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

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.

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 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.