House of Dakay

The House of Dakay is the oldest surviving stone house in Batanes, located in the coastal municipality of Ivana on Batan Island. Built in 1887, it is a well-preserved example of traditional Ivatan vernacular architecture with thick limestone walls, coral and lime mortar, and a steep cogon grass roof. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage tentative site and a declared heritage house, it illustrates Ivatan adaptation to typhoons and earthquakes.

Visitors can expect to see a small, single-story traditional Ivatan stone house with meter-thick limestone and coral walls, small windows, wooden interiors, and a thick cogon roof. The house sits along the main road in Ivana near the coast, surrounded by other stone houses and the sea. Visitors view the exterior and, with permission from the caretaker family, the interior with preserved household items. The visit is brief and focused on architecture, photography, and learning about Ivatan building traditions.

Built in 1887 by Luisa Estrella, nicknamed Dakay, the house is the oldest extant stone house in Batanes. It was constructed during the Spanish colonial period using traditional Ivatan techniques developed to withstand typhoons and earthquakes. It survived the destructive 1918 earthquake that leveled many other structures in Batanes and has been preserved as an example of 19th-century Ivatan domestic architecture.

The house is a prime example of traditional Ivatan architecture known as bahay na bato with thick stone walls and cogon roofing adapted to the harsh climate of Batanes. It represents Ivatan cultural heritage, craftsmanship, and resilience, and is included in the Ivatan vernacular houses ensemble that is on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List as part of the Batanes Protected Landscape and Seascape.