Sabtang is the most rewarding day trip from Batan Island, and for many visitors it is the highlight of the whole trip to Batanes. The island is smaller and quieter than Batan, with a handful of Ivatan stone villages, a dramatic coastline, and almost no tourist infrastructure beyond a few homestays in the main village. The combination of traditional architecture, open sea views, and genuine remoteness is hard to find anywhere else in Southeast Asia.
To reach Sabtang, you take a falowa — a traditional wooden outrigger boat — from the port at Ivana, about 20 kilometres south of Basco. Boats depart in the morning when conditions allow, and the crossing takes 20–30 minutes. The schedule is informal and weather-dependent: on some days the crossing is flat and easy, on others the channel is too rough and boats do not run at all. If you are planning a day trip, go early in the morning and keep the afternoon free to return — crossing times and conditions change through the day. Hire a tricycle on the island to get around the villages, or walk between the closer ones.