ZamBasiTaw Diaries: Braving the Infamous Islands of the South

deanignacio
May 16, 2019
20 min read

“travel is not the matter of time or money but of courage”

Bongao April 2019: myself on a Abner Mercado gameface #kumokorespondents

Last Holy week, me and five of my office mates and friends summon enough budget and courage to head down to the extreme South and explore Zamboanga and some remote islands of Basilan and Tawi-Tawi. Traditionally, we always look for remote places to explore during that week-long vacation. Two years ago, we explored the remote islands of Babuyan up North and last year we had conquered the islands of Romblon including the enigmatic Cresta De Gallo. The following recount is our experience to the beautiful and often misjudged paradise of ZamBasiTaw.

“Bienvenidos” – Zamboanga International Airport

Day01- April 17 (Wednesday) Manila to Zamboanga

We woke up around 2am to catch our morning flight to the tip of Zamboanga Peninsula via Cebu Pacific Air. Flight was just few minutes over an hour and we landed at Mindanao’s third busiest air hub after Davao and CDO- Zamboanga International Airport. We are greeted with a row of intricately pointed roofs with fusion of Malay and Islamic motifs and a huge word “Bienvenidos” at the top of the entrance of the arrival hall.

Completed in 1907, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines considers the Zamboanga City Hall Building as a National Historical Site, arguably one, if not the most beautiful city hall in the Philippines.

Zamboanga, as I learned, was dubbed the Asia’s Latin City as Chavacano, a Spanish based creole language is predominantly spoken over the area for the past 400 years. Soon as we got our bags, we immediately head to the town center and had breakfast at McDonald’s Zamboanga – one of the perfect examples of architectural adaptive reuse. Situated right in front of the City Hall complex, across Universidad de Zamboanga, the popular American fast food chain was housed on one of the colonial buildings. The facade of the building says it was built in 1928. After a quick munch we head to Aleson ticketing office near Zamboanga pier to get our boat transfer tickets from Zamboanga to Tawi-Tawi later that day. One-way ticket cost 1,100Php per head and travel time of 16 hours departing at 6pm and arriving noon time the next day in Bongao, the capital of Tawi-Tawi.

inside a typical tricycle – Zamboanga’s popular mode of transport aside from jeepneys

To maximize our time, we decided right away to head to Paseo del Mar via tricycle and book a day tour at the famed Pink Sand Beach at the Greater Santa Cruz Island. You do not usually need a reservation but during peak season, its advisable to do it as the number of people visiting the island per day is strictly regulated by the tourism and local government. You will be assigned an alpha numeric code by the tourism officer and you have to take note of it because that would also serve as your boarding sequence together with other guests for that day. There will be a short briefing to orient everyone with the regulations on the island and it is strictly enforced so pay attention. You can stay on the beach as early as 7am and as late as 5pm but that depends on the slot availability so better book in advance so you could choose your schedule well. Our group got a slot from 10am till 2pm.

There’s an entrance fee of 20 per head and environmental fee of 5Php. Boat rental costs 1000Php roundtrip that is good for up to 10 people. There’s a 100Php charge per head in excess of 10 persons. You can rent cottages upon arriving at the island for 100Php, 200Php and 500Php for 4-6 pax; 8-12 pax and 20-40 pax respectively.

Important things to know when visiting Sta Cruz Pink Beach

The famed pink sanded beach got its color from the brittle organ pipe corals (Tubipora musica) that are washed ashore, crushed and mixed with the white sand along the beach. The beach appears noticeably pink specially on broad daylight.

Our group joined another group who pre-booked for that day so we became a party of 12 on the boat. Travel time is only 15 minutes from the jump off point to the beachfront. Upon reaching the beach we are greeted by few vendors offering freshly caught fish and squid for grilling, they even offer rice to be cooked for lunch. Soon as we settled on a nice shady spot, we immediately hit the beach. The place has a lots of coconuts, talisay and other tall trees scattered on the beachfront. From our spot we could see the Lesser Sta Cruz Island which is normally off limits to tourists but during our stay one can arrange with the boatman (with a minimal fee) to explore the sandbar on the area.

the beachfront

The sand aside from its peculiar color was fine but there are small pebbles underneath the shoreline so you need something to wear on your feet as you swim on the waters. There are few Marines patrolling the beachfront every now and then that can give you sense of security (or paranoia depending on how you look on it) within the area.

