There is a place where the craggy cliffs, the verdant, rolling pasturelands, and turquoise oceans. Here, one can savor the infinite pulse of the universe through the expression of Mother Nature that seems untouched, preserved, and cared for like no other. This paradise is Batanes. To me, it is God’s shadow on earth. No place amazes me as much as the desolate and dramatic landscapes of the northernmost tip of the Philippines. In this sanctuary of adventure and legend, human survival is challenged beyond measure. The resilient reside here, protecting and preserving a sacred culture that espouses values such as love for God and family, honesty, simplicity, frugality, integrity, humility, perseverance, contentment, and the desire to preserve their environment, habitat, and culture. This is Batanes, where the vast sky and sea meet at the horizon, where a wild kind of beauty permeates, where the inhospitable weather is a way of life that hardly dampens the spirit of the Ivatans, the kindred people from this region.

I felt transported to the wind-swept sanctuaries of the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, the rolling terrains of New Zealand, the craggy cliffs of Ireland, as well as the enchanting Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, located in Argentina. It was an arresting moment of déjà vu as I recalled the views of this paradise in the Patagonia region where lighthouses, rugged terrain, and waves gracefully lap against the isolated islands that jut out of the immaculate sea. I had to pinch myself to be reminded that I was in our own country, and unlike Patagonia, a very short flight could get us to the spectacular beauty of Batanes.

As I gazed down at the picturesque Batanes scenery, I vowed to return again and again. Batanes is simply addicting, and the number of tourist visits will surely increase because on a journey here, the joy and bliss experienced are immeasurable. Batanes is an ethereal sanctuary, so blessed with natural beauty that it certainly deserves to be carefully scrutinized, appreciated, and embraced. Beauty has no limits where the sky and land merge. As we come near it, it seems to move away from us. Man has a need for the infinite, and Batanes pushes him toward it. in this place, your imagination will just run wild and free. As you stare at the desolate terrain, you realize how small and fragile life is, just an imperceptible breath. Batanes is indeed God’s shadow on earth.