Travel Guide Budget and Itinerary for Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Sur and Davao Occidental

Mindanao has plenty to offer both local and foreign tourists. However, there is still a negative perception about some of the provinces in the region, even if I have visited multiple times since the early 2010s. For this trip, I visited provinces I haven't been to namely Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Sur and Davao Occidental.

These provinces have tourist spots that you might want to add to your itinerary when you visit Mindanao.

Travel Guide Budget and Itinerary for Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Sur, and Davao Occidental

I'm planning to visit all 82 provinces in the Philippines, three of the provinces I have yet to visit are Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Sur and Davao Occidental. Thankfully, I can visit these places by land even if there are multiple transfers involved. I've been to Mindanao multiple times, but have yet to really see all of its beautiful attractions.

Plan Your Trip

I looked at the map when I was planning this trip. Originally, I planned on arriving at General Santos City and use it as a sort of base. However, a massive (and tragic) earthquake rocked the city which not only damaged buildings and homes, but also the airport. The airline allowed me to reroute my flights. I started my trip in Cotabato City and went immediately to the Pink Mosque in Maguindanao del Sur. Then I traveled on the same day to Koronadal City (Marbel) and used it as my base to visit a few attractions in Columbio, Sultan Kudarat. I then took the bus to Digos and then used it as a base to visit Sta. Maria, Davao Occidental. Instead of going all the way back to Cotabato City, I rerouted my return flight to Davao City. So my route was Cotabato City-Koronadal City-Columbio (Sultan Kudarat)-Digos-Sta. Maria (Davao Occidental)-Davao City. You can follow the same route or do the reverse depending on your itinerary.

Getting Around

There are vans and buses that go to different cities and towns in Davao Occidental, Maguindanao del Sur and Sultan Kudarat. However, direct routes to attractions aren't always possible. In some cases, you'll have to transfer in another town and hire a motorcycle taxi to take you either for one way or the entire day. You can also rent your own vehicle or rent one with a driver. It's more convenient to have your own vehicle but it could get more expensive if you're traveling alone.

Things to Do

These are the places I went to during my trip. I explored a few places in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Sur and Davao Occidental.

Sultan Kudarat

La Palmera

Let me start by saying, La Palmera is the highlight of this trip. It was a rough motorcycle ride going up but the views were worth it. The trail is easy and requires very little hiking compared to the other mountains I visited in the Philippines. You can walk to different view points to get various angles of the rolling mountains covered in green as far as your eyes can see. There are chairs, tables and other tourism facilities in the area. You can also spend the night here if you have the time.

Entrance fee: P100

Pangadilan Falls and Rock Formation

Pangadilan Falls and rock formation was another popular attraction I visited in Sultan Kudarat. It was raining when I went so a raging river and brown water replaced the usual calm and clear waters I saw online. I wasn't able to go down to the waterfall because of the strong current but I took plenty of photos nonetheless. There were only a few other visitors.

Entrance fee: P50

Fetam and Underground River

I wanted to visit Fekung Bula, but the guide I hired told me it was closed. I couldn't believe it but he offered to take me to a local spot that was still in Columbio. We ended up going to Fetam and the Underground River. The underground river was actually just a small opening with deep water. It was honestly underwhelming but I took things in stride. Fetam had a few pools where visitors can take a dip in and kill time.

Entrance fee: P100

Maguindanao del Sur

Pink Mosque

Dimaukom Mosque or also known as Pink Mosque is one of the most recognizable attractions and landmarks in Maguindanao del Sur. The former mayor of Datu Saudi Ampatuan had it built. It opened in 2014. It's not a historic mosque but is worth a visit if ever you're in the province.

Provincial Capitol

This building is the seat of Maguindanao del Sur's government. It stands out in an area surrounded by ordinary buildings. It was along the way during my road trip so I figured why not make a quick stop here. I've noticed that provincial capitol buildings in the Philippines are almost always an impressive piece of architecture which showcases the region or province's cultural heritage.

