Great Mosques Afternoon Trip in Maguindanao

13 Days Mindanao Pandemic Adventure Solo Backpacking Nov. 09 to 21, 2021

La Palmera Mountain Ridge Morning Trip in Sultan Kudarat

Mindanao Day 06: My 67th Province, Maguindanao (Ma-Ganda-Now!). Payong payong joyride to famous Mosques (the Grand, the White and the Pink) #philippines #pinasnaman #mindanao #pandemictravelling #pilipinas #lakbayPinas #mosque #daytrip 

How to Go: For the Pink Mosque and White Mosque, its just near the main road and ride any Gensan-Cotabato bound bus / van. For Grand Mosque, drop-off to Bubong road then ride a payong payong for PHP35 per head. Wear long pants and shirt with sleeves. 

Day 06: November 14, 2021 Sunday (Maguindanao; my 67th province)

1145H ETD Tacurong (Sultan Kudarat); van to Cotabato 200

1230H Pink Mosque (Masjid Dimaukom) 

1315H ETD Pink Mosque; jeep to Cotabato 100

1400H White Mosque (Masjid Al Nasser) 

1445H ETD White Mosque; jeep to Cotabato 10

1515H ETA Bubong; payong payong 70

1530H Cotabato Grand Mosque; refreshments 33

1545H ETD Grand Mosque; payong payong 30

1600H ETD Bubong; jeep to Super 25 / Hotel Filipino 2 nights 1,600; dinner 205

Total: PHP 2,273

Great Mosques Afternoon Trip in Maguindanao

La Palmera Mountain Ridge Morning Trip in Sultan Kudarat

13 Days Mindanao Pandemic Adventure Solo Backpacking Nov. 09 to 21, 2021

Awao Falls Day Trip in Davao de Oro

Mindanao Day 06: My 66th Province, Sultan Kudarat. Habal habal joyride to La Palmera Mountain Ridge #philippines #pinasnaman #mindanao #pandemictravelling #pilipinas #lakbayPinas #mountain #daytrip 

How to Go: There are two ways to go from Tacurong bus terminal. 1st, van schedule from Tacurong is 1100H and 1300H only. 2nd, take any Davao / Cagayan de Oro bound bus, drop-off to Datu Paglas then take habal habal for a negotiated return fare of PHP 500. Entrance fee in La Palmera costs PHP 100.

Day 06: November 14, 2021 Sunday (Sultan Kudarat; my 66th province)

0730H ETD Tacurong; bus to Datu Paglas 62

0830H ETD Datu Paglas; habal-habal to La Palmera 450

La Palmera Mountain Ridge 100; drinks 50

1045H ETA Datu Paglas; van to Tacurong 70 

1130H ETA Tacurong; lunch 90

Total: PHP 822

La Palmera Mountain Ridge Morning Trip in Sultan Kudarat

Awao Falls Day Trip in Davao de Oro

13 Days Mindanao Pandemic Adventure Solo Backpacking Nov. 09 to 21, 2021

Mt. Apo (2,954masl) Day-Hike (Sibulan Trail)

Mindanao Day 04: My 64th Province, Davao de Oro (formerly Compostela Valley). Skylab joyride to Awao Falls #philippines #pinasnaman #mindanao #pandemictravelling #pilipinas #lakbayPinas #waterfalls #daytrip 

How to Go: From Davao City Ecoland Terminal, ride any Butuan bound bus then drop off to Monkayo (4 hours travel on PHP 250 fare). Then go to Skylab Terminal (walking distance from the bus terminal) and look for Awao sign board. Negotiate the roundtrip ride as it's very hard to share with another local passenger, PHP 500 going straight to Awao Falls and return (will take much time to full). Skylab travel time is around 1 hour. Entrance fee in Awao Falls costs PHP 30.

