Tawi-Tawi | A Trip to the Philippine’s Southernmost Province

Lessons on the Road | Zamboanga - Basilan - Tawi-Tawi
Dont Tell my Mother I Spent a Summer Day in Basilan

Before, Tawi-Tawi seemed to be the land of faraway (in Malay, jaui-jaui means very far) - but not anymore. Thanks to airport development and budget airlines, almost everyone can now easily reach Tawi-Tawi. Coming from Zamboanga City, the flight would just take an hour or less.

What convinced me to go?
It would surely be an awesome adventure and a great learning experience at the same time in this Muslim dominated province.

Dom and I grabbed our roundtrip Tawi-Tawi tickets – for only P1,358 which was already good for 2. Compared to our Basilan trip, this one needed more precautions as we’re both first-timers and we do not know anyone in Tawi-Tawi. We intentionally planned to get to the airport very early to avoid being noticed + to request for window seats. As planned, we transformed ourselves as discreet and serious persons. We can’t draw unnecessary attentions as our lives might be in danger. Sooner we found out we were the only outsiders in the plane. Toinks!

Also, that was the first time I saw military men and ordinary citizens bring their heavy duty firearms inside the airport. Everyone acted normally. No one (but me) was bothered a bit.

breathtaking aerial view from zamboanga to sulu to tawi-tawi

Im glad we requested for window seats. The aerial view of Zamboanga, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi were breathtaking. We uttered nothing but “ha-meey-zing”!

After a short 30mins ride, we landed in Tawi-Tawi. You have no idea how overwhelmed I was to finally reach our country’s southernmost province.

at Tawi-Tawi airport

Anyway, we bid goodbye to the DPWH regional directors who we met inside the airport. One of them, Engr Ras hand-over us to a local policeman. Since these DPWH directors seemed to have authorities, we were somehow assured that we can trust this policeman. We really don’t know who to trust so we believed them anyway. This policeman entrusted us to a young tricycle driver. He’s got sharp features but he’s got a soft charm as well. Dom and I agreed to get this young man’s services.

with a local policeman and our tourguide/driver Alhakim - 0947.336.4393

On our way to town proper, Alhakim started telling us stories of his previous clients. He’s very talktative. He seemed very interesting to learn from us. He asked “kuya, ate, bakit po kayo sumama sakin?” paano nyo nalaman na hindi ako masamang tao?” And Im not sure how we answered so we also asked him in return “Paano mo namang nalaman na hindi ka namin gagawan ng masama?” He answered “pag mabuti kang tao, kahit saan ka magpunta, mga mabuting tao din ang mga makikilala mo. Pag wala kang masamang intensyon, wala din mangyayari sayong masama..”

Oh dear, it was a whole day of non-stop entertainment at this young man’s wisdom.

Bongao, the capital of Tawi-Tawi, actually looked peaceful. Specially upon seeing these stilt houses, I cant quite imagine that this is a dreaded place. It is a quiant town where Muslims and a small number of Christians live harmoniously.

stilt houses in Tawi-Tawi

yes, they have gates!

the luxury of having an easy access of the beach

Compared to Basilan, military men were not in sight. The only persons with long firearms are those security guards of small hotels. Speaking of hotels, there’s a good number of accommodations in town – but surprisingly each place was fully booked. We began to worry where we will be staying for the night, good thing the lady from Rachel’s Place made some adjustments so we can have an available room. Big thanks!

P1,000 for a triple room with AC and own bathroom
a bit expensive room specially there's blackout from 9am-6pm.
sa totoo lang it didn't matter, sa pagod namin, kahit walang kuryente ng tanghaling tapat - nakatulog kami

We left our things in the room and immediately proceeded with the tour. We really wanted to see great beaches but it would still take us an hour of boat ride to cross the island. Abot tanaw yung isla pero walang naglalakas loob pumunta. Even Alhakim didn’t know much about reaching the other island. We decided not to explore that beach anymore. It could be very risky to be away where most of the people are. #definekidnapping

Dom and I: hindi ba nakakatakot pumunta dun?
Alhakim: bakit, may multo ba dun?

And he sounded very innocent. This young man is not aware of the kidnapping and other bad images that the media presented in the news.


Moving on, he drove us around Bongao town. We checked out the newly-built DanMar Resort. It is a beachfront accommodation.. The place was fully booked as well as they have ongoing conventions at that time. Nonetheless, the place looked nice. I never imagined there’s be something like this in Tawi-Tawi.

