104 places · 7 areas

Places of the Bangsamoro

Islands and white sand, lakes in the highlands, mosques, falls and the old forts and houses of the sultanates: what is there, how to get there, and what to know before you go.

Ervin Malicdem · CC BY-SA 4.0Photo by Ervin Malicdem, CC BY-SA 4.0. Open the source file.

Beaches 6

Islands 11

Mosques 10

Lakes 5

Falls 5

Mountains 7

Nature 21

Heritage 22

Museums 5

Cities 2

Markets 2

Memory 8

Every place is traced to the pages it came from, and the guide’s own entries are the travel workspace’s. Photos are from Wikimedia Commons or English Wikipedia under free licences, each credited on the photo. 7 areas: Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte and del Sur, Tawi-Tawi, Cotabato City and the Special Geographic Area.

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Aerial view of Polloc Port in Parang, on Illana Bay

Places · Beach

The Illana Bay coast

Parang, Maguindanao del Norte

MarkoDalisay · CC BY-SA 4.0Photo by MarkoDalisay, CC BY-SA 4.0. Open the source file.

Overview

Beaches, small islands and the region’s deepwater port, north-west of the city.

Parang faces Illana Bay and is the closest stretch of proper coast to Cotabato City — beaches, offshore islets, and the fishing economy that goes with them. Polloc port here is the region’s deepwater harbour and the site of its freeport, so the working coast and the swimming coast sit side by side.

Bongo Island lies off the mouth of the bay and is reachable by boat from the mainland.

This is where people from the city go at the weekend, which is the most honest recommendation available.

Things to do

  1. 01Swim at Zone Beach or Punta BeachThese are 2 of the beaches Parang lists among its attractions; facilities are basic and most people swim covered.
  2. 02Take a boat across to Bongo IslandBoats to the islands are arranged at the shore and the price is negotiated.
  3. 03Visit the fruit bat sanctuaryParang lists a fruit bat sanctuary among its attractions.
  4. 04Come for Parang's founding day on August 18The town holds a cultural festival every August 18, its founding anniversary.

Food to try

  • Banana-leaf parcels of pastil, one opened to show shredded meat over steamed rice.MaguindanaonPastilRice and shredded meat in a banana leaf — the region’s breakfast, and its icon.Photo: Obsidian Soul
  • A mound of yellow turmeric rice, the kiyoning or kuning of Moro tables, topped with chicken in palapa.MaguindanaonKiyoningTurmeric rice, yellow and fragrant, cooked in coconut milk.Photo: Obsidian Soul
  • Lacy discs of tinagtag, the fried rice-flour snack sold at Ramadhan stalls in Maguindanao del Sur.MaguindanaonTinagtagA lattice of fried rice-flour batter, crisp and sweet.Photo: Bangsamoro Information Office

The food is halal. Named eateries come from dated listings, so check they are still open.

Places to stay

Phone or Facebook for the coastal places; local contacts and the LGU for the uplands.

Each is named in an official or dated source; none could be checked against an accreditation list. No prices: rates change quickly, so confirm and book directly before you go.

Sourcesen.wikipedia.org ·en.wikipedia.org