We head back to Paseo del Mar exactly around 2pm. There are toilets on the area that you could use to bathe off saltwater from the day tour at the beach. After eating late lunch from a nearby restaurant that serves local Zamboanga cuisine, we head to the port to catch our roro boat going to Bongao, capital of Tawi-Tawi – the Southernmost town of the archipelago.

Alesson Shipping Lines ply from Zamboanga to Bongao (Tawi-Tawi) 3 times a week (MWF) and Bongao and back to Zamboanga (TThS). Travel time is approximately 15-18hrs depending on sea condition and fare is 1,100Php one way. Alternatively, you can also fly from Zamboanga to Bongao vice versa via Cebu Pacific Air as they have daily flight (sometimes as many as 3 flights a day) schedule. Check out their website for updated flight schedule and rates.

from above

If you have plenty of time, travelling inter-island in these regions is not only convenient but cheap as compared to flying domestically. The roll on-roll off boat sails in the evening and will arrive noontime the next day. There are double decks on the boat with complete amenities such as cafeteria, toilet and even shower rooms.

the setting sun at Zamboanga sea port

Day02 April 18 (Thursday) Bongao, Tawi-Tawi

Overall our trip was smooth sailing and around 9am, we are greeted from a distance by an imposing limestone peak that acts like a sentry on the town underneath it.

Mt. Bungao, or more commonly known as Bud Bongao is one of the prominent landmarks of the capital of Tawi-Tawi. It is an important pilgrimage site for both Muslim and Christians alike.

the sacred Bud Bongao

Badjao – the children of the sea

#thewolfpackcollective had landed in Tawi-Tawi

By lunch time we are met by our contact person no other than Dr. Filemon Romero or Sir Mon to everyone, a very humble and down to earth person, which few of his accolades include being the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Tawi-Tawi Project Manager, a marine biologist, former President of the Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands, Foundation for the Philippine Environment’s Board of Trustee, a Gawad Geny Lopez Bayaning Pilipino Awardee and a professor emeritus of the Mindanao State University.

we are all hyped up we decided to take it all in and sit at the back of Sir Mon’s pick up! WELCOME TO TAWI TAWI!

Professor emeritus, philanthropist, passionate environmentalist, marine biologist, prolific SCUBA diver, rockstar extraordinaire – Dr. Filemon Romero (center) and one of his son Ogie (on a black shirt) at Rachel’s Place

Me and my travel buddies are really grateful for him to accommodate us despite his busy schedule. We had a sample of local Tawi-Tawi culinary skills on a carinderia just few blocks away from the Bongao seaport.

the riot, the mayhem, the burst of colors that is Bongao!

Soon after the sumptuous lunch we made our way to the group’s accommodation for the rest of our duration in Tawi-tawi. We stayed at Rachel’s Place Hotel and Restaurant, situated few minutes away from the public market. Once checked in, we planned out our next day activities with Sir Mon’s group then we retired for the rest of the day. Since we had all afternoon to rest, me and my roommates went to the public market and check the local vibe of the place. Soon as we arrived on Bongao Wet Market- it was a total assult of the senses, from the colorful tricycles to the enormous wooden boats that are docked on the side of the the street facing the sea, street food vendors selling various fried delicacies from fried chicken, empanadas filled with bihon noodels, to delectable roti prata and murtabak that I only have whenever I am in Malaysia or Singapore, freshly caught seafoods that cost a fraction of the price in Manila. It was a sight to behold. A real and absolute visual and gustatory treat.

the dockyard just beside the wet market

Day03 April 19 (Friday) Bud Bongao, Tawi-Tawi

Our team woke up very early as we are excited for the activities laid for that day. First, we will hike the sacred mountain trail of Bud Bongao. We are picked from our hotel by Sir Mon’s son Ogie and we drove southbound to reach Barangay Pasiagan, where the eco-park administration building is situated, to which all trekkers will register.

Me at the feet of the giant. God bless my knees!

Aside from being a sacred mountain, Bud Bongao is also famous for hikers. The Bud Bongao Eco-Tourism Park have all in all 3,608 concrete steps that has been constructed from the jump-off that ends at a view deck constructed on Tambisan Peak. The view deck offers a vantage point overlooking Celebes Sea and Tambisan Island in Sabah at 317 metres (1,040 ft) above sea level. It was inaugurated on July 4 2017. The mountain has 3 tampats or shrines that is visited by Muslim pilgrims year-round. Legend has it that one of the followers of Shiek Karim-ul Makhdum, the Arab merchant who introduced Islam to the Philippines was buried on one of the tampats. Today that sacred mountain is 250 – hectare treasure throve of biodiversity and is one of the last remaining moist forests in the entire Sulu region. The Bud Bongao Eco-Tourism Park also the first site in ARMM (Autonomous region of Muslim Mindanao) to be administered completely to the local government.

the guardians of Bud Bongao – be sure to bring bananas as presents when you go up

Going up I observed the hike was made easy because of the concrete steps, hand railings and stop overs that was built along the trail. I could not imagine it during the time when the concrete steps are not yet laid out. Also adding the fact that some sick people are being carried on top of the mountain as locals believed the sacred mountain have healing and rejuvenating properties. It must be a total sacrifice back then!

