text and photos by EZ Maps Editor Bernard Supetran



 



The law of averages seems to tell travellers that the more exotic the place sounds, the more exciting it is. Such is the case of the young province of Zamboanga Sibugay which was carved out of the southern portion of Zamboanga del Sur in 2001.



 



Now an adolescent province, this tongue-twisting getaway seemed to be veiled with the aura of isolation, until recently when it started slowly unveiling its proverbial best-kept secrets.



 



One of its exotic-sounding retreats is the postcard-pretty Pandilusan Island in Payao town which has captured the fancy of corporate calendar makers and travel photographers with its powdery sand.



 



Literally a spitting distance from the shore is a lush underwater marine life, arguably the best of its kind in the Zamboanga Peninsula region in such a small hectarage of sea. Years of illegal fishing practices have been checked, and nature has begun to regenerate herself and the underwater world is with thriving with life once more.



 



Beneath it is a mesmerizing coral table and garden teeming with schools of fish which swims with you. Considering that Sibugay is not really known for its biodiversity, Pandilusan’s marine life is quite remarkable from what this writer has snorkeled.



 



The other side of the island has rock formations neatly carved by nature herself, and a long sandbar which has become the tourism icon of the province.



 



Except for a military outpost, Pandilusan is uninhabited so you can virtually have this whole paradise unto yourself—both on the surface and beneath. Because of its distance from the Port of Ipil, this island can only be reached by a chartered pumpboat, but it is certainly worth the trip.



 



Sibugay also takes pride of its equally enthralling Litayon Island and a white sandbar aptly called “Emerging Island” in the municipality of Alicia, and Bangaan Island in Tungawan town.



 



A nearer alternative for beach bums is Buluan island, just off Ipil port, which is known for its fine shores and thick vegetation.



 



Other noteworthy spots are Moalboal Cave and Tagbilat Falls in Titay town, Del Monte bat cave and Taklobo farm in Talusan, Sibugay River and Baluran Falls in Imelda, Snake Sanctuary in Olutanga, and abaca and rubber plantations in Kabasalan.



 



A unique attraction is the Noah’s Ark in RT Lim town, a massive yet unfinished boat which tried to approximate the dimensions of the Old Testament vessel which God tasked Noah to build. Located at the banks of the Sibugay River, the ark is now being sold by its builder to be used in purposes, other than providing refuge from the Great Flood.



 



Meanwhile, art lovers can have a visual feast at the Pusaka Gallery of Ibn Saud Yalip Asin Ahmad in Kabasalan, a foremost Muslim contemporary visual artist.



 



Cap your sojourn in Sibugay with a swing at the hilltop Subanen-inspired majestic Provincial Capitol Building in Ipil where you can get a sweeping view of the town proper, Sibugay Bay and Buluan Island.



 



 



Getting There: The nearest airport to Sibugay is Zamboanga City which is about three hours away by Rural Bus Transit from its capital town of Ipil, the province’s transportation and commercial hub. Alternative points of entry are the cities of Pagadian and Dipolog which are four and five hours away, respectively, but offer scenic coastal and mountain roads along the way.