Rachel’s Place, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi
Tourism is not really the main draw in Bongao, Tawi-tawi so there aren’t that many accommodations to choose from. There are however three notable hotels there which caters to businessmen, visitors and the occasional travelers in Tawi-Tawi. We were able to stay at some of them and we can say that don’t expect any 3-5 star types here. Most of the rooms are basic and spartan.
Beachside Inn Room
Beachside Inn Hotel and Restaurant. This is said to be the first hotel in Bongao. It has a very spacious ground and garden. It’s open-air restaurant is also quite popular for its food and use for different functions. We got a double room here for Php 700 per night. It is big with aircon and TV. The lights at the bathroom was busted so we had to improvise for lights at night. Water is powered via a water tank, if it rans out, ask the reception to fill in the tank again. Food is fairly good. Even towns people go here just to eat.
Simandagat Beach across Beachside Inn
Another highlight for this Inn is that it’s located just across the Simandagat beach if you like a peaceful and quiet beach setting. The downside here is that’s it’s quite a distance from the town center itself.
Beachside Inn Hotel and Restaurant
Sowangkagang, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi
Tel: (068) 268-1446, (068) 268-1435
Tawi-tawi Hotel Juana Room
Hotel Juana Grill and Sandbar Restaurant. Now if you want to be at the heart of the action, this is where you wanna be. It’s at the center of the town just at the main street. We got a double room at the second floor for Php 1350 per night . The room looks nice but shabby since it seems it’s not regularly cleaned. Some cobwebs at the corners. Our room doesn’t even have a window. There’s your regular air conditioning, cable TV and good running water. But we had to clean the aircon since it seems the filter hasn’t been cleaned for some time blocking the cool air from it.
Hotel Juana Street View in Bongao
It has a restaurant downstairs but I found their food too expensive and not that good. Better eat out somewhere else. Locations is the main advantage in this hotel.
Hotel Juana Grill and Sandbar Restaurant
Datu Halum St., Bongao Tawi-tawi
Tel: (068) 268-1018, 0915-4044478
Rachel’s Place Room
Rachel’s Place Hotel and Restaurant. Just a walking distance from the town center but away from the hustle and bustle of the street, Rachel’s Place is a large compound with spacious inner garden and multi-purpose hall and dining area. We got a double room on the second floor for Php 950 per night. It is a spacious room with air conditioning, good running water and cable TV.
Rachel’s Place Building Tawi-Tawi
The adjoining restaurant serves very good and cheap food which I really liked. It’s an enclosed compound just on the street so security is quite good. When we were there, major renovations are being done so expect improvements there.
Rachel’s Place Hotel and Restaurant
Ilmon Street Lamion, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi
Tel: (068) 268-1248
My Pick: From the three Hotels mentioned, my pick would be Rachel’s Place, good rooms, tasty and cheap food and good security. It’s just a walking distance to establishments as well.
Others: We learned from other backpackers that there are some other cheaper guesthouses ad lodgings in Bongao for as much as 400-200 per night. Most have shared bathrooms and fan rooms. It pays to ask around as well.
you certainly redefined tawi-tawi in my books. great job again ferdz.
thanks for this ferdz. you’ve been giving us infos ahead of the places that we can definitely visit. i didnt know that there are actually big hotels, motels like that in tawi tawi. i like the rachel’s place, simply because of the nearby beach. it has it’s own disadvantage though.
you really dont need all the luxuries when travelling. you need a bed, roof over your head and shower that works, after all you are outside exploring the entire day. really interesting accommodations i’d say.
thanks for this info. nakakainis kasi nakakainggit. promise talaga, one day, mararating ko din ‘to.
Thanks Oman! That’s one of my aims here in this series is to show people on what’s there.
I myself never expected to see such places there Dom.
So true Photo Cache! That’s why we don’t spend too much on accommodations since we don’t stay there all day.
Makakapunta ka rin dyan Barok. Hope the information here would be of great help.
The rooms are neat – really … And they look comfortable too.
SALAMAT PO NOON PA AKO NAGAHAHANAP NG MGA BEACH
I was in Bongao,tawi-tawi last January 2010, and i found the place not yet that developed as compared to the provinces in Luzon and Visayas. Although the highway going to the capital town is good, shoulders of the road are left uncemented without a good drainage system. The town has no tourist information center where some local tourists end up asking “habal-habal” drivers informations for accomodation and tourist attractions for destination.
During my stay, I got a very accomodating Tausug habal-habal driver as my guide for a mimimal fee, “pang-kape” lang. I stayed at Rachel’s Place and it’s quiet ok. I have toured the island in just one day. Cheap. The pier at Bongao is good but boarding a ship is a bit a “sweat-letting” session.