The place is teeming with monkeys (Macaca Fascicularis) so bring lots of bananas when you climb up which you can get from the stores at the foot of the trail entrance near the eco-park administration building.

the concrete steps is a life saver!

The hike was steep, hot and humid but it was all worth it. Seeing the runway of Sanga-Sanga airport from our vantage point was a natural high. It was breathtaking. The sky was cloudless and we could see the island of Borneo from a distance.

We started the hike around 9am, and we finished the hike a little past noon time. We returned to the market, quickly ate our lunch and made our way to Bolobok Rock Shelter Cave and the nearby beach. The Shelter cave which carbon dates the existence of humans on Tawi-Tawi for 5,000-8,000 years back, making it one of the earliest human settlement sites in Southeast Asia. We spend the whole afternoon skinny dipping and swimming on the area.

the sacred peak

Sanga-Sanga runway

Around 5pm Sir Mon pick us up and we went out and visit a popular watering hole in Bongao. Fondly called as their local Starbucks, Sameera’s Place is popular coffee shop on the area serving brewed coffee that goes well with local pastries and delicacies that is served on small platters, you-pay-what-you-eat style. We decided to eat dinner on our hotel after an action packed day.

locals believe that you can leave all your worries, sickness and problems to the sacred mountain by tying ribbons, pieces of paper or dead leaves on all the branches of trees growing in the forest

Day04 April 20 (Saturday) Bongao, Panampangan Sandbar

We woke up early and meet Sir Mon and his dive team on the mini seaport along the wet market as we will explore the islands of Tawi-Tawi and Sapa-Sapa. Soon after we bought our supplies for the day, we started to make our way to the Panampangan Sandbar. Aside from the longest sandbar in the Philippines, our itinerary for the day also includes the island of Simunul, which have a historical significance since this is where the Arab merchant first landed when he reached the archipelago with the mission to spread Islam in the country. In 1380, Arab merchant and missionary Sheik Karimul Makhdum built the first mosque in the Philippines. The original structure, made of wood and other light materials, was destroyed by a fire after about 500 years of existence. It is now replaced with a concrete mosque, which houses the pillars of the original mosque. The mosque is now declared as a National Historical Landmark

We are very much excited to the prospect of SCUBA diving on the waters of Tawi-tawi. I first tried it in the waters of Panglao few months back and to say it was amazing was an understatement. As we head towards Sapa-Sapa we had encountered a lot of communities on stilts in the middle of the open sea. I can’t imagine how 20-30 families-built houses in the middle of nowhere managed to survive without electricity, steady supply of potable water and internet/wifi. It made me wonder until this very day how they manage to do it.

a community in stilts

Along the way to the sandbar we saw a lot of boats carrying heaps and heaps of which from a distance appears to be green grass on their boats which turn out to be agar-agar (seaweeds), Tawi-Tawi’s main product export.

Soon after more than 2 hours of travel time, I could see the faint outline of the island we will explore that day. I noticed the white island stretches for at least a kilometer or two on the horizon. It was a cloudless summer day, from the boat my attention was caught by the clear emerald green waters, playfully intermingling with different hues of blue- cerulean, cobalt, aquamarine and turquoise. Without a doubt this is one, if not of Tawi-Tawi’s crown jewels.

approaching paradise

the interplay of various hues of blue and green

Panampangan Island, part of the Sapa-Sapa municipality, lies within the Basibuli Shoal in the Celebes Sea. This crescent-shaped sandbar, during low tide extends up to 3,128 meters (10,263.7 ft), making it is the longest in the entire Philippine archipelago.

The tide is receding as we slowly approached the shoreline. From the where I sat, I could clearly see all the bright blue and red starfishes that are scattered on the grassy sea bed. The approaching sandbar is a sight to behold. there are few huts scattered on the area that was given shade by the tall coconut and talisay trees. The entire stretch of beachfront was made up of powdery white sands. At the back of the island sandbar we could faintly see the mighty Bud Bongao swaying slowly like a mirage from the midday sun, also visible are few houses on stilts and the rest of the sandbar snaking through the crystal-clear waters surrounding the area. I told myself could stay here for the entire year without complaints.

