Arakan is a municipality situated at the northeastern tip of the province of Cotabato. The word Arakan is derived from the Manobo term “ARA” which means abundance of natural resources in the valley, and “KAN” which means the heroism and bravery of the early Manobo leaders in defending their ancestral lands. ARAKAN is basically a territory of a number of ethno-linguistic groups, predominantly of the Manobo-Kulamanon and Manobo-Tinananon tribes. The Kulaman and Tinanan rivers traversing Arakan were also named after these ethnic groups. The original settlers of the place are the Manobos, which are believed to have originally come from the string of islands in the Malayan Peninsula and Borneo. This assumption is based on their language structure which has Malayan roots. Arakan was created under Republic Act no. 7152 on August 30, 1991.

Arakan is an agricultural community. The townspeople get their income from different agricultural activities. Their main products are corn and upland rice. They also have production of permanent crops like rubber, oil palm, and bananas. They have potential for a new opportunity in developing cottage industry with raw materials like rattan, bamboo, Tahiti, and other indigenous materials that can be found in the place. There are some establishments that engage in manufacturing and selling of furniture. Aside from this agriculture production, the municipality of Arakan is rich in tourist attractions, although they are not really popular yet. Nonetheless, it is great place if you are looking for adventures like trekking, swimming, and spelunking.

Nanilungan Falls is one of the most famous falls in the municipality. It is located at Barangay Gambodes. The falls is 50 meters in height and has a 90-degree drop. In the vicinity of the falls, you can find a forest and beautiful formations of rocks.

Matigol Falls in Inamong, Barangay Datu Ladayon, has cascading water 100 meters high. It has a cave beside it.

Epol River is a 3-km long river that can be found in Barangay Gambodes. It offers an exciting trek through a series of six waterfalls and river pool.

Tinanan River in Valencia, Santo Niño, has a 6 springs and two unexplored caves.

Lake Luningning has an area of 4 hectares that can be found in Barangay Ganatan. It has a depth of 30 meters. It is also the biggest lake in the municipality.

The 50-foot high, 5-tier Bokwan Falls is located in Upper Lombo, Barangay Kabalantian.

Gaem Cave has an interior that looks like a church. It is situated in Bagong Silang, Barangay Gambodes, with an area of 900 square meters and a height of 10 meters.

Cave and Park View at Bukato, Barangay Kinawayan, is located between the boundaries of Cotabato, Bukidnon and Davao City.The top of this place is ideal to view Mt. Sinaka and the Arakan Valley Complex.

The 500-hectare Forest Wildlife Park, a home of the Philippine Eagle and a century-age tree can be found in Sinai, Brgy. Salasang.

Feel Cave and Cold Spring can be found at Formon/Natubalan, Barangay Salasang. It is a fantastic tunnel-like cave with a beautiful century-old golden stalagmites and stalactites.

The tunnel-like Nabuns Cave at Bagong Silang, Barangay Gambodes has pristine stalactites and stalagmites.

The municipality of Arakan posseses exceptional scenic spots that can be potential tourist destinations. Cascading waterfalls, calm lakes, and exotic flora and fauna paint the amazing colors of its natural panorama, which create an impression of an enticing paradise. It has a warm and soothing atmosphere. They are gifted with such natural endowment.