Basco

Basco is the capital of Batanes. It is the biggest in terms of population and most urbanized among the six towns of the province. It is located at a level area at the tip of Batan Island bounded on the east by Mount Iraya and on the west by Basco Bay. Known as Vasay before the Spaniards came, it was named after Don Jose Basco who was Governor General of the Philippines when the church and the civil government were permanently established in the province in 1783.

Being the capital of the province, it is where the Provincial Capitol as well as the provincial offices of most national government agencies are located. It is also the center of commerce and learning in the province with the larger business establishments and collegiate institutions all based in the town.

Mahatao

The town of Mahatao nestles at the foot of three hills namely, Naydi in the south, Langud in the east and Majorojoron on the north. It is six kilometers from Basco, the capital town. The town was originally named San Carlos de Mahatao on November 4, 1798 by then Asst. Gov. Don Miguel de Amo in honor of the patron saint San Carlos Boromeo. A brook runs in the middle of the town which supplied the people potable water before the construction of the present water system. Now it has the best water supply in the mainland.

Mahatao has its own assets. (1) One of the branches of the Batanes National High School is now Mahatao National High School. (2) It has natural tourist attractions located in different places. (3) The soil in the agricultural lands is suited to root crop planting especially yam. (4) An imposing structure that can be seen on the northwest side of the Mahatao Fishing Port is the concrete wet market constructed right in the sandy shore. Fish are cleaned and sold there. Cattle and hogs are butchered and sold there, too. (5) The greatest asset of the municipality is its shoreline contour on the north-western side.

Ivana

The municipality if Ivana is the third town in Batan Island. It is located in a narrow coastal plain 14 kilometers south of Basco. It is the country's smallest municipality in terms of area and population.

While Ivana is one of the poorest in the province, natives of the town are well known for their perseverence to reach higher goals. This explains why most Ivaneos pursue higher education to eventually lead in high government positions.

The town of Ivana is the oldest in Batanes. It was founded in 1686 and established as a unit of government in 1785. It was here where the Katipuneros landed on 19 September 1898.

Uyugan

Uyugan lies in the southernmost tip of Batan Island approximately 24 kilometers from the capital. It has an area of 15.5 square kilometers. The town was founded in March 1801 by the Spaniards who made San Antonino de Florencia as the Patron Saint. Uyugan has two barrios namely: Itbud and Imnajbu located five and three kilometers from Centro respectively.

Clay pot making is a cottage industry engaged in by some women. Gathering "humot", a fine green seaweed is a hobby popular among the elderly women. The few pesos they earn from this seasonal activity gives them much joy.

Sabtang

Sabtang is an island town with barrios scattered along the islet. It is more or less five kilometers from the seaport of Ivana. the place can be reached only by motorized water vessels or by falowa rowed by men. It now boosts of two passenger jeepneys that travel to the barrios. A 4-hour electric power provides electricity to the island. It also now has cable TV!

The municipal waters of Sabtang is the richest source of quality fish so fishermen from as far north as Basco go fishing around the place. Despite their rich marine resource the Sabtaneous prefer to leave their birthplace to seek greener pastures elsewhere.

Near the Sabtang seaport, one can see a marker erected in memory of the Sabtang BISUMI fighters (guerillas) who wre killed by the Japanese during World War II.

Itbayat

The island-municipality of Itbayat is the largest of the three inhabited islands that compose the province of Batanes. It is also the northernmost town of the country, Its northernmost islet of Y'Ami is only 46 miles south of the souththernmost tip of Taiwan, Republic of China.

While the church and civil government were already established in Batan Island mid 1783, it was only in 1855 that civil authority was officially established and the mission canonically founded in Itbayat. A mere pueblo during the Spanish regime, it became a municipal district when the Americans organized the province in 1909. However, in 1935, it became a municipality and today it is a 6th class municipality like the five other towns of the province.