Soon as we settled Sir Mon’s diving team prepared lunch while we went to unshaded part of the sandbar to explore, camwhore and enjoy the the virgin paradise right in front of us. There are few people who are already on the island when we arrived. I was told that you can stay here overnight for a fee. There is a Marines detachment on the area so the place is relatively safe for day trippers and overnight excursionists. Our hearty lunch includes grilled fish and kinilaw. I can’t get over the fact how it tasted differently when I am having it in Manila. We ate the tasty fish with junay (colored green steamed rice in coconut milk and toasted coconut) The rice is wrapped in little packets of banana leaves like suman and oftentimes paired with boiled egg.

the sandbar and the copper queen

heroes of summer! – Sir Mon’s dive team

Soon as we are done eating, we lazily lie down and catnap as we are waiting for the tide to go back again, as the water recedes at least 500 meters away from the beach front. We waited for around 2hrs for the water to reach our boat back so we can head on to our next destination. Unfortunately, the delay makes us miss exploring Simunul so if you plan to go and visit Panampangan and other islands, coordinate with your tour guide as tide schedule could make or break your trip to the other islands. Also, you have to choose what kind of boat you will use as this greatly impacts your island hoping travel time. We did have a motorized banca which took our travel time longer than if you will have a speedboat. Our consolation, we now have a compelling reason to go back next time!

Bud Bongao as seen from Sangay Siapo

Since going to Simunul is no longer possible, so our party decided to head to this very small islet that is in the middle of nowhere. The island, which used to be a resort for the locals is called Sangay Siapo. It is a private island that has a good diving and snorkeling ground nearby. The islet have a concrete two story house in it along with few trees. The islet is so small you could circumnavigate it in just 10-15 minutes. We arrived at the island around 5pm so its not ideal to do SCUBA diving as it will be soon dark under water. Nevertheless, we just swam and kill time watching the sun set with the island of Bongao at the backdrop. It was mesmerizing and tranquil moment as we wade on that calm and clear waters of the islet. If it wasn’t that it will be too dark to go back to the seaport, we might just stay there all night, camp and build a bonfire. We arrived on Bongao seaport by 6pm. It was already dark, we are all tired and are skins are all glowing like coal from all the sunburn we got but nevertheless we had a memorable day.

On our last night in Bongao, we checked out this newly constructed restaurant right along the Circumferential Road called Inay Restaurant that serves halal (no pork) food. We call it a night at around 10pm and head to our hotel since we cannot stay late as it is election season and curfew is strictly imposed on the area.

Day05 April 21 (Sunday) Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga and Basilan,

Instead of going back to Zamboanga by boat, we decided to save time and just fly back. We went to Sanga-Sanga Airport in the morning to catch our flight. Travel time from Tawi-Tawi to Zamboanga is less than an hour. Soon as we arrived at Zamboanga International Airport I had learn that the beach that we schedule to check do not accept walk ins anymore so we contacted tourism office of Basilan to check if we could book a schedule to Malamawi Island for the day. Turns out that they are fully booked already so we schedule our trip the next day.

From the airport we head on to the pier so we could catch a boat going to Isabela City- the capital of Basilan. Fare is 110Php for tourist class and 150Php for first class, travel time is around two hours. I noticed a lot of houses on stilts built on shallow areas unlike those I saw in Tawi-Tawi. The seaport I also noticed construction is on a full swing. Few minutes more and we are greeted with a banner saying that we have touched down in Isabela City – not the city in Luzon, but of the capital of Basilan.

Of all the stops on our itinerary, this is the least I look forward exploring for the place was synonymous with ASG or Abu Sayyaf Group. ASG is an Islamic separatist organization in the Philippines founded by Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani in 1991. Heavily influenced by Al Qaeda in its early stages, the ASG started as a splinter group of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and seeks independent Muslim state in the southern Philippines. In the early 2000s, the ASG attracted attention of the world through high-profile bombings, assassinations, beheadings, kidnap for ransom and other terrorist attacks. The ASG renewed its campaign to establish an Islamic state in June 2017, when it gained control of parts of Marawi, a city in the southern Philippines. They are regarded as the most dangerous militant group in the Philippines that have bases on Basilan and Jolo, capital of Sulu (I think that’s partly the reason why tourists are completely off-limits on the island)

