Pandan Hills, Batan, Aklan, Philippines
Panay

AKLAN [Pandan Hills]

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Pandan Hills, Batan, Aklan, Philippines
If you’re an experienced backpacker, altering the itinerary to add more places to visit is definitely just piece of cake.

🇵🇭PANDAN HILLS ADVENTURE PRIMER🇵🇭

✈️🛳🚌 How to get to Pandan Hills, Aklan:
⏺ Take a plane from Metro Manila to Kalibo (e.g. Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and AirAsia).
⏺ From Kalibo town proper, ride a tricycle that will take you to the terminal of jeepneys bound for Altavas.
⏺ Transfer to a jeepney going to Altavas and ask the driver to drop you off at the junction going to Barangay Bay-ang (travel time: approximately 1 hour).
⏺ Charter a motorcycle to the jump-off.
⏺ Trek for about a few minutes to reach the hills. There’s no need for a guide as the trail is pretty much straightforward.
⏺ If you’re coming from Caticlan, ride a van to reach Kalibo (travel time: approximately 1.5 hours) where you can catch a jeepney bound for Barangay Bay-ang.
 
Pandan Hills, Batan, Aklan, Philippines
It was the last day of our Western Visayas and Carabao Island trip and since my friend and I were already exhausted from our jam-packed itineraries the past few days, we decided to just chill and visit some nearby spots before our flight back to Manila the next morning.
Pandan Hills, Batan, Aklan, Philippines
I checked the internet and Mum Nature was kind enough to present us Pandan Hills. After all, we’re all aware that once you search for Aklan online, Boracay Island is always ranked #1.
Pandan Hills, Batan, Aklan, Philippines
I was lucky enough to see a public Facebook post of a local from Aklan and he replied right away when I messaged him about the details on how to reach Pandan Hills.

⏰⏳ SAMPLE ITINERARY (Aklan):

DAY 1
7:00 AM ETA Caticlan Airport
7:30 AM ETD for Boracay
8:00 AM ETA Boracay
8:30 AM Early check-in
9:00 AM Beach hopping
12:00 PM Lunch
4:00 PM Free time / swimming
7:00 PM Dinner
 
DAY 2
11:00 AM Check-out
12:00 PM ETD for Caticlan Jetty Port
1:00 PM ETD for Unidos
2:00 PM Nabas Wind Farm and Pawa Hills
5:00 PM ETD for Kalibo
6:00 PM ETA Kalibo / check-in
 
DAY 3
6:00 AM Wake-up call / breakfast
7:00 AM ETD for Barangay Bay-ang, Batan
8:00 AM ETD for Pandan Hills
9:00 AM Pandan Hills
12:00 PM ETD for Kalibo
2:00 PM ETA Kalibo / lunch
3:00 PM ETD for Bakhawan Eco-Park
6:00 PM Head back to accommodation
 
DAY 4
6:00 AM Wake-up call
7:00 AM ETD for Kalibo Airport
9:00 AM ETD for Manila
 
💰💶 ESTIMATED BUDGET (for a solo traveler exploring the province of Aklan): Php 8,000 – Php 10,000 (exclusive of airfare)
***Expenses may vary depending on the type of accommodation you will avail and personal consumption of food and other necessities. If traveling alone, you will solely shoulder the tricycle/motorcycle transfer rates.
 
Pandan Hills, Batan, Aklan, Philippines
We just returned from Carabao Island that day and right after checking in our stuff at our accommodation in Kalibo, we headed to Barangay Bay-ang, Batan where these hills are located.
Pandan Hills, Batan, Aklan, Philippines
We rode a jeepney from Kalibo en route to Altavas and we asked the driver to drop us off at the junction going to Barangay Bay-ang.
Pandan Hills, Batan, Aklan, Philippines
We were actually expecting a long trek to get here because our motorcycle driver said that it’s going to be a long walk to reach the hills.
Pandan Hills, Batan, Aklan, Philippines
He brought us to the trailhead and it was decided that he would just come back for us at the agreed time. Surprisingly, the trek turned out to be relatively short. After all, my friend and I are seasoned hikers.
Pandan Hills, Batan, Aklan, Philippines
We got no tour guide with us but the motorcycle driver assured us that we won’t get lost if we went on our own.
Pandan Hills, Batan, Aklan, Philippines
It was such a delight the moment we were greeted by the panoramic views of Batan Bay and Tinagong Dagat or Tinago Lake.
Pandan Hills, Batan, Aklan, Philippines
Thanks to my friend who brought her cute little drone that we were able to capture this top shot.
Pandan Hills, Batan, Aklan, Philippines
The place was virtually deserted and we got the place to ourselves. I wasn’t surprised though. After all, this place is not your typical mainstream tourist attraction that is always crowded with tons of visitors.

📜✏️ Tips/Reminders:

📌Caticlan will serve as your jump-off point for Boracay Island and Nabas Wind Farm while Kalibo, which is an hour and a half away from Caticlan, will be your jump-off point for Bakhawan Eco-Park and Pandan Hills. You may plot Caticlan as your entry airport while Kalibo as your exit airport.
📌Expect rain during monsoon season (June-February).
📌Always observe the LNT principles.
 
☎️ Contact:
📌Tricycle Driver in Kalibo: Kuya Rex (09388216786)
Pandan Hills, Batan, Aklan, Philippines
If you don’t want to get roasted under the scorching heat, you may visit Pandan Hills early in the morning or by sundown. Minimize exposure with an umbrella as the place is open to the sun.
Pandan Hills, Batan, Aklan, Philippines
This visit of ours transpired during lunch time. You may notice how lively the colors are in our pictures because of the sunrays.
Pandan Hills, Batan, Aklan, Philippines
We returned to the trailhead and stayed by a small shed while waiting for our motorcycle driver.
Pandan Hills, Batan, Aklan, Philippines
He took us back to the highway where we hailed a jeepney back to Kalibo to fill our tummies for lunch.
Pandan Hills, Batan, Aklan, Philippines
We picked up my tripod first from our lodge before heading to the last destination to cap off our adventure leg.

***For other destinations in Aklan and Panay, you may visit this link.

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