Situated on the eastern side of Batan Island facing Valugan Bay, Chanpan beach presents a unique landscape of massive, smooth boulders lining its shoreline.

While most travelers envision powdery sands and turquoise waters when imagining a Philippine beach, here in Batanes, the waves of the Pacific crashes onto something much different—Valugan Boulder Beach, a coastline shaped by time, volcanic history, and the spirit of the Ivatan people.

Just a short distance away from Basco proper, the boulders on this beach are believed to have been spewn out of Mount Iraya during its last eruption in 1400 AD. These massive stones, smoothed by centuries of wind and waves, serve as nature’s reminder that beauty doesn’t always have to be soft—it can be wild, weathered, yet deeply poetic.

At dawn, the scene feels otherworldly—like standing in a forgotten segment of earth’s history, a living testament to a unique geological transformation, an opportunity for quiet reflection.

Valugan isn’t for swimming. Its untamed surf and stony terrain demand respect. Yet this rawness is part of its charm—it asks you to observe, not indulge. To appreciate, not conquer.