Upon arriving to Basilan, we had a quick lunch and look for a place to stay. (Good thing we did not do any bookings as our scheduled itinerary for the entire trip was scrambled completely because we did not take into account that it is public holiday when we arrange our trip) We managed to find The Hotel Sophia just 5 minutes away from the seaport along Carlos P. Garcia Street downtown of Basilan. We got a room, big enough for the six of us for an overnight stay at 1500Php. After shower and a quick rest, around 2pm we head to the bus terminal that would bring us to Lamitan to check out this nice waterfall that is a popular tourist spot on the area. Last trip going back from Lamitan is at 5pm by bus. Renting a round trip van is around 3000Php. After negotiating with the people on the terminal, we decided to go to Bulingan Falls using a convoy two tricycles which roundtrip cost us 1500Php.

Bulingan Falls is hidden gem in the dense forest of Lamitan City, some 35.8kms with the travel time of a little over an hour from Isabela right at the foot of Basilan National Park. The rock formations on the waterfalls is very unique as it resembles like a wall of pipe organs stacked and rising gradually forming natural stairs of basaltic steps leading to the stream above. The rock formation itself is like a mini version to that of the black beach of Reynisfjara in the South of Iceland. We did not intend to explore this but a good friend of mine recommended to check out the place upon learning that we are in Basilan. I’m so glad we did.

The water is clear and cool and very much inviting. We saw few huts for rent and few families doing a picnic and swimming to a natural pool made by the water falls. After spending couple of hours, we decided to head back and explore Isabela City. We walked around the downtown, we saw the 500th Jollibee in the area that has the distinction of being the most bombed branch of the fast food chain all over the Philippines, if not the world. We checked the boat terminal on the western part of the seaport where rows of food stalls are located. We ate isaw and chicken innards as we sat on the pier as we watched the busy crowd going in and out of the boats as the sun sets on the background. It’s like a jeepney terminal where people are taking their ride back home to their families calling it a day. I told myself this is not the Basilan I expected- far from it. Soon, right before the sun sets the sky turned into a brilliant shade of pink. What a great way to cap off our day!

jeepney terminal, Basilan style

Day06 April 22 (Monday) Basilan, Zamboanga, Manila

We woke up early so we could go the seaport and head to Malamawi Beach. After a quick breakfast at the side of the seaport, we head to the western side of the wharf to take a 10-minute boat ride to the other side of Basilan. We rented the entire boat at 100Php one way. Upon reaching the other side of the island, you will be greeted by barkers that offer ride going to the beach either by habal-habal or small pick up trucks called multicabs. Since we are a party of 6 we rode a multicab (600Php round trip good for 6-8pax) to reach the Malamawi beachfront. After 15-20 minutes of travelling the concrete road teeming with coconuts on both sides we had reached one of the nicest beaches down South- Malamawi.

If you’re in a big group, it would be much more practical if you rent multicab like this. (Or you can just ride a habal-habal)

on our way to the virgin beach

Malamawi White Beach is definitely a must visit when you are in Basilan. The sand is very fine, stretching more or less a kilometer long. On the far right side there was a pier with a viewing deck at the end of it. The water I must take note was immaculately clear! I kept on reminding myself that I am not on a swimming pool as the water on the beach was in perfect stillness. No waves not even a single one. You can clearly see your feet and the white sands underneath. I have a strange feeling that the place was just man made because of its perfect beauty. You must go and see it for yourself. If the Basilan you came to know is war-torn and something that is dangerous, definitely this is the happy side of Basilan.

Entrance to the beach for day tours is 30Php for adults and 15Php for children. Its mandatory for you to rent cottage during your stay. Day rate for small cottages is 300Php; big 800Php and XL is at 1000Php. Night rates for small cottages is at 500Php; big at 1000Php and XL is at 1200Php. Overnight Suite Rooms (good for 3pax) is at 3000Php; Deluxe room (good for 2pax) is at 2000Php. You need to pre-book as they do not accept walk-ins especially during peak season. You can bring raw food on the area as there are grilling facilities that you could use, free of charge.

