Information about Imnajbu Village

Imnajbu Village

Imnajbu Village is the smallest barangay in Batanes with only a few hundred residents. It is also the farthest village of Uyugan when coming from the town of Basco. Many people mistakenly pronounced the syllable “naj” as “nudge” when in fact the word is read with a silent J. Imnajbu means “resettlement of the lowland of downhill” in the Ivatan language.

Along the highway going to Imnajbu are rugged towering cliffs and rock formations, one of which includes the famous Alapad Rock Formation – a rocky hill cut down the middle located near the shoreline of Batan Island. Although small, the village features a handful of attractions to visit. Century-old houses still stand in Imnajbu. Aside from that, there is a view deck at the end of the road that overlooks the Pacific Ocean. 

The small village also has a chapel called San Lorenzo Ruiz Chapel, named after the first Filipino saint. As stated in the church records, Imnajbu is the birthplace of Christianity in Batanes as the first holy mass and the first baptism took place at the exact spot where the chapel now stands. Another site you will see in this small town is the Long-Range Aid Navigation (LORAN) station. It was one of the structures built by Americans during World War II and was used to determine the location and speed of ships and aircraft. Today, it is under renovation to be converted into a National Museum in the province.

Best time to visit

Visit any time from March to June for a smaller chance of rainfall, allowing you to get a more picturesque view of the village and its surroundings.