Davao Occidental

Sta. Maria

I only hung out in one beach resort during my visit to Sta. Maria in Davao Occidental. The province is along the coast and has plenty of resorts that cater to both locals and visitors. White sand beaches line the coast. Crystal clear waters and beautiful sea views are your rewards when you visit this part of Mindanao. I went to JRRM Beach Resort or also known as Little Boracay by the locals. If you have the time, you can travel all the way to Balut Island and other beaches.

Where to Stay

For this trip, I stayed in Koronadal City and Digos. I used both cities as bases for trips to Sultan Kudarat and Davao Occidental. Koronadal City is just around an hour or less away from General Santos City. It has a few malls and restaurants. It's an affordable city to stay in with similar amenities like cities in Metro Manila. There are bus, van and motorcycle terminals which make it convenient to explore nearby provinces. I stayed in Digos because it has more accommodation and dining options compared to Davao Occidental. I often use www.booking.com when I look for accommodation.

Budget for Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Sur, and Davao Occidental

I'm not exactly a budget traveler anymore, but I don't spend luxuriously either. Probably somewhere in the middle. I don't mind paying extra for more comfort and convenience unlike before during my early years of backpacking.

Here's a breakdown of my expenses during this Maguindanao del Sur, Sultan Kudarat and Davao Occidental trip:

1671 - 1 night and late check out Eighty Eight Hotel in Koronadal City

1341 - 1 night and late check out View Point Hotel in Digos City

1171 - 1 night Persimmon Suites in Davao City

150 - Tricycle to Husky Terminal from Cotabato City Airport

131 - Bus to Pink Mosque from Husky Terminal in Cotabato City

200 - Van from Pink Mosque to Tacurong City

143 - Round trip bus rides Tacurong City to Koronadal

255 - Transportation

350 - Motorcycle ride to Columbio from Koronadal

100 - La Palmera entrance fee

100 - Fetam and Underground River entrance fee

330 - Fetam and Underground River guide fee and parking

50 - Pangadilan Falls entrance fee

1820 - Motorcycle tour around Columbio and Maguindanao del Sur Provincial Capitol

2206 - Food, drinks, souvenirs

139 - Bus to General Santos City from Koronadal

196 - Bus to Digos from General Santos City

100 - Bus to Sta. Maria, Davao Occidental from Digos

160 - Round trip tricycle ride to JRRM Beach Resort (AKA Little Boracay) from bus station

50 - JRRM Beach Resort entrance fee

81 - Bus to Digos from Sta. Maria

119 - Bus to Davao City from Digos

310 - Grab ride to Davao City airport

11173 - Total expenses for this trip

***You can spend more or less depending on your travel style and the places you want to visit. I would recommend renting a van with driver/guide for groups of more than five. It saves you a lot of time and is more convenient to get around compared to riding a motorcycle. It rained during my trip so we had to stop and wait a handful of times before moving on to the next attraction.

***You can contact Kuya Mohamad through 0905 738 1064 if you want to book a tour.

Itinerary for Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Sur, and Davao Occidental

It's possible to do this trip in a few days (so that you won't use too many vacation credits) if you plan your trip accordingly. I started my trip in Cotabato City then worked my way down to Maguindanao del Sur then to Koronadal City (Marbel). I did a day trip to Sultan Kudarat because I found better accommodation options in Koronadal and the latter was a typical city with plenty of restaurants and a mall. I stayed in Digos then visited Davao Occidental. I flew out via Davao City.

Here's a sample itinerary:

Day 1

Pink Mosque

Sultan Kudarat Provincial Capitol

Day 2

La Palmera

Pangadilan Falls and Rock Formation

Fetam and Underground River

Day 3

Little Boracay or JRRM Beach Resort in Sta. Maria, Davao Occidental

Day 4

I've been to Davao City a couple of times before so this was more time spent with relatives and visiting the Roxas Night Market