DanMar Resort in Tawi-Tawi

The place is new. There are also ongoing constructions in the area. Looks like they're preparing to cater more tourists in the future. Interesting. Anyway an overnight stay only costs P1,200 per night.

the beachfront resort

This resort might have been perfect, only this kind of beach is not something we wished to see.

good but we're expecting more

Since we weren't satisfied, we asked Alhakim and some locals where they would usually go on a weekend. They delightedly answered Dr. Ibhu beach. Our hopes were high to see an outstanding beach in this island.

at Dr. Ibhu Resort

yes the place is peaceful and clean - but were looking for some fine sands and crystal clear water

We still didn't find what we're looking for so asked Alhakim for some suggestions. He took us in the bridge area. The water may not be perfect for swimming, this area has lots of sea creatures which are effortlessly visible to anyone who passed by.







The sun was at its mightiest but it didn't stop us from capturing interesting shots.
I enjoyed people watching here, and I think the locals who passed by the bridge enjoyed watching us too.

Dom and I agreed to take a 1-hour break. And I told you, kahit walang kuryente, we both had an interrupted sleep.

After being refreshed, we proceeded our tour and did some hiking. Some say you haven't been to Tawi-Tawi if you didn't reach Bud Bongao, it's Tawi-Tawi's highest peak.

Bud Bongao

Before going, Alhakim advised us to buy some bananas. There would be a lot of monkeys on our way up. Honestly Im scared of these monkeys. More likely they are notorious in stealing things from people. Good thing the monkeys in Bud Bongao are not fierce. They are even scared of people.

And of course, there is another thing to be scared of... alam na.
Anyway, let the trek begin.

carrying bananas for the monkeys
ano tinitingnan nyo?

This mountain is sacred for the Muslims. They will climb here to offer prayer, ask forgiveness, and pay respect. We noticed that Alhakim wuld normally stop and whisper a prayer at some spots.

and Im not sure what this trail awaits me
goodluck sakin, im not a mountaineer

the trek is not a walk in the park. the hot temperature added more challenge as we ascend.

it could have been easier, only if the boys would wait for me
ako na ang mabagal ^_^

This climb was a very good workout. I've never sweat before as much as I did in Bud Bongao. Hingal level is extreme. I almost vomited.

after all the sweat, we we're just halfway there

At this spot, monkeys started to appear. I dont know how to react at first. But when I saw the baby monkeys, my fear turned to amusement.

it was a delight to see these baby monkeys

We reached the shrine after 1.5 hours. There's no need to rush. The next time I'll climb here, it will be more on a relaxed phase.

Located in the summit is sacred shine. It is believed that this is a tomb of a Muslim saint. This shrine is said to have some healing powers. The people of Tawi-Tawi would flock here to wish for good health for their sick relatives.

sacred shrine of the Muslims

Another very noticeable things in the trail are these knots. Tying up knots on tree branches as you whispher your wishes is a practice made in Bongao mountain.

a little warning though - those who dare remove these "knot wishes" will experience bad luck and curse.

What's a climb without enjoying the view on top?

view from Bud Bongao summit

indeed a very fulfilling climb in this sacred mountain of Tawi-Tawi
my legs were shaking as we reached the roads again ^_^

Our day was not ended yet, we decided to do people and sunset watching in the bridge.

sunset view at the Philippine's southernmost pearl

It was the 1st time I saw some heavily-covered Muslim ladies took a dip in the water. Im not sure if I can photograph them so I only took pictures without them knowing.

Muslim ladies would remove the scarf from their head and leave every piece of clothing with them as they swim. They would cover their hair again before they resurface.

while the ladies were shy, these boys loved to play and pose infront of our cameras

Not so faraway anymore.
Reaching Tawi-Tawi is already an overwhelming experience. Meeting genuine people, learning their culture, and understanding their religious beliefs made our trip more memorable. Having experienced these things, Tawi-Tawi seemed not to be faraway anymore.

Beyond books and online education.
I began to understand and appreciate the similarities and differences of our cultural heritage and religious beliefs - beyond books and online information can explain. Having lived in Manila all my life, I felt privileged and humbled to know that not everything is about the city, and the great lessons are best learned outside the universities.

Take risks. If you win, you will be happy. If you lose, you will be wise.

up next: Zamboanga City

Lessons on the Road | Zamboanga-Basilan-TawiTawi

Can't be thankful enough as our Zamboanga-Basilan-TawiTawi trip went well. All flights were on time. The weather was very cooperative. There are no red alert or safety advisory whatsoever. We encountered interesting and memorable people along the way. We were humbled and overwhelmed with this experience. All glory is HIS for keeping us safe.

Aside from the scenic and unspoiled views, Im always fascinated with the culture and religion of a place. A trip to the country's southernmost provinces didn't disappoint. It was an overwhelming experience. I began to understand and appreciate the similarities and differences on our cultural heritage and religious beliefs - beyond books and online information can explain.

