All rights reserved by the author — 10/01/2026
Far north of mainland Philippines lies Batanes — a group of islands shaped by wind, sea, and long patience.
Houses here are built low and thick, made of stone, not beauty.
Because beauty is secondary when storms arrive without warning.
The wind is constant.
The silence is not empty — it listens.
People here don’t rush conversations.
They watch clouds before making plans.
Nature has the final say.
Batanes doesn’t invite tourists loudly.
It asks only one thing —
that you slow down enough to belong, even briefly.
Rajat Chandra Sarmah
Assam, India
Instagram: @rajatchandrasarmah5
YouTube: Converse With A Smile
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