The view from the plane is awesomely breathtaking. White sand beaches can be seen surrounding some islands of greens floating in azure blue ocean. What is inviting is the Bongao Peak which welcomes every visitor that arrives in the place. There are unmanned check points at the highway going to the town proper. This might be a visual proof that misunderstanding between locals is over.
The provincial capitol is atop of a hill which overlooks the town and the surrounding islands. It has a commanding view of the newly built governor’s house at a distance. I was wrong, thinking that Tawi-tawi is farthest from the country’s capital there is no school of learning. Mindanao State University is there to educate the young. Business is booming in Bongao. There are a number of banks, hotels, restaurants, small malls,etc. in contrast with the mosques and stilthouses that abound in the place.
I hope I can visit some outlying islands of Tawi-tawi next time.
I agree with you , those views are breathtaking. These are just few of the many places and breathtaking scenery you can visit in Tawi Tawi not to mention the nearby Islands (Hundreds of them) and different municipalities.
I grew Up in Bongao Tawi Tawi where I spent my childhood days. I went to elementary at datu halun central school and finished my high school at Mindanao State university MSU in 2004. When you are a native of the place , its just like you’re having fun , visiting different places without even thinking how gifted we are having this place, maybe we were very young and immature at that time. But, I miss those days. when I went to college at Western Mindanao State University in Zamboanga City I seldom visits Bongao because my parents moved with me together with my two sisters until I finished college in 2008 and decided just to go back in Bongao.
In my 15 years in Bongao Tawi Tawi I never get the chance visiting such places not until this time.
It was my final year in the University` in 2008, when I got the chance to experience and explore the beauty of Tawi Tawi as one of my final requirement In Radio/TV productions – one of my major subjects in Broadcasting. I was with RPN TV 5 – as radio announcer/reporter and staff on their new Telemagazine show – featuring best tourist destination in Mindanao – I was surprise the first episode will be taken in Bongao Tawi Tawi.
It’s a 15 hour travel to Bongao when you will be riding a Big Ferry Boat, 6 hours for FastCraft and just an hour via sea air/asian spirit from Zamboanga City- We made a courtesy call to the Governor of Tawi Tawi in Provincial Capitol hill in coordination with the provincial tourism and landed at the newest hotel in the place Hotel Juana. I saw some changes , but not really exciting, probably we’re exhausted at that time because of the travel. Since it’s my place I went home and stayed with my parents. At night we were preparing our things needed for the production, the first day we took some scenes on the main town. Together with the two tourist Canadian national we went to the so called “Badjao Village” and shoot some scenes. We ended relaxing while watching the traditional muslim cultural dance prepared by Provincial Tourism. Of course since we were at the Sandbar beach resort / restaurant ” Pagkain” for dinner the best.
The next day – was very exciting. I remember I went to this place located in Sanga Sanga but I just realized that ” WOW” its a cave actually surrounded by big rock formation, white sand and crystal clear water known as hot spring! ( I forgot the name )
It was also my first time to see ostrich, crocodile and some exotic animals in this privately owned mini zoo hotel and restaurant located in Batu Batu panglima sugala. The highlight of this day was visiting Tango Island – its only like 350 square meter Island surrounded with white sand beach – was also visited by some celebrities like robin padilla and others – very relaxing – We went to Simunul to visit the very first and very old mosque known worldwide “Sheikh Mahdum Mosque”. We also got the chance to passed by a small unique village situated in the middle of the sea ?” yes surrounded by sea water ” Do you believe that? walang lupa – dagat lang !! I don’t know how – houses were built with long bamboo/bakao wood as the main foundation of the house, not unlike badjao village somehow connected to land – amazing. I forgot to mention its easy for us to take island by island because we were riding a speedboat.
We never got the chance to visit some of the islands because we don’t have much time left – the program episode will be aired a week after. We went to bud bongao peak for our final episode and we were amazed by this old monkey following us until we reach the summit or the “tampat”. It was the best and exciting of the eight visits i had in bud bongao peak.
It’s my 3rd year here in manila and always longing to visit the rest of the islands and some nearby municipality of tawi-tawi. I went home every year and actually last January but never get the chance. Hopefully, this next vacation of mind in December – I am excited! yeah.
thanx for the info.
am about to go to Tawi-tawi and had no idea where to stay and what possible places to visit
the articles here gave me ideas . . .
One week from now I will be again in Bongao. This gonna be my 2nd time. Thnks to my friend Mr. Tuhtuh of NFA-Bongao for being my guide while I was in town the first time I was there. We toured the whole island using his motorbike.
We are planning this time to climb Bud Bongao and do some island hopping. Time to visit Simunul, Sitangkai and Sibutu.
Join us if you have time.
GARY
Batangas Mountaineering Society