The official name is Racuh a Payaman, but everyone calls it Marlboro Country — a wide, flat-topped plateau in the south of Batan Island where cattle graze freely on open grassland against a backdrop of sea and sky. The nickname comes from the resemblance to the old cigarette advertisements, which may say something about the power of that landscape. It works, though: on a clear day with horses or cattle in the foreground and the Pacific behind, it really does look like a film set.
The plateau sits above Mahatao town and is easy to reach by scooter or tricycle. You can walk out onto the grass among the animals — they are accustomed to visitors and largely indifferent. Go in the late afternoon when the light turns golden and the shadows lengthen across the hills. The views south from the edge of the plateau down to the coast are particularly good.