10/02/2024
𝟖 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐙𝐀𝐌𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐔𝐋𝐓𝐀 TRIP ITINERARY + BUDGET & EXPENSES
📍𝙕𝙖𝙢𝙗𝙤𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙖 📍𝘽𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙣 📍𝙎𝙪𝙡𝙪 📍𝙏𝙖𝙬𝙞-𝙏𝙖𝙬𝙞
“Bakit dyan kayo pupunta? Magulo diyan!"
"Safe ba diyan? Delikado diyan!”
These are just some of what you'll often hear when you tell people you are going to Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu, or Tawi-tawi.
But we'd like to prove you wrong, the provinces of Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi are actually some of the most amazing places 😍 with the most beautiful beaches 🏖️ here in the Philippines that is SAFE TO TRAVEL TO.
Below let me share our 8-day ZAMBASULTA ITINERARY:
🎯 Day 1: early AM flight to Zamboanga
🚩 Basilan day trip
✈️ Davao-Zamboanga, ETA: 8:30am
📣 Tip: When getting out of Zamboanga's airport, you can pay cheaper fare if you ride their tricycles (compared sa Taxi). Head to the exit and you'll find tricycles there. Reasonable fare is around 100-150php going to the city.
8:45am 🛺 We asked kuya driver na idiretso muna kami sa bilihan ng ticket sa Aleson, because we'll buy tix for Basilan. Mga 9:30am ung trip.
🚩Isabelan, Basilan boat fare is 120/head
9am 🏡 We dropped by our hotel in Zamboanga (at Winzelle Suites highly recommended 👌) (but our check in is still not until Day 5) nakiusap lang kami na iiwan ang baggage. Then we just brought w/ us enough clothes for 3days because after Basilan, we'll head to Sulu. Para di masyado madaming dala 😅 Thank you Winzelle laking tulong nito!
⛵9:15am we asked kuya driver na idiretso kami sa Port (inantay nya kami all throughout the trip, we paid him 300php for the entire trip)
🚤 9:30am - boat ride via Aleson shipping from Zamboanga city to Isabela, Basilan. Trip will take you around 1.5 hour.
🌏 DIY ISABELA TRIP 🌍
🚩11am: arrived in Isabela Port.
Then we walk 🚶mga 10min just within the port papunta sa mga bangka na nagpapasakay going to MALAMAWI ISLAND.
⛵Fare is just 10php per head. Punuan ung boat. Mabilis lang nman ang inantay namin. Trip is just around 15mins.
🏝️ 11:30am ETA Malamawi Island
🛺 Ride another trike para ihatid kayo sa PAHALI RESORT (aka Malamawi White Beach). Roundtrip Fare is 350 pesos/trike. Kasama na pagsundo ni kuya nyan.
🏖️ 12noon: Malamawi (Pahali Resort) arrival.
🚩Entrance is 600/head. But it is consumable na. You need to make a prior reservation to Pahali Resort so they can get your order and prepare it in time for your arrival.
🌅Beach bummed from 12pm - pm
🚩I think Malamawi is the best beach I have seen in the entire country. 😱🇵🇭 Trust me. You should at least visit this!! 😍
🛺 2pm: trike trip back to the port
⛵ boat from Malamawi back to Isabela (10php/head)
⛴️ 2:30pm: arrival at Isabela. Kumuha na kami boat fare back to Zamboanga city. 120/head. Trip is still at 4pm.
🛖 3pm: Quick Isabela, Basilan Tour. Nag hire lang kami ng tricycle.. Paid 200php kasi malapit lang naman.. Pwede ngang lakarin lang.
✅ ISABELA, BASILAN
Places to Visit:
📍Isabela City Hall
📍Basilan Capitol
📍Hapisabela Marker at Rizal Park
📍Isabela Cathedral
🔔 Nag DIY lang kami. Total spent for Basilan is around 1.2k per pax.
*Check details at the end of the post
📣 But if you want to have a tour guide to explore entire Basilan including Lamitan, highly recommended si kuya Allan.
⛵ 4pm: Boat trip from Isabela, Basilan to Zamboanga
🚩6pm arrival Zamboanga
🍜 Quick Dinner at Zamboanga
📣7pm meetup with the group where we availed for a JOINER GROUP TOUR to SULU.
🔔 Sa SULU, need mo kasi talaga makipag coordinate sa tourism nila and get a package kasi you will need escorts. But after comparing the costs, mas cheaper pa rin to go with an agency na lang.
📣 Highly recommended si Zhane TravelsPh at just Php 4,999/head sulit na ang 3D/2N na tour including na accommodation.
