It was the longest boat ride of our lives. A wild six hours of waiting for uncertainty… waiting to die, waiting to live. And we live. We live to tell the stories… our Calayan stories.

Situated in between Batanes and mainland Luzon, Calayan Island is part of Babuyan Group, a collection of islands and islets in Northern Philippines. Balintang Channel separates the island from Batanes, but it shares the same features with the northernmost Philippine province; and although it is bigger in terms of land area, it is just a town of Cagayan Province.

Just an island town filled with unimaginable spots and corners… distant and isolated, treacherous and beautiful. Roaring waves, ragged coastline, verdant hills, idyllic beaches, majestic waterfalls and more!

We ventured in Calayan Island in the midst of summer of 2017. A journey that turned into an epic adventure when the sky and the sea decided to forget it was summer, and brought storm and worry to unprepared souls. Here’s a virtual diary of how our unforgettable Calayan adventure turned out.

How to Get to Calayan Island

You can get to Calayan via Claveria and Aparri, Cagayan. The most common is via Claveria which is accessible from Manila via 12 hours bus from Sampaloc, Manila of Florida Liner and RCJ Bus going to Junction Luna, regular fare is P850 one-way. Alternatively, you can also take a flight to Laoag or Tuguegarao then catch a bus going or passing to Claveria from there.

From Claveria, there is a regular boat departure daily during good weather going to Calayan. A boat usually departs at 6AM from Taggat Port for a 4 to 6-hour journey, fare is P500 per person one-way.

*First published: 11-Aug-2017