Bongao Island is a small island and the main gateway to the Tawi Tawi region of the southern Philippines. It is however closer to Borneo than to the Philippines proper.
Bongao is the main city of Bongao Island and comes with a decent amount of hotels, shops and restaurants, as well as several attractions in the town and nearby. It also has an airport and a ferry pier and is straightforward to get to. There are plenty of mosques to check out in town and around the island, while Mount Bongao is the major natural attraction.
This lofty hill is both sacred and good for a two-hour trek, with fabulous views from the top and an important tomb to look at. Those who venture this far to Bongao Island generally have notions of hitting the other Tawi Tawi islands in the group; most notably Simunul, Sitangkai, and Sibutu.
Getting There & Away
The best way to Bongao Island is to fly from Manila, or elsewhere that operates flights to Bongao’s Sanga-Sanga Airport. Bongao Island is 90 minutes by plane from Manila. There are also regular ferries from Jolo and Zamboanga City.