- Meals excluded**
- Boat fare from Zam-Sulu is excluded rin. Priced at 1,250/head for aircon / 1k if ordinary.
⛵10pm boat departure from Zamboanga. Trip to Sulu will take 8hrs.
📣 Tip: Magbaon ng Bonamine if mahiluhin ka. Grabe ang lakas ng alon sa gabi. 😂 Para ka lang nagrrides. Bring also malong kasi malamig sa aircon. 😅 Pack light. Preferably bring a backpack. Mahirap ang trolley pasakay ng barko kasi you have to take the stairs. 😊
🎯 Day 2 🚩 SULU
🏝️ 6am: Arrival in Jolo Port, Sulu
🚩 We were met by our guide kuya Benny
🍜 7am: Breakfast with Satti at Sulu
🏘️ 8am: Quick freshen up sa Hotel. We stayed at Peacekeeper Inn Jolo Sulu. Room is shared since madami kayo sa group tour.
Morning itinerary:
✅ JOLO, SULU TOWN TOUR
📍 Sulu Provincial Capitol
📍 I Love Sulu Signage
📍 Sulu Museum
📍 Bud Datu View Deck (Stagbucks Coffee Shop)
📍 Souvenir Shops
📍 Masjid Tulay
🍜 Lunch (not included in tour package) Budget around 200/head
Afternoon itinerary:
🏝️ PARANG BEACHES
*ang ganda dito promise! 😍 White Sand public beaches, entrance is just 10php/head
📍Mang Sali
📍Tanduh Beach
📍Biraddali Beach
🌇 Sunset watching at Tanduh Beach 😍
🍜 Dinner
🏡 Back to accommodation
🎯 DAY 3 of the ZamBaSulTa trip
(Day 2 naman sa Sulu Tour)
🚐 (8am)Travel to Sulu 2nd District
🕌 Hadji Sitti Raya Masji at Talipao
⛵Island hopping
🏖️ 10am- 1pm: Capual Island / Sani-sani (free lunch)
⛰️ 1pm-3pm: Tandang Mairan Rock Formation
🚩4pm: Seit (Heart shaped) Lake
☕ Suluanons Coffee Shop (the only coffee shop they have. Bought some Civet coffee here) 👌
🏡5pm: Accommodation Check-out
🍜 6pm:Dinner
⛵10pm: Boat departure from Sulu to Zamboanga
🎯 DAY 4 (flight Zam-Tawi2x)
6am: Arrival @ Zamboanga city Port
🍜 7am Breakfast at Tinis Malaysian Restaurant
🏘️ 8am dropped off at our hotel in Zambo to leave used clothes and get new ones coz we're heading next to Tawi-tawi
🚩 Free time from 9am-3pm
⭐ Suggested activity: you can try visiting Zamboanga's Pink Island
(however we chose to do this pagbalik na kasi may nakasundo na kami na kasama)
💻For us, we used the time to catch up some work. Stayed in Starbucks Zamboanga city in SM Mindpro.
✈️2pm: went to Zamboanga city airport. Trike fare is 100 php/trike.
🚩Tip: make sure 7kg lang talaga baggage nyo if you only have handcarry kasi STRICT sa Zambo city airport. Tinitimbang talaga nila.
✈️3pm: Zam flight to Tawi-tawi
🚩4pm Arrival at Tawi-tawi
🏡 We stayed in Beachside Inn at 1.2k per night (aircon room)
🚩 Tawi-tawi Tour Contacts:
- Trike: Kuya Mus - 0945 819 3411
- Kuya Wadz - 09975644364
- Ate Nur / Ate Sidang - 09063283378 find her in FB Nursida Diamson Jaluddin
📣 You may also stay for free kanila ate Nur if kukuha ka ng tour sa kanila.
🎯 Day 5: Tawi-tawi Island Hopping
📣 Dito ka mapapa mahal kasi malalayo ang islands sa Tawi-tawi, so better coordinate w/ ate Nur or Kuya Wadz na isama kayo sa ibang group or ibang travelers para makamura.
*kumuha kami kay Ate Nur. We were joined by 3 other travelers. We paid 3k per head. Then 400php for the lunch. Si ate Nur na rin nagprepare.
✅ TAWI-TAWI
Islands to Visit: Island Hopping ⛵
📍 Panampangan Island (the longest sand bar in the Philippines)
📍 Simunul Island (home to the first and oldest Mosque in the Philippines)
📍 Shiek Mahkdum Shrine
📍 Sangay Siapuh (Maldives vibes)
📣 Tip: Bring earphones or headset. Nakakabingi ang tunog ng bangka. Mga 2+ hrs kasi ang byahe one way pa lang. 😂
🏡 4pm: back at Tawi-tawi island (Bongao) - diretso na sa accomodation.