Sharing some of our memorable experiences and lessons learned on this heart-pounding southern eskapo.


Zamboanga

Worry not about security but be ready to swim with the military men in Sta.Cruz beach.

thank you Soler family for adopting us

Sta.Cruz is also called the Pink Beach because of these tiny red corals mixed in the white sand.

There's a nearby Muslim cemetery in the island, and you can tell whether the tomb belongs to a Yakan, a Tausug, or a Badjao.

Precious black corals are still for sale- legally!

A deep sea crab called curacha is a very expensive dish. It tastes like a regular crab though. Anyway, the word "curacha" in chavacano means roach. ipis!

The famous snack Knicker Bucker is basically a fruit salad with mango + watermelon + ice cream.

These badjao kids don't only have great diving skills, but they also have superior night vision! They can do deep diving for a precious coin- even without goggles. Hameezying!

All mosques are built facing the direction of Mecca. We hitchhiked and met a Hadji on our way back from Taluksangay.

The cross in Metropolitan Cathedral is exaggeratedly built to be huge to emphasize that Zamboanga is a Christian dominated city. 60% of the population here are Christians.

Basilan

Dont Tell my Mother I Spent Summer in Basilan

Since 80% of the residents in Basilan are Muslims, this church has always been the most favorite target for a terrorist attack. Having been bombed a lot of times, military soldiers are right outside the church entrance.

Nonetheless, it's such a great pleasure to see and touch this Last Supper mosaic which came all the way from Italy.

The White Beach in Malamawi Island is one of the finest beaches I've been to.
photo credit: Dong Ho

..not to mention this beach has a very unique lifeguard ^_^

Tawi-Tawi
Tawi-Tawi | a Trip to the Philippine's Southernmost Province

Almost everyone in the Philippine's southernmost province is a Muslim. We even glanced a Muslim wedding when we're strolling Bongao.

○ residents speak Tausug, but most of them can understand Tagalog as well.
○ placing your hand in your chest right after a handshake is their form of respect.

Alhakim became our driver, tour guide, and younger brother when we're in Tawi-Tawi. This young man's words of wisdom made our trip more fun and memorable.
Alhakim - 0947.336.4393
tell him you got the number "from kuya na malakas kumain at kay ate na takot sa monkeys." haha!

...on our first glance on top of Bud Bongao
Dong Ho and I: ha-meey-zing!
Alhakim: kuya, ate, ano yung "amazing"?
---> insert matinding mental block here
Us: nakakamangha!

Stilt houses are very common in Tawi-Tawi. It's cute to see they have gates as well.

Muslims dont like dogs, they are afraid of them. Maybe this explains why there are lots of goats instead. They are everywhere!

The monkeys in Bud Bongao are not fierce. They also dont attack people. Im afraid of monkeys, but Im okay with feeding these gentle monkeys. See, this one's got a cute baby!

Bud Bongao is the highest peak in Tawi-Tawi. Located at the peak is a sacred shrine where locals can pray, pay respect, and ask forgiveness.

Tying up knots on tree branches as you say your wishes silently is a practice made in Bongao mountain. A little warning though, those who dare remove these "knot wishes" will experience bad luck and curse.

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Meet my Travel Buddy | Southern Mindanao edition

Dominic of Dong Ho's Eskapo

"This trip to the country's southernmost islands is one of the best experience. Despite being familiar with Basilan and Zamboanga our experience of visiting Taluksangay and Bongao still imposed the challenge of moving from one spot to another with the right precautions. But with all our efforts to interact with the locals, we were rewarded with unforgettable experience including hitchhiking with strangers, feeding the monkeys of bud bongao and having a Muslim brother." - Dom

is it safe to travel to basilan and tawi tawi?

"It is relatively safe. With a local guide and the goal of being one with the communities will optimize a trip to this part of the country. Some precautions are required specially on knowing the latest situation in the area before getting there. This is best done by coordinating with a local." - Dom

why I like traveling with Dom:

He's born, raised, and spent 17 years of his life in Basilan. Now you know why I never hesitated to pursue this trip, I know very well that Dom can manage. And of course, I only travel with adventurous, funny, and crazy people. We originally planned to be discreet, serious, and quiet while waiting for our flight to Tawi-Tawi. Ang hirap! Haha We ended up befriending and sharing laughter with a bunch of Muslims who were seated around us. That was more fun.

why I dont like traveling with Dom:

He speaks fluent Chavacano, Ilonggo, and Cebuano - and that makes me pity myself big time! I feel very unprivileged for only knowing Tagalog. Life is unfair. Toinks!


thank you for being a travel buddy, a tour guide, an interpreter, and photographer all at the same time. til next time, at sana pahiramin mo na ko ng headware mo. damot! ^_^