A group of islands in the northernmost region of the Philippines is so far away that it is actually closer to Taiwan than most parts of the Philippines.
Pastoral landscapes, peaceful people
Composed of three main islands Batan, Sabtang and Itbayat that sit between the North Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea, Batanes is often pummeled by unforgiving typhoons that form on both bodies of water.
It is also on the Circum-Pacific Belt, better known as the Ring of Fire, and prone to frequent earthquakes, one which damaged the island of Itbayat in July 2019.
Scott A. Woodward
The pastoral landscape of Naidi Hills near the Basco Lighthouse.
Here, the land is forged by the elements and, in many ways, so are the people.
There is an air of mystery that shrouds the indigenous population of Batanes, the Ivatans. Due to its isolation, challenging climate and difficult landscape, the locals have built a society that values trust and real connection.
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