Babuyan Islands
Amongst the thousands of islands in the Philippines, Babuyan Islands form an archipelago and are located in the north of island of Luzon in the Luzon Strait. The Babuyan channel separates Babuyan Islands from Luzon and the Balintang channel separates it from the Batanes Islands. These untapped islands are known for their three volcanoes and wide ranging coral reefs.
Consisting of five major islands namely, Babuyan Island, Calayan, Camiguin, which is not to be confused with the island-province in Mindanao with the same name, Dalupiri and Fuga.
If you based it geologically the Babuyan Islands is part of the Luzon Volcanic Arc and politically, the islands are a part of the province of Cagayan.
The History
It was in the 19th century when sailors have invaded the islands and began a more backward civilization. During the 20th century, Christianity was introduced to the islands through the works of Christian missionaries.
It was in 1942 when scores of Japanese troops have landed in islands; during the World War II in 1945 it was then when the Allied Commonwealth came into the islands and assailed these Japanese troops which resulted to the Battle of the Babuyan Islands.
The Island
As previously discussed on what islands compromise Babuyan Islands, overall it is mostly an underdeveloped archipelago found in the northern part of the Philippines. Though there is tourism going on, best times of which for travel would most likely be outside the monsoon season which is from March to August.
The nearest town that you can get into would be Aparri on the mainland which is 40 to 60 kilometers through a five to four hour boat ride. If you are entertaining the idea of visiting, keep in mind the humpback whale-watching tour which is popular in the area.
Since it is literally an island, mostly surrounded by water and land, the place is inhabited mostly by fisherman and farmers which is also the local livelihood. Although farming has been discouraged specifically the cultivation of corn and rice because of their soil and the strong winds that end up destroying the crops. On the other hand, root crops are more highly advisable such as sweet potatoes.
The Tourism
If you are mostly into back packing and more into adventures and hard core travel, then this may be a place you would consider. But be advised that there won’t be any private resorts, hotels and the like since electricity is spar and limited to certain areas only. There are cottages though that can be rented per night to accommodate you. They provide public restrooms with supply of tap water, and for some areas if you require electricity, a generator is provided for the guests.
The most charming island of the Babuyan Islands would be the long island of Fuga. It boasts their long stretch of white sand beaches and endless coral reefs.
How to get there? There is no easy way to get to Babuyan Islands. There are no ferry services and the only option there is, is a charter boat from Aparri to the mainland which takes four to five hours travel time. You can also get a flight from the city of Manila to Tugegarao City which will take you about 45 minutes, then a bus ride to Aparri and then the charter boat.
