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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Places · Nature

Timako Hill

Cotabato City

Also known as Timaco Hill

Overview

A wooded coastal hill in Kalanganan, one of only 2 high points in Cotabato City, with monkeys, mangroves and a view of the Grand Mosque.

Timako Hill rises on the coast of Barangay Kalanganan, facing Illana Bay, and is home to monkeys and other wildlife. A MindaNews feature calls it one of only 2 elevated areas in the city where the trees are protected (from a search snippet).

Around it are fishponds known for mud crabs, and the Timaco Mangrove Swamp, where a 2022 study counted 15 mangrove species, 2 of them threatened, but far fewer trees than an earlier survey.

A bridge on the hill gives a wide view over Kalanganan with the Grand Mosque behind. A new seaport was being built at its foot in 2018.

Things to do

  1. 01Take in the view from the bridgeThe bridge on Timako Hill looks over Kalanganan II to the Grand Mosque.
  2. 02Swim at the beaches of TimacoWikivoyage suggests the beaches below the hill for a swim.
  3. 03Eat mud crab from the fishpondsThe fishponds of Kalanganan supply a wide variety of seafood, mud crabs above all.

Food to try

  • Cotabato CitySeafood at Timako Bay Seafood RestoA halal restaurant with a beach setting opened at Timako Hill in April 2023, serving local seafood and Maguindanaon dishes.
  • 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.

Sourcesbangsamoro.gov.ph ·bangsamoro.gov.ph ·langyaw.com ·en.wikivoyage.org ·threatenedtaxa.org ·mindanews.com ·en.wikipedia.org ·bangsamoro.gov.ph