MANILA, Philippines ? Batanes is for adventurous souls, a remote paradise rimmed by a wraparound sea, howling winds and a rough-hewn charm that make you feel that time has stood still. But explore the land and discover:

1. The Fundacion Pacita Abad Museum that tells of the life, roots and inspiration of this world-famous trapunto (tapestry) artist, as well as the art of young Ivatan painters.

2. The Tukon Church nearby, with life-size paintings of saints by Ivatan artists on its ceiling, a project of the Fundacion Pacita Abad.

3. The Honesty Store in Ivana, where you can buy sundries from garlic to native baskets without any helper attending to you. Prices are posted on the goods, people list down what they get and drop their payment into a box.

4. Valughan Beach in Basco proper, with its shoreline covered with andesite stones, smooth boulders belched out by the volcano. Watch in awe as the rough waves break on its rugged shores, and get sprayed by its over-reaching foam.

5. Song Song ruins in Itbud, for its ethereal, haunting atmosphere. The abandoned stone houses are all that remain after a tsunami struck in the late 1800s.

6. The lighthouses that offer a 3600 view of the city, the island's emerald hills and giant breaking waves below. There's the Diura Lighthouse in Mahatao, the Sabtang Lighthouse on top of a rocky hill, and the lighthouse atop Naidi Hills in Basco.

7. The stone houses of Sabtang that look like they've been frozen in time.

8. Ride the native dugout canoe made from Palomaria wood called the falowa to cross from Basco to Sabtang. If the waves overwhelm you, don't worry. There are brawny men on hand to carry you safely to shore.

9. Diura Fishing Village is a spot that offers hidden paths, rustic scenery, exhilarating treks and a rewarding cold swim in a natural spring called the fountain of youth. At the very least, you'd feel youthful and energized.

10. Historic churches built during the Spanish times: the church of San Carlos Borromeo in Mahatao (which also features an eight-foot tall lighthouse, probably the smallest in the world); the Saint Joseph the Worker Church in Ivana, built in 1860, with an old Spanish bridge nearby; the Basco Cathedral with its retablo of St. Dominic; and the San Vicente Ferrer Church in Sabtang that features colonial architecture).

11. The island's delicacies: coconut crab, dorado fish and yams served at the Batanes Seaside Lodge & Restaurant. Have your meals in the hotel or outdoors while enjoying the perfect blend of sunlight and sea breeze. You might also want to have your crabs and lobsters at Morong Beach, to get a spectacular view of the sea and fill your senses at the same time.

12. Marlboro Country in Mahatao, with its view of verdant hills buffeted by winds so strong you feel like flying. There's also the Rolling Hills in Basco, a short climb for the best view of the sunset. Watch the golden yolk drop below the horizon while being serenaded by a whistling wind.

Asian Spirit flies to Basco MWF using an 82-seater BAE-146 jet. It departs Manila at 5:30 a.m. and arrives in Basco at 6:45 a.m. Return trip to Manila departs Basco at 7:15 a.m. and arrives 8:30 a.m. For a guided and productive tour of Batanes, join the Mandy Navasero Hands-On Photo Safari on April 25-28 and May 9-12. Email mandynavasero@yahoo.com or call 8991767.