The round stones
Thousands of smooth coloured rocks.
Glenn.manalo — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cid Jacobo — CC BY-SA 4.0 · FroyAgta — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jeremy.alinea — CC BY-SA 4.0 · May Ann Libranda — CC BY-SA 4.0 · FroyAgta — CC BY-SA 4.0
Valugan Boulder Beach is a shore covered in large and small rounded stones on the east side of Batan Island near Basco. There is no sand here, only thousands of smooth coloured rocks rolled by the waves, with an open view of the sea and green cliffs. Batanes is the northernmost province of the Philippines, about 162 km north of Luzon. The volcanic peak of Mount Iraya rises over the island, and this side takes the wind and waves that have polished the stones over time. The Ivatan people live by fishing and farming on these isolated islands. The waves make a distinctive sound as they drag the stones, one of the great pleasures of the place. You walk over rocks of grey, red and white, and some visitors stack small towers of them. To one side a green cliff drops to the sea. Sunrise is lovely here, as the shore faces east. The beach is 2.2 km in a straight line east of Basco. Waves are strong and currents unsafe, so do not swim, and keep back from the water. The stones shift and can be slippery, so wear closed shoes and watch your step. Remember that every visitor to Batanes has had to preregister on the official portal since June 2026.
Thousands of smooth coloured rocks.
Water drags the stones with each wave.
A slope dropping to the sea.
East coast of Batan Island, Batanes province
It is not advised, as waves are strong and currents unsafe.
Closed shoes, as the stones shift and can be slippery.