The Girl Behind the Pen

Being home to more than 7,000 beautiful islands, the Philippines surely never disappoints. From the pristine beaches and jaw-dropping lagoons to the breathtaking rolling hills, there's something for every traveler, and that will make you want to come back for more. 

Of all the Philippine destinations I've been to, one of the places that left a mark on me was Batanes. With its lush greenery everywhere that will make you sing the hills are alive and socializing with the kindest people you'd ever meet, how can you not love Batanes?

Must-read: Batanes Through the Eyes of a First-Timer

But did you know that there is a place near Manila that almost looks like Batanes? Read on to find out where this place is.

Behold, Tanay in Rizal Province, just one to two hours away from the metro. We just saw this accidentally when we decided to pass by the Marilaque Road. Marilaque stands for Marikina (Ma), Rizal (Ri), Laguna (La), and Quezon Province (Que). It's a famous road for riders who are coming from Manila and traveling to Rizal or Quezon provinces. 

The moment I saw it, I already thought it's really like Batanes. Wherever you look (at least in the part of Tanay in Marilaque) is a mountain range and rolling hills. But it was almost dark so we didn't stop. I told myself, I have to come back and see it again. And when we did, my jaw dropped just like when I saw this road in South of Batan Island in Batanes.

Sure, it's not really 100% look-a-like but there is a resemblance. My point is, in Batanes, hills and mountains are the usual sights on the road. And in Rizal lies a somehow similar spot where you can see beautiful landscapes as you drive along the road.

And just like taking a photo in Batanes' road, it's also not easy playing patintero with the cars passing by so, in case you're planning to take a photo, be extra careful because vehicles there are fast and they wouldn't stop for your photoshoot. Luckily, the cars passing by that time were only a few.

Being a Rizal resident, I was really surprised that there is actually a place like this in our province. Even restaurants have overlooking views of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range. It's pure, divine, and breathtaking.

How to get to Marilaque Highway