# Marlboro Hills and Vayang Rolling Hills: Batan's Windswept Heart > Grass hills, sea cliffs and a near-constant wind define the ride between Marlboro Hills and Vayang. Here is how to time it, what it costs, and when to turn back. The rolling hills that stretch along Batan's eastern and western coasts are the image most visitors carry home from the Philippines' northernmost province: close-cropped grass folding over headlands, cattle grazing near the cliff edge, and the sea on at least one side at almost every turn. Marlboro Hills (locally also called Rakuh a Payaman) sits on the eastern side near Mahatao, while Vayang Rolling Hills faces the open Bashi Channel near Uyugan. Neither requires a guide or an entrance fee at the time of writing, though a small parking or path maintenance donation of around PHP 20 to 50 is sometimes collected locally. Both are best treated as a half-day loop by bike or habal-habal (motorbike taxi), not a rushed stop between other sights. ## Getting there and getting around Most travelers base themselves in Basco, roughly 20 to 30 minutes by tricycle or rented scooter from either hill. Scooter rental in Basco runs about PHP 500 to 800 per day, fuel excluded; bicycles are available in some lodgings for a smaller daily fee. The road to Marlboro Hills branches off the main coastal highway near Mahatao and climbs gently for the last stretch, where you will likely park and walk the final 10 to 15 minutes on a grass track. Vayang is reached via the road toward Uyugan, with a short dirt spur leading to the viewpoint car park. Neither site has streetlighting, so plan to be off the hills by dusk, which falls around 6pm year-round this close to the equator. ## Weather, wind and the honest calendar Batan's hills are exposed, and the wind is rarely gentle. From November through February, the northeast monsoon (amihan) brings strong, cold gusts that can make standing near the cliff edge genuinely uncomfortable, and photography with anything loose (hats, sarongs, drones) becomes a two-person job. From June through October, the southwest monsoon and the typhoon season proper can shut the hills down entirely: local guides and tricycle drivers will simply say the wind is "too strong today," and that is not a sales pitch, it is the plan. March to May is the calmer window, though even then expect a steady breeze by midmorning. If a typhoon signal is raised anywhere in the province, assume all hill viewpoints are closed until it is lifted, regardless of what a map or old blog post claims. > **TIMING** Aim for sunrise or the hour before sunset, both for softer light and to avoid the midday glare and strongest heat. Bring a windbreaker even in dry season: the hilltop temperature can feel 5 to 8 degrees cooler than Basco town. ## Marlboro Hills: the eastern view Marlboro Hills earned its nickname from its resemblance to the cigarette brand's old advertising backdrops, all grass and sky with no trees to break the line. The walk in from the parking area is short but can be slick after rain, so closed shoes are worth the trade-off over sandals. From the main ridge you look out over the Pacific-facing coast and, on a clear day, toward the lighthouse cluster further north. Cattle and goats graze freely here as part of the communal pasture system Ivatans have used for generations; treat them, and the low stone fences marking family plots, with the same respect you would show a working farm, because that is exactly what it is. ## Vayang Rolling Hills: the western view Vayang sits on the opposite coast and catches the late afternoon sun directly, making it the better choice for a sunset visit, weather permitting. The hills here drop more steeply toward the sea, and a wooden viewing platform near the car park gives a framed shot of the cliffs without needing to approach the unfenced edge. Vayang is marginally more visited than Marlboro Hills because it sits closer to the Basco-Uyugan road, so expect a handful of other travelers and possibly a parked tricycle or two during peak dry-season weekends (roughly March to May). > **Basing yourself near the hills.** Compare small lodgings in Basco and along the Mahatao-Uyugan coast road for easy early-morning access. [Check stays nearby ](https://www.stay22.com/allez/roam?aid=geoguides&lang=en¤cy=USD&lat=20.4487&lng=121.9702&campaign=batanesislands_article_marlboro_hills_vayang_rollin) ## Respecting the land and the people who work it These hills are not municipal parks; they are grazing land managed by Ivatan families, often passed down through generations and marked by the low "mamantad" stone walls you will see cutting across the slopes. Stick to the worn paths, close any gate you open, and avoid approaching cattle closely, particularly young calves. Vendors occasionally set up small honesty stalls near the parking areas selling cold drinks or local snacks; payment is left in an open box or tin, on trust, which is as good an introduction to Ivatan values as any guidebook paragraph. Leave the same amount you would pay anywhere else, and do not haggle over a 20-peso bottle of water. ## Combining both hills in one day A reasonable itinerary rents a scooter for the full day (PHP 500 to 800) and visits Marlboro Hills in the early morning, breaks for lunch in Mahatao or Uyugan town proper (simple carinderia meals run PHP 100 to 150), then continues to Vayang for the late afternoon light. Total riding time between the two sites, including the town stop, is usually under two hours, leaving the rest of the day for nearby stops such as the Naidi Hills viewpoint or the stone-walled Ivatan houses of Chavayan, if the weather and your energy allow it. Always check the morning's wind and sea conditions with your lodging before setting out: in Batanes, the plan bends to the weather, not the other way around. > **READ NEXT** [Return to the Batanes travel guide homepage for more island-by-island routes](https://batanesislands.com/index.html) --- Source: https://batanesislands.com/the-rolling-hills-of-batan-bikes-viewpoints-wind.html Published 2026-10-25 ยท Batanes Islands: independent guide (batanesislands.com)