Marawi City, the capital of Lanao del Sur, is one of the cities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. It has a colorful culture and overflowing with stunning attractions and destinations. Before my solo backpacking, whenever I shared my itinerary, the common response of my friends was, "It is not safe in there," that negative statement did not affect my travel plan.
Marawi City, Lanao del Sur Tourist Spots:
- Aga Khan Museum
- The Ground Zero
- Marawi's Rizal Park
- The Golden Mosque
- Lake Lanao
How to Get to Marawi City:
- By Air: Book a flight from Manila to Laguindingan Airport. Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and Air Asia have their regular flights to CGY.
- At the airport, ride in a Van to the Iligan City Integrated Terminal or Iligan Jeepney Southbound Terminal.
- Ride in an FX to Marawi City (MSU).
From Iligan City proper, I rode on a habal to the Southbound Terminal, where I rode in a van to the city; travel time was about 45 minutes to an hour. At first, I felt awkward because I was sitting in between two Muslim ladies. But felt more awkward-eerr when I spoke in tagalog while paying the fare to the driver. Everyone was staring at me! That moment was a blessing in disguise because my seatmates started chatting with me in tagalog. "San ka pupunta?" "May kakilala kaba?" "May dadalawin kaba?" Those questions were thrown at me. I just smiled and responded "Wala, mag-lilibot-libot lang ako sa mga tourist spots dito." They were friendly and welcoming!
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| Photo captured Mindanao State University (MSU). |
I alighted at the intersection inside the Mindanao State University because I noticed an amazing landscape with a relaxing ambiance (photo above). The breeze was cool and fresh, very conducive for learning. From there, I walked on the street to the Aga Khan Museum, where I learned a lot about the culture of the Maranaos.
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| Photo: Aga Khan Museum. |
The Aga Khan Museum of Islamic Arts is one of the must visit tourist destinations in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur and it is inside the MSU campus. It was Dr. Mamitua D. Saber who founded the museum on June 13, 1962 and was inaugurated on March 23, 1969. From University Folks Arts Center, it was renamed to Aga Khan Museum to honor Aga Khan IV who donated the current museum building. By the way, Aga Khan Museum holds the largest Filipino Muslim collections in the Philippines.
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| Photo: Traditional dresses of the Maranaos. |
Aga Khan Museum's objective is to collect and preserve fold art specimens and artifacts of Muslim groups and other indigenous minorities. To organize a systematic collection that could be useful to scholars and researchers of the Philippine Muslim Culture. To encourage research in and lend assistance to the revival and salvaging of folk arts. To spread knowledge about the people of these regions in an effort towards cultural integration.
After completing the museum exhibit, I walked to their City Terminal using Google Maps. While waiting for the departure, I tasted some of their local delicacies and returned to Iligan City. I Rode in a habal-habal to Tambo Terminal, where I rode in a bus bound for Cagayan de Oro City.
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Day 1 – Visited Tinago Falls, Lanao del Norte
Day 2 – Marawi City, Lanao del Sur
Day 2 – Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental
Day 3 – Malaybalay City, Bukidnon
Day 4 – Davao City
Day 5 – Tagum City, Davao del Norte
Day 6 – Awao Falls, Davao de Oro
Day 7 – Davao City
Day 7 – Flown Back to Manila
Read: Full 7 Days Solo Backpacking