Mindanao. I would never ever contest why Mindanao has been dubbed as the Land of Promise. Its pristine natural wonders serve as proof that this place is truly a paradise. 📍Situbo Falls, Tampilisan, Zamboanga del Norte
🇵🇭ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA ADVENTURE PRIMER🇵🇭
✈️🛳🚌 How to get to Zamboanga City:
⏺ Take a plane from Metro Manila to Zamboanga City (e.g. Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific).
🏄🏝🚴 Sites to Explore/Activities:
⏺ Santa Cruz Island of Zamboanga City
📌Ride a tricycle to Paseo del Mar which serves as your jump-off.
📌Coordinate with the tourism office for your boat service to get to the island.
⏺ Regatta de Zamboanga
📌This festival of vintas is held every October in Zamboanga City.
📌There are also some vintas that you can hire in Santa Cruz Island.
⏺ Merloquet Falls of Zamboanga City
📌From the airport, you can hire a tricycle to take you directly to the bus terminal or you may ask the driver to drop you off at the city proper where you can take a public jeepney bound for the bus terminal.
📌Ride a bus bound for Dipolog then alight at Barangay Vitali (travel time: 1 – 2 hours).
📌Hire a motorcycle that will take you to the jump-off.
📌Walk down the stairsteps to get to the waterfall.
📌Alternatively, you may ride a van bound for Vitali near Gateway Mall at the city proper.
⏺ Tagbilat/Malagandis Falls of Titay, Zamboanga Sibugay
📌From the terminal in Zamboanga City, ride a bus bound for Dipolog then alight at the town proper of Titay (travel time: 3.5 – 4 hours).
📌Hire a motorcycle that will take you to the jump-off.
📌The trek takes about 30 minutes – 1 hour depending on your pace.
⏺ Situbo Falls of Tampilisan, Zamboanga del Norte
📌From the terminal in Zamboanga City, ride a bus bound for Dipolog then alight at the town proper of Tampilisan (travel time: 4 – 4.5 hours).
📌Hire a motorcycle that will take you to the jump-off.
📌The trek takes about 30 – 45 minutes depending on your pace.
Zamboanga City is the mainstream attraction in Zamboanga Peninsula but there are other places in this side of the country that you should also explore. I know that the majority of Filipino travelers have reservations about the place in terms of safety but I assure you, the locals are hospitable and there is really nothing to worry about. 📍Tagbilat/Malagandis Falls, Titay, Zamboanga SibugayThese wonders of Mindanao are totally worth visiting, considering they’re non-mainstream backpacking destinations, just like this waterfall in the town of Tampilisan. I had to ask a fellow blogger for the contact of the guide who may accompany me to Situbo Falls as there’s limited information online about this place.This trip to Zamboanga was a side trip when I visited Tawi-Tawi and Basilan with my friends. Since Zamboanga City was our jump-off to get to these provinces, we also used this opportunity to see what Zamboanga Peninsula has in store for its visitors. 📍Tagbilat/Malagandis Falls, Titay, Zamboanga SibugayMy friend and I just got back from Basilan that day so we decided to check out the vintas here at Paseo del Mar in Zamboanga City while waiting for the rest of the gang who opted to visit Merloquet Falls right after we landed at Zamboanga Airport from Tawi-Tawi.It was October which is the month when they celebrate Regatta de Zamboanga hence the presence of these vintas. We asked the owners of the boat if we could sail for a few minutes aboard these colorful boats.Most of my elementary books in Civics and Culture showcase the colorful vintas of Asia’s Latin City. As soon as I hopped on this boat, it felt so euphoric that my dream of getting to embrace this experience first-hand was about to come true. What a priceless moment.Right after paying the boatmen for a fun ride, my friend and I headed to our accommodation to wash up. It would have been a great spectacle if we could watch the race of these vintas the next day but my friend would be heading to Sulu later that night while I would be traveling to other provinces of Zamboanga Peninsula. The rest of the group would then be flying back to Manila the next morning.
