Scattered on the shoreline of Valugan Boulder Beach were bigger and bolder versions of the sedimentary rocks found in Mabua Pebble Beach in Surigao City. In lieu of powdery sands, these large stones spewed by the ancient-time eruptions of Mount Iraya spread across the coast of this tiny part of Basco, Batanes fronting the Pacific Ocean.
A Bolder Great Outdoors at Valugan Boulder Beach | Basco, Batanes
A Scramble Along the Beach
Going on a "walk along the beach" there meant scrambling one's way over the giant rocks of round, oblong, and elongated shapes with smooth surfaces. On top of some, visitors would see Zen stones piled on top of each other.
On my twin visits there spanning my two journeys to Batanes, I made sure to enjoy some quiet time just by sitting on top of a random boulder to clear my mind while listening to the sounds of the swells crashing on the rocky bed of Valugan.
While the water was not for swimming, thanks to the strong waves and currents, Valugan Boulder Beach was a perfect place to just relax, take photographs, and achieve a Zen state of mind.
East of Eden
Known to the locals as "Chanpan," it carried its new name of Valugan, which meant "East," because of its location in Basco. The waters off the coast of Valugan were considered a sacred fishing area for Ivatan fishermen. A traditional fishing season called “faypatawen” was observed from March until the end of May every year.
The Ivatan people originated from an Austronesian-speaking ethnic group that had sailed there thousands of years ago and became native to Batanes and the Babuyan Islands.
The massive rocks piled on the shoreline of Valugan were said to have spewed from the mouth of Mount Iraya during its series of volcanic explosions from 325 B.C. to 505 A.D. Initially, these rocks were characterized by rough surfaces that were smoothed over time by the relentless waves of the Pacific Ocean and the West Philippine Sea.
On my second time there in Valugan, I came with fellow travel writers on a familiarity tour of Calayan Island and Batanes organized by the Tourism Promotions Board of the Philippines. After we had posed for a photograph, I walked a further stretch of the shoreline over large boulders, and in the process, the looming presence of Mount Iraya caught my eye.
Realizing how these enormous rocks had made their journey from the mouth of the volcano to where I stood, I could only shake my head in awe of how the great, yet catastrophic forces of nature could cause a bolder sight of wonderful nature.