🍜 Dinner sa bbqhan near Beachside Inn.. Sunset watching near the bay 🌇
🎯 DAY 6: Tawi-tawi Land Tour
*we checked out na para dala na namin mga gamit namin sa trike sa tour c/o kuya Mus (trike driver).
🔖Rate 1.3k/trike for a whole day tour
✅ TAWI-TAWI LAND TOUR:
Places to Visit:
📍 Bongao Peak - 3,000+ steps. Tip: visit mga 6am para di pa mainit. Nakakapagod 😅 but the view is worth it. 👍
📍 MSU Tawi Tawi Marker
📍 Masjid Nurul Iman
📍 Tawi Tawi Capitol
📍 Bongao Municipal Hall
📍 I love Tawi Tawi Marker
📍 Grand Mosque
📍 Badjao Weaving Village
📍 Old Chinese Pier - buy dried pusit and bulad here. Very cheap prices!
🏖️ Bihing Tahik Resort (stayed here to beach bum and take pics. Ganda ng place! 😍) Entrance is 100/head.
✈️ 3pm: Drop off at Tawi-tawi Airport
✈️ 4pm: Tawi-tawi - Zamboanga flight
🏘️ 5pm arrival in Zambo
Check-in to our accommodation at Winzelle Suites
🍜 Dinner at Paseo del Mar (meetup with some friends)
🎯 Day 7: Zamboanga city
🚩Actually pwede na on this day yung flight nyo pauwi if you want. But for us we stayed one more day kasi we want to stay a bit longer.
✅ ZAMBOANGA
Places to Visit:
📍Sta Cruz aka Pink Island
- better if you have a prior booking with their tourism office, buti inallow nila kami as walk-in since it's a weekday and di rin busy
⛵ Beach bummed almost the entire day.
Afternoon:
📍Fort Pilar
📍Paseo del Mar
📍Zamboanga City Hall
📍Canelar Barter Trade
🚩 Tip when you're in Zambo city:
🛺 Trikes tend to overcharge your fare. I read na it is only 20 php for the first 1km, then 5pesos for every next km. Most attractions should be within 1-3km lang. So bayad namin for the 2 of us usually sa isang ride mga 50php lang.
Medyo malayo lang is the Rainbow Mosque, roughly mga 4km. We paid 150php for that.
🎯 Day 8: Flight back to Davao
In the morning we visited:
📍Canelar Barter Trade - last minute pasalubong
📍Rainbow Mosque
✈️ 2pm Zamboanga - Davao flight
🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩
This is one epic trip! But I should say it's one of the most beautiful trips I have taken in the Philippines. The beaches are world class! 😍 Lalo na yung sa Malamawi. Iisipin mong wala ka sa Pinas!
I hope someday you will visit ZamBaSulTa too! 😍 Promise it is sooo worth it!!
🔖🔖🔖 EXPENSES 🔖🔖🔖
All in all, we spent around 20k per head for the entire trip: including airfare, meals, pasalubong, all boat fares, accommodation, etc.
📌 Basilan: 1.2k (DIY)
- Boat fare (120php *2) 240
- Bangka to Malamawi (10php x 2)
- Malamawi Entrance (w/ lunch *consumable) 600
- Trike fare (350php / 2pax) 175php
- Isabela Trike Tour (100 php)
📌 Sulu: 7.5k
- 5k tour package c/o Zhane Travels
- 2.5k (1,250 * 2 trips) ⛵ Boat fare to/from Sulu:
📌 Tawi-tawi: 6k
- 3.4k island hopping c/o ate Nursida w/ lunch
+ (1.3k/2pax) 700php per head for land tour c/o Kuya Mus trike driver,
+ 700 for meals
+ 1.2k accomodation/head (1.2k x 2nights / 2pax)
🔖Total = 6k
📌Zamboanga: 3.4k
- Pink Island boat (1k divided by 4pax) : 250 each + lunch: 250
- Other meals: 1k
- Pasalubong: 400
- Trike fare within the city and sa diy tour: 500
- Accommodation: Winzelle Suites - 2 nights stay at 1k per night / 2pax: 1k per head
✈️Airfare: 1.9k (4 flights)
- We used our CebPass.
🔖Dvo-Zam roundtrip: 1,034 php
🔖Zam-Tawi roundtrip: 884 php
TOTAL: 20k / pax
*2pax kami. You can save more siguro if mas madami kayo 😉
Muchisimas Gracias Zamboanga! 🥰 Magsukul Zambasulta! 🇵🇭