⏰⏳ SAMPLE ITINERARY:
DAY 1
7:00 AM ETA Zamboanga City Airport
8:00 AM ETA Paseo del Mar
8:30 AM ETD for Santa Cruz Island
9:30 AM ETA Santa Cruz Island
2:00 PM ETD for Paseo del Mar
3:00 PM ETA Paseo del Mar
4:00 PM Check-in
6:00 PM Dinner
DAY 2
1:00 AM ETD for Tampilisan
6:00 AM ETA Tampilisan / breakfast
7:00 AM ETD for Situbo Falls
8:30 AM ETA Situbo Falls
10:00 AM Head back to Tampilisan town proper
11:30 AM Lunch
12:30 PM ETD for Titay
1:30 PM ETA Titay
2:00 PM ETD for Tagbilat Falls
3:30 PM ETA Tagbilat Falls
4:30 PM Head back to Titay town proper
6:00 PM ETD for Zamboanga City
10:00 PM ETA Zamboanga City
DAY 3
7:00 AM Wake-up call / breakfast
8:00 AM ETD for Vitali
10:00 AM ETA Merloquet Falls
12:00 PM ETD for Zamboanga City
2:00 PM ETD for Zamboanga City Airport
5:00 PM ETD for Manila
💰💶 ESTIMATED BUDGET (for a solo traveler): Php 5,000 – Php 7,000 (exclusive of airfare)
***Expenses may vary depending on the type of accommodation you will avail and personal consumption of food and other necessities. If traveling alone, you will solely shoulder the guide fees and tricycle/motorcycle transfer rates.
☎️ Contacts:
📌Tricycle Driver in Zamboanga City: Kuya Tata (09161410054)
📌Motorcycle Driver/Tour Guide for Tagbilat Falls: Kuya Lando (09752794242)
📌Motorcycle Driver/Tour Guide for Situbo Falls: Kuya Cerino (09261829098)
I decided to just stay at the lodge until midnight. I would have wanted to sleep but I was afraid that I might sleep through my alarm. By past 12:00 AM, the tricycle who brought my friend and I to our lodge from Paseo del Mar the day before picked me up and took me to the bus terminal. 📍Tagbilat/Malagandis Falls, Titay, Zamboanga SibugayThe terminal was so quiet and I was the first passenger of the bus bound for Dipolog. I reminded the conductor to drop me off at the town proper of Titay where this waterfall known as Malagandis is located. I dozed off and woke up at the bus terminal of Ipil, the capital of Zamboanga Sibugay. I checked my phone right away for the time. It was only 5:00 in the morning. Less than an hour passed as the bus continued its way and I finally arrived in Titay where I was picked up by my guide on his motorcycle.Right after having breakfast at a nearby eatery, we traveled on rough roads leading to the waterfall. We passed by the barangay captain’s house and I was asked to write my name on a logbook for visitors. We continued our journey until we reached the jump-off.It was pretty much obvious that this municipality has not been touched yet by mainstream tourism. The trek going to Tagbilat Falls might be short but its trail was not that established. But once I reached this natural wonder, I just couldn’t contain my excitement. I set up my camera right away.My guide took me back to the town proper where I would transfer to my next ride en route to the next waterfall on my list. Luck was on my side as I didn’t need to wait that long when a van arrived at the terminal. 📍Situbo Falls, Tampilisan, Zamboanga del NorteI reached the municipality of Tampilisan after half an hour. My contact was already waiting for me at the terminal and off we went to this gem hidden in the wilderness of Zamboanga del Norte.Just like Malagandis Falls, the trek going here at Situbo Falls is relatively quick. The waterfall was devoid of any people when we arrived. It was a weekday after all.It was almost lunch time when we got back at the town proper of Tampilisan. I ate at a small eatery by the terminal then rode a bus going to Pagadian City. I was hoping to reach Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte before nightfall. I wanted to explore more of this peninsula’s tourist attractions, especially the off-the-radar ones but it would be much better if I have travel buddies to share the costs with me. Like they always say, there will always be a next time. 📍Tagbilat/Malagandis Falls, Titay, Zamboanga Sibugay
