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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An entrance to the Kutawato Caves at the foot of Pedro Colina Hill

Places · Nature

Kutawato Caves

Cotabato City

Patrickroque01 · CC BY-SA 4.0Photo by Patrickroque01, CC BY-SA 4.0. Open the source file.

Overview

A cave system running under Pedro Colina Hill, and the origin of the city’s name.

"Kutawato" is kuta wato — stone fort — and the caves under the hill are the reason the name stuck. They run beneath the outcrop in the middle of a working city, which is a strange thing to stand in.

The chambers have been used as shelter, as burial space and, in the twentieth century, during wartime. Development around the hill has affected access over the years and the state of the entrances varies.

Things to do

  1. 01Go into the caves with a guide and a torchThe cave is not lit for visitors and access has opened and closed over the years, so ask locally about current access before you go.
  2. 02Ask which of the four entrances is openThe cave system has four named entrances: the Provincial Capitol Cave, Bagua Cave, Caverna Español and Kuweba ni Satur.

Food to try

  • Siomai dumplings in a bamboo steamer.Cotabato CityDim sum at Las HermanasLas Hermanas on Sinsuat Avenue serves siomai and dim sum, with pork-free dishes on the menu.Photo: Hariboneagle927
  • 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

Online booking works here. Phoning ahead still gets a better rate and a better room.

  • hotel · Cotabato CityAlnor Hotel and Convention CenterVenue of the 18th Regional Travel Fair (TPB, MTIT and DOT), August 2026Named in 2026
  • MarkoDalisay · CC BY-SA 4.0Photo by MarkoDalisay, CC BY-SA 4.0. Open the source file.hotel · Cotabato CityAlnor Suite HotelHotel with the Haraya function halls; hosted the Bangsamoro Writers Workshop, June 2026Named in 2026
  • hotel · Cotabato CityEm Manor Hotel and Convention CenterHotel and convention centre used for BARMM ministry events, May 2026Named in 2026
  • hotel · Cotabato CityKDT Manor Hotel and Convention CenterHotel and convention centre; venue of a Bangsamoro Women Commission dialogue, June 2026Named in 2026
  • hotel · Cotabato CityParagon Hotel and RestaurantHotel and restaurant used for BARMM workshops, November 2025Named in 2025
  • hotel · Cotabato CityGrand Pagana HotelVenue of a book launch by the Bangsamoro Government and the Institute of Bangsamoro Studies, June 2026Named in 2026

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 ·en.wikivoyage.org