Are you looking for the best tourist attractions the country has to offer? Then you should not miss visiting the province of Zamboanga Del Sur as it possesses wonders both natural and manmade, shaping this wonderful land into the vibrant and majestic province that has drawn visitors from all over the Philippines.
Mabait Beach – located in Barangay Poloyagan, about 2 kilometer from Pagadian proper, available for fishing and swimming.
Puting Balas – a stretch of white sand beach just five minutes via motorboat south of the seaport. Clear, deep, blue water (even at low tide) are ideal for swimming and diving.
Agro-Tourism and Heritage Complex (AHC) – located a mere 5 minutes away from the center of Pagadian, the AHC is an adventure lover’s delight with its variety of thrills, from the quaint charm of the Cultural Village, the soothing serenity of the Butterfly Park, to the breathtaking excitement of the Canopy Walk and Zipline. It is truly a feast for the senses.
Lakewood – an adventure to Lakewood is best if one reaches the site shortly before the sun sets. When night falls, the serenity is disturbed only by the sound of crickets. At daybreak, one can feel the cool mountain breeze and witness the fog slowly moving down the lake from the nearby mountains. Dugout boats dart in and out of the early morning mist that blanket the impeccably still waters. It a perfect for lake cruising.
Dive Sites – the dive sites of ZamboSur are among the best in the country. The water quality and coral formations have been proclaimed by diver-tourists as world class.
Mahayag Spring - Mahayag is located in the eastern part of the province. It is richly endowed by nature with rich tourism potentials. The Eriberta Springs and Mt. Malindang Resort will undoubtedly cool each excursionist from the tropical heat with an inviting gush of spring water cascading down the rocks.
Bayog - Bayog is approximately 82 kilometers off Pagadian City. Among the major attractions of Bayog are the hot springs in Segacad, the Loperzan Waterfalls, Buco Waterfalls and the subterranean river in Balumbonan.
Dumingag - Be completely attuned with nature as Dumingag mini-forest and herons' sanctuary offer visitors with serenity that soothes jaded souls.
Tukuran- Tukuran boasts of Fort Military and a 70-hectare marine sanctuary that is a haven for colorful and large corals as well as other forms of marine life.
Paniklan Island - A 30-minute banca ride from Pitogo will bring you to Panikian Island where long stretches of fine white sand and clear blue waters beckon both swimmers and scuba divers.
Lapuyan - Lapuyan takes pride in Lapuyan Falls and its Cultural Village where the rich and unique Subanens can be revisited.
Lakewood - About 49 kilometers from Pagadian City, Lakewood is totally enchanting and serene. Lakewood was named after Lake Wood, a large lake intersecting the town. The most popular species of fish in the province can only be caught in the lake: the carpa and porang.
How to get there
• Plane – Pagadian City has direct flights to and from Manilay. Every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, a BAE 146 plane of Asian Spirit Airlines offers the flights from Pagadian City to Manila City.
The best value route is to fly Cebu Pacific from Dipolog City and taking the bus route. Cagayan is a good route but requires a long taxi ride from bus terminal.
• Bus – It has direct bus trips from Pagadian City to any key cities and municipalities in Mindanao like Davao, Zamboanga, Dipolog, Dapitan, Cagayan de Oro and many more.
• Ferry Boat – It offers vessel trips to Zamboanga City and Cotabato City.
The best route from Manila is Ozamiz City and take the bus to Pagadian. There are a few hotels in Pagadian where you can stay during your visit.
• GV Hotel Pagadian City - Rizal Avenue, San Francisco District, Pagadian City, Pagadian City, Philippines
• Hotel Guillermo, Rizal Ave
• New Roxanne Hotel, Pajares Ave.
• Hotel Camila, J Ariosa St.