Basco, Batanes

Situated in the translucent Philippine Sea midway between Taiwan and Luzon is the Philippine island of Batan, part of the sparsely populated Batanes archipelago. Its laid-back capital, Basco, sits amid a bucolic landscape of lush, rolling hills and gorgeous coastline where farming and fishing are the main industries. The observation deck of the Basco Lighthouse offers magnificent views of the surrounding ocean and Mount Iraya, an active volcano in the northern part of the island.