Day 04: November 12, 2021 Friday (Davao De Oro; my 64th province)

0530H ETD Hostel; jeep to Ecoland 10

0620H ETD Ecoland; bus to Monkayo 280

0830H Tagum stop-over; breakfast 90

1040H ETA Monkayo; skylab to Awao 400; balsa 100

1200H Awao Falls 30; snacks 35

1330H ETA Monkayo; bus to Davao 225

1800H ETA Ecoland; jeep to hostel 10; dinner 170

Total: PHP 1,350

Awao Falls Day Trip in Davao de Oro

Mt. Apo (2,954masl) Day-Hike (Sibulan Trail)

13 Days Mindanao Pandemic Adventure Solo Backpacking Nov. 09 to 21, 2021

Mindanao Pandemic Adventure Solo Backpacking Full Itinerary and General Information

Mindanao Day 02: Rainy day hike (Sibulan trail) to the highest peak of Philippines, Mt. Apo (2,954masl). Hiked on 24km difficult backtrail distance at 15 hours with 1,800m elevation gain. My 6th of Seven Natural Wonders of the Philippines #davao #philippines #pinasnaman #trekking #mindanao #pandemictravelling #taongbundok #hiking #dayhike #pilipinas #lakbayPinas

Preparation:

Cebu Pacific Super Pass Flight Manila - Davao 800

Cebu Pacific Super Pass Flight Cagayan de Oro - Manila 800

Day Hike down payment 1,000 / Barangay Health Certificate (free) / Saliva PCR Test (Red Cross) 1,600

Total: PHP 4,200

Day 01: November 09, 2021 Tuesday (Davao City Arrival)

1030H ETD Home; grab car 875

1230H ETA NAIA Terminal 3; snacks 25

Davao City Airport requirements: QR code & Negative PCR Test

1440H ETD Manila; flight 5J 977

1635H ETA Davao City; taxi to Roxas Market 250

Dinner 150; La Anclar Hotel check-in 250 / Pack Snacks 200; meet up in Ateneo Roxas

Total: PHP 1,750

Day 02: November 10, 2021 Wednesday (Mt. Apo Day-hike)

0000H Meet up Ateneo Roxas Davao City (van) 

0200H Brygy Kapatagan Centro; habal-habal/van to Sitio Tompis

0300H Sitio Tompis; start trekking; tribe fee 200 / Trail: very muddy, slippery, mossy forest 

0700H Camp 1 Tinikaran (breakfast) / Trail: very muddy, slippery, mossy forest 

1000H Boulder Face / Trail: huge rocks, exposed to sun, trail not marked

1200H Whitesand camp (lunch) / Trail: short, rocky

1300H Mt. Apo summit / Trail: 87 degree hike, exposed to sun

1900H Sitio Tompis; habal-habal/van to Kapatagan Centro

2000H Brygy Kapatagan Centro / Mt. Apo Dayhike balance (Sibulan trail) 2,000

2200H Davao City; Jollibee dinner 250 / Megiko Dormitel 2 nights 1,200

Total: PHP 3,650

Mt. Apo (2,954masl) Day-Hike (Sibulan Trail)

13 Days Mindanao Pandemic Adventure Solo Backpacking

Davao City going to Davao Occidental, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, Cotabato, Lanao del Sur to CDO

November 09 to 21, 2021

My 98th solo backpacking trip, 4th local long travel after Panay Island Jul. 2016, Babuyan Islands trip May 2016, Mindanao Eastern Side Aug. 2012 and of course, usual budget do-it-yourself (DIY) itinerary from arrival to departure. Also, this was my 64th to 70th provinces on my quest to conquer the 81 provinces of the Philippines.

The new normal of traveling is inevitable. Just after around more than 4 months of hiatus coming from a 7 months solo trip in American Continent from Nov. 2020 to Jun. 2021, these itchy feet strikes again. This trip is also considered as my Pandemic Adventure Season 5 following the (1) Earth Circumnavigation Jan. 2020, (2) Abu Dhabi Folding Bike Cycling Apr. 2020, (3) Caribbean and Europe Oct. 2020 and the (4) American Continent Jan. 2021.

Mindanao is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon and seventh-most populous island in the world. Mindanao is divided into six administrative regions: the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, the Caraga region, the Davao region, Soccsksargen, and the autonomous region of Bangsamoro. Mindanao is considered the major breadbasket of the Philippines, with eight of the top 10 agri-commodities exported from the Philippines coming from the island itself.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindanao

13 Days. 7 Philippine Provinces. THANK YOU VERY MUCH MINDANAO!  

(Davao de Oro, Davao Occidental, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, Cotabato, Lanao del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay)

Visited 25 of 27 Mindanao Provinces and 70 of 81 Philippine Provinces.

#philippines #pinasnaman #mindanao #pandemictravelling #pilipinas #lakbayPinas #livealifeyouwillremember 

13 Days Mindanao Pandemic Adventure Solo Backpacking