well as the flight details and booking reference/confirmation number.  They will also give you their fax number.  (Write ALL of these down.)  Once you've made the deposit, photocopy the deposit slip and write your booking reference/confirmation number in pentel pen on it.  Fax this to the fax number they gave you.  After that, just follow it up with them.  You will receive your e-ticket once they've confirmed receipt of your fax.  TAKE NOTE:  The bank deposit must be made before the seat sale period ends.  For example, if the seat sale ends at January 23, then you only have until midnight to make the deposit.  And since banks are already closed by late afternoon, there's no way that you can take advantage of the discounted rate if you just learn about the sale at the night of the deadline.

Unless...

2.  Ask someone who has a credit card to make the online payment for you, and just pay him/her afterwards.  That person would need to go online and make the booking by entering your information, but entering his/her credit card info to complete the transaction.  The resulting e-ticket will show you as the passenger, but with him/her as the payor.  You will be required by the Airport to provide a letter of authorization from the payor, along with a photocopy of the credit card and official ID.  You can call up SEAir on what exactly the letter should contain.

[Mr.Punch]

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?

I've never really tried the package rate.  Yung sa akin last time, it was mostly DIY.  Depende siguro sa lodging house mo.  From the reputation, I've heard that Batanes Resort is good in arranging tours with meals.  Batanes Resort is owned by the municipal government so siguradong maaalagaan kayo diyan.  A few years ago, Batanes Resort employed Kuya Nards - who was reputedly the best tourguide/driver in Batanes.  But he has since moved on and is now working directly for the municipal government.

Shanedels also specializes in tours and they've been in the business for a long time now, so you can count on the fact that they have extensive contacts even in Sabtang.

I guess the best way to make sure that you get to eat native Ivatan dishes is to inform the package provider beforehand of your preference.  If, however, you're going to Sabtang, there's no need to specify it.  There's no other type of food in Sabtang except Ivatan dishes. 

[l_neveph]

`Thanks Mr. Punch, you're always prompt to answer our inquiries..Thanks again =)

[Mr.Punch]

^ Huit, your blog is a perfect sample itinerary for a 3days/2nights stay.

Just one thing though - Zestair no longer flies to Batanes.  It's Just Seair now.  (But I hope Zestair flies to Basco again soon.)

[ayionick]

Huit,i also get some info from your blog. Very helpful!

[huit]

@Mr. Punch... awww...hindi na? sayang naman. sabi ng friend ko di raw ganun ka okay ang sea air eh. sad... anyway, thanks for the comment.

@ayionick...thanks..

[ayionick]

^di talaga ok! Wala sila free accommodation for passengers with cancelled flights. Like yung kasabay namin taga Zamboanga pa. Lagi pa naman cancelled flights nila without assurance na makasakay talaga.

[huit]

Bakit kaya wala na zest air sa batanes. Sayang naman

[bunso]

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?

Hi sis! Share ko lang yung experience namen, nag Batanes kame last November 29 to Dec 4, nag DIY lang kame, and yung nagastos namen fo 6 days eh almost katumabas lang ng 3 days sa mga package tour. Mas mura pa kung mas madami kayo. Kasi 1800 a day ang van rental, it can accommodate 6 or 7 pax (dko sure), the additional 500 for the tourguide. Pero kame, 2thou lang binayan namen, pati tour guide na   Recommend ko sayo si Kuya Jun, sya driver/tour guide namen nun. Sobra bait, saka kwento nya talaga mga important facts ng mga tourist spots.

Then Regarding local delicacies naman,  hindi sya ganun kadaling hanapin. I mean, hindi sya laging available sa menu.  Although, hindi pa kasi high season that time, konti lang mga tourists. Kame kasi nag request pa

Sa hotel namen, nag-stay kasi kame  sa DDD Habitat and Batanes Resorts, ok naman sila pareho pero, mas relaxing sa Batanes Resorts, though mas mahal ng konti, saka walang signal ang globe. By the way, pareho silang may package tour, check mo nalang rin if you like.

Yung IT namen,
1st day -north of Batan Island
2nd day - South of Batan Island
3rd day - Sabtang Islang(overnight)
4th day - trekking
5th day - rest day
6th day - flight back to Manila

Si kuya Jhun na bahala sa mga tourist spots, pero syempre kung may request ka, sabihin mo lang. Nung kame kasi, lahat ng na-research ko, napuntahan naman namen.

About sa weather naman, naku sis, swertehan lang tlaga. Like nung samen, since day 1 hanggang day 4, ang ganda ng araw, then day 5 bigla umulan ng malakas. Buti nalang, rest day nalang talaga namen yun, so ok lang. Nag worry lang kame baka ma-cancel flight the next day. Pero, imagine, biglang umaraw the next day, so tuloy ang flight namen!! Swerte talaga  

KUYA JHUN GASILAO - 09089368193

[Mr.Punch]

^Taga saang inn yang Kuya Jhun?  Batanes Resort or DDD?  Or independent?

[bunso]

^ Independent sya. Bale sya ang kausap ko directly. Although ang nag-refer sa kanya eh yung manager ng DDD.

[ayionick]

si kuya jun din dapat ang tour guide namin. sya ata ang tour guide ng DDD eh.

[peachtraveller]

i still have two months to prepare for our batanes trip...

would like to ask for the usual rates of the following:
- tour guides
- van hire (van ba talaga 2 or jeep lang)

meron kasing ni-refer sa akin ang rates ay Php1,500 for the tour guide per day and php2,000.00 for the van per day ... tama ba yung rates? or expensive?

[ayionick]

^sis, read mo blogs nila huit at mr.punch. they have the rates there, siguro may konting pagtataas ng presyo depende kung anong season ka magpupunta like summer.