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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The Sultan Kudarat monument in Tantawan Park

Places · Heritage

Tantawan Park

Cotabato City

Also known as Liwasan ng Tantawan

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

Overview

A small historical park at the foot of Pedro Colina Hill, with a monument to Sultan Muhammad Kudarat.

Tantawan Park sits on the corner of Quezon Avenue and Sinsuat Avenue, beside a branch of the Central Bank and the Immaculate Conception Cathedral. Its centrepiece is a monument to Sultan Muhammad Kudarat of Maguindanao.

The ground has a long history. A Maguindanao watchtower stood here to defend the sultanate against Spanish attacks from 1635 to 1645, and it is named as the spot where Shariff Kabunsuan is believed to have docked on the journey that brought Islam to central Mindanao.

The Shariff Kabunsuan Festival each December re-enacts his arrival by river, which makes the park a natural first stop on a walk that takes in the hill and the caves above it.

Things to do

  1. 01See the monument to Sultan Muhammad KudaratThe park's centrepiece is a monument to the Maguindanao sultan, at the corner of Quezon Avenue and Sinsuat Avenue.
  2. 02Get a short massage in the parkA 2018 visitor found short, cheap massages on offer in the park.
  3. 03Watch the Shariff Kabunsuan Festival in DecemberThe festival runs on December 15 to 19, with a dance parade, a boat race and a re-enactment of Shariff Kabunsuan's arrival.
  4. 04Walk on up Pedro Colina HillThe hill and the Kutawato Caves are at the same spot, so the park is the first stop on a short walk that takes in all three.

Food to try

  • Cotabato CityGrilled meats on Sinsuat Avenue at nightThe barbecue stalls near Rizal Park on Sinsuat Avenue are busy after dark, with several vendors grilling along the road; a must for anyone on a budget.
  • 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 ·langyaw.com