The title of this article could be read and understood two ways.

First, we just take pedaling as the progressive verb that it is. If we add the preposition in between the two words in the title, we get pedaling in paradise. That is the apparent one. Batanes is an island paradise in its own right, and we got to appreciate its beauty in a different light when we went around on bicycles as we got to stop where the usual organized tour itinerary would not.

One of such stops is the Chanarian Welcome Marker. Located in its namesake barangay where most of the North Batan tourist sites are located such as the Tukon Chapel and the old PAGASA radar station, among others, the marker is located on the side of the road overlooking the sea, much like the Basco Welcome Arch.

The sea surrounding the welcome marker is stunning, with rock formations accentuating the seascape.

It was during our stop in the Chanarian Welcome Marker that we also learned that the sea we were looking at is actually part of the Basco Marine Sanctuary which covers 21,850 hectares. We likewise eventually learned that the landscapes and seascapes of Batanes is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites tentative list.

After spending some time in the Chanarian Welcome Marker, Ran started browsing through the online maps again. We then decided to resume our bike ride and move forward to the next town of Mahatao.

Now, going back to understanding the title of this article two ways.

If we keep the title as it is, just leaving alone pedaling in its participial form and not adding the preposition in, then we get pedaling paradise which speaks of a place that is a paradise for pedaling. This one is not too apparent, and one has to experience biking in Batanes first hand for it to be realized. Imagine having to ride through sparsely populated roads, surrounded by the hills and the sea, scenic and picturesque at every turn, not to mention almost immaculately clean from all sorts of pollution. One cannot go greener than taking the healthiest and greenest mode of transportation.

Fifteen minutes on the road since we left the Chanarian Welcome Marker, we reached Chawa View Deck which we visited just earlier that morning. We stopped in the cogon hut by the deck to rest a little before we continued our journey.

In retrospect, lazy as I am at times, I could have told Ran that we spend the rest of the afternoon bumming in our accommodation. We tend to be really extreme: gala nang gala o higa nang higa. Thankfully, we decided to be the wanderlusts that we are. We were in Batanes, for crying out loud!

If we opted to be potatoes that afternoon, we would have missed a chunk of the Batanes experience with of one of the best things to do in the islands: pedaling in paradise, which is a pedaling paradise.