Part
of the Autonomous Region of the Muslim Mindanao ARMM, Marawi City in Lanao del Sur,
must be one of the least favorite destinations to visit among travel
enthusiasts. There had been reports from the media regarding the political
chaos in the city and this negative public image had been shrouding visitors to discover the loving
nature of the city.
Marawi
City, the capital city of Lanao del Sur, was known as Dansalan until 1940 when
Lanao was still undivided to Norte and Sur. The name Marawi came from the
second largest lake of the Philippines, Lanao Lake which is also called Ranao and the locals are called Maranao. The city was then renamed to “Islamic City of
Marawi” as Muslim brothers predominantly occupied the land by almost 90% of its population.
We
were visiting the Majestic City of Iligan when Marawi came across to my mind. I
have no friends or known local contacts in the area but with the thinking that it was
just an hour away from the city of falls, we decided to hop into a jeepney parked in
the south bound terminal.
We
don’t know much about the places to visit in Marawi so we decided to wander instead around one of the best campus in Mindanao, Mindanao State University (MSU). Starved from our travel we hit first the UP
equivalent “shopping center” of MSU for a late lunch. We spotted “The Dining
Room” in of the corner of the street and look into their menu. The halal food
selections were all quite affordable and delicious dish for a slow as P75.00. After
a satisfying lunch, we walked around the vicinity to observe the general
environment. It really looked similar to UP with its wide spaced campus and very silent
environment conducive to learning. The city stands 2,300 feet above sea level making the ambient
temperature below the normal tropical climate.
Riding
a tricycle, we went to the nearby golf course inside the campus. From a point
in the course is the majestic view of Lanao Lake. Beside the golf course is the
Marawi Resort Hotel. We entered and looked around with the permission of the
attendants. Visitor can use their rooms and facility for a minimum price of
P1500.00 for a standard cottage. For future reservation you may dial this number +639177166379.
After
a resort tour our feet led us to Aga Khan Museum of Islamic Arts. It was an
unfortunate day that the building was closed that day due to maintenance. This
museum displays a large collection of indigenous arts, music, native folk
dances from different regions of Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan. It also showcases the
native tools and weapons used by the Muslims and the different artistic designs
of houses reflecting the culture and traditions of Maranaos.
Trying
to catch the last trip bound for Iligan, we left the city before 5 pm. Left
unsatisfied with our escapade, we will surely come back to discover more of
Marawi, very soon.
Other Places of Interest in Marawi:
- Agus River , located in Saduc and Lilod, the swiftest river in the Philippines
- Bagang Beach in Caloocan, 2 meters from the commercial site of the city
- Dansalan Junior College, founded by the American Protestants after WWII
- Kilometer Zero Point Marker, a land mark from which all distance in Mindanao is measured
- Sacred Mountain National Park in Brgy. Guimba & Papandayan, a 94 ha. National and protected area.
Getting there
There are manypoints of entry going to Islamic City of Marawi.
Coming outside of Mindanao (Manila/Cebu) the most comfortable and convenient
way is to land in Cagayan de Oro City. From CDO, take a bus in Bulua Bus
Terminal Station and take a bus bound for Iligan City. The travel is less than
two hours with fare of Php 85.00, non-stop airconditioned bus. From Iligan,
take a jeepney, with a signage of
Buru-un and tell the driver to drop you at the South Terminal Station.
There are jeepneys bound for MSU/Marawi, travel time is one hour with fare of
Php 50.00.
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