It was a blessing in disguise that we did not made it the day prior because upon arrival, on a Monday morning we had the beach completely all for ourselves. It was an error on my end not to ask them if they accept overnight accommodation right away because we could’ve head to Malamawi straight and spend the night with a bonfire on the beach than to stay on the black out stricken downtown Isabela. Next time we know better!

yung mas malinaw pa yung tubig kesa sa konsensya mo #notswimmingpool

We decided to go back to Isabela City when guests started to arrive around 11am. Upon arriving to the hotel, we just pack our stuff, checked out and hit again the seaport to catch our ro-ro going back to Zamboanga City. Since our flight going back to Manila is still around 9pm later that day, we had two options to spend the rest of the afternoon; first go head up 75 kms north to Sibulao and explore Merloquet Falls, or sample the popular local version of knickerbocker glory right at its birthplace at Pasonanca Road – Hacienda de Palmeras Hotel and Restaurant. Waterfalls or Food. After much deliberation we decided to do the less tedious but delicious option – food! Waterfalls could wait. Now we have a valid reason now go back!

A knickerbocker glory is a layered ice cream sundae that is served in a large tall conical glass, and to be eaten with a distinctive long spoon, particularly in the British Isles. The British knickerbocker glory, first described in the 1920’s may contain ice cream, cream, fruit, meringue. Layers of these different sweet tastes are alternated in a tall glass and topped with different kinds of syrup, nuts, whipped cream and often a cherry. The local version, popularized by Hacienda de Palmeras is a concoction of various fruits in season- bananas, watermelon, mango mix with gelatin, milk and topped with strawberry ice cream at 100Php per glass. I could tell that this is wildly popular dessert as almost all diners inside the restaurant are ordering it.

I swear I could finish 5 of these in one sitting

Another thing we missed out and could’ve been another highlight in Zamboanga is the Once Islas Eco-Island Tour. Due to last minute schedule changes we decided to drop it in the trip because of time and budget constraints as you need to have it pre-booked weeks in advance and they do not accept walk-ins. Perhaps another compelling reason to visit Zamboanga again.

At the time of writing this, the island of Sulu is totally off-limits to both local and foreign tourists because of the recent church bombing last January 2019 killing 20 and injuring hundreds of civilians.

Our trip going back to Manila is smooth sailing although there was a long delay as there was an earthquake in Luzon that crippled Clark Airport making a domino effect to the rest of the flights nationwide including ours. But all in all we had a very busy but relaxing trip. Six days, three provinces, eight stops one summer getaway we will surely not forget.

vinta – the colorful emblem of Zamboanga

This trip was really a complete eye opener for me. For once it reinforces to me the idea that its very nice to travel with buddies who share the same passion – exploring the unknown, getting to know other cultures and people who are completely different from your set of beliefs, values and orientations. Its really more fun in the Philippines – its really fun in exploring the real and raw beauty of the Philippines. And its not always about travelling with money. All you just need is willingness, determination and yes, lots of courage. And lastly, as what a small piece of paper plastered on the wall of the boat we took on our way to Basilan taught me (which I think I will adopt as my personal travel mantra):

my personal travel mantra

Travel Notes:

Simunul and Panampangan tour no longer require military escort. Panamangan have marine detachment within the island. Simunul is relatively safe for tourist as per discussion with our tour guide.
Onse Islas island tour requires pre booking ahead of time as they only allow 200 pax per day to visit the island. It is a requirement to send your query via email at asiaslatincitytourism@yahoo.com to book for island hopping. They will send you quote on how much the trip will be via email as well.
Onse Island tour imposes a strict No Tours on Friday regulation along with no walk ins – no tour policy, pre booking requirement, no cooking and bringing of pork (in respect to Muslim brothers and sisters) in the island. Tour is strictly 7am-3pm only.
For Simunul and Panampangan trip, try as much as possible to get a speedboat over pump boats as it is quicker, travel time will considerably shorter than 3hrs by regular pump boat.
Merloquet can be done DIY but you have an option to avail the tour package by the registered tour operator (ITravelTouristLane)
Since December 2018 Malamawi White Island Resort no longer accept walk-ins and prebooking at least a day before is required.
Sta Cruz Island Tour guests with advance bookings or reservations, sequence of service shall be based on the reservation code sequence. First Come, first serve will only be applied to walk in passengers for the day.
Sama Saruk – iconic hand woven hats made from pandan leavesworn by Sama women of Simunul Tawi-tawi.
tepo – colorful hand woven mats made from dwarf pandan leaves made by the local tribes in the area.
Although Zamboanga, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi is relatively safe and may no longer require guides, military escort is advised specially if you plan on going to remote locations. Better coordinate with the tourism officers if there’s a need for you to have military escorts on not. During our trip, we do not have any guide save the time we visit Panampangan Island as we are escorted with Sir Mon and his team.