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Basilan Overview

Basilan is an island province located at the tip of the Sulu Archipelago. The province of Basilan is bordered by Zamboanga City (North), Celebes Sea (South and East), and Sulu (Southwest). The GPS Coordinates of the island province is 6.4296° N, 121.9870° E. Unknown to many, Basilan is nicknamed the Treasure Islands of the Southern Seas – this is due to its pristine shores and abundant marine treasures. The Yakan Weavers of Basilan are also known for their intricately designed weaved products.

When I first stepped in Basilan last 15 April 2024, I was surprised that transportation options on the island are plentiful. You can get in and around the island easily. The people, too, are very friendly and accommodating! (Debunking that Basilan and Sulu are dangerous provinces to go, but in fact, they are just paradises that wait to be discovered!)

Read also: Basilan | Things to Explore in the Treasure Islands of the South

Best time to go to Basilan

The best months to visit Basilan are from January to July as these months receive little to no rainfall and these months are the height of the dry season in the Philippines, immediately after the Northeast Monsoon period (Amihan). 

Primarily the Philippines only has 2 seasons, the wet and dry season. Since Basilan is located in the southern part of the country, it receives a little amount of precipitation, especially during El Niño or during the dry season. Temperature ranges from 25 to 29 ॰C (77 – 84.2 ॰F).

How to get to Basilan

Since Basilan is an island province, the primary mode of transportation going to and from Basilan is via ferry or fast craft. Here is how you can reach the province:

By Land

Being the largest island in the Sulu archipelago, going in and around Basilan is quite easy. You can roam around town centers via tricycles (minimum fare varies from ₱ 40 to 50, depending on the distance). There are also intercity buses between Isabela de Basilan and Lamitan City.

By Water

Traveling to Basilan by water is the main means of travel to the island province. All ferries and fast craft boats originate from Zamboanga City. There are a lot of trips going to and from Basilan – here are some of them:

MV Stephanie Marie 2 (Aleson Shipping Lines)
Isabela City – Zamboanga City		Zamboanga City – Isabela City
Departure	Arrival	Departure	Arrival
0645 H	0830 H	0930 H	1130 H
1230 H	1430 H	1530 H	1730 H

 

MV Ciara Joie 2 (Aleson Shipping Lines)
Isabela City – Zamboanga City		Zamboanga City – Isabela City
Departure	Arrival	Departure	Arrival
0745 H	1030 H	0515 H	0645 H
1630 H	1830 H	1345 H	1530 H

 

MV Ciara Joie 6 (Aleson Shipping Lines)
Isabela City – Zamboanga City		Zamboanga City – Isabela City
Departure	Arrival	Departure	Arrival
0930 H	1130 H	0645 H	0830 H
1530 H	1730 H	1230 H	1430 H

 

MV Sea Jet (Aleson Shipping Lines)
Isabela City – Zamboanga City		Zamboanga City – Isabela City
Departure	Arrival	Departure	Arrival
0630 H	0730 H	1200 H	1300 H
1500 H	1600 H	1630 H	1730 H

 

MV Weesam Express 2 (SRN Shipping Lines)
Isabela City – Zamboanga City		Zamboanga City – Isabela City
Departure	Arrival	Departure	Arrival
0645 H	0730 H	0815 H	0900 H
0930 H	1040 H	1245 H	1330 H
1400 H	1500 H	1530 H	1630 H

 

MV Reina Kleopatra and MV Reina Banderada (Montenegro Shipping Lines)
Isabela City – Zamboanga City		Zamboanga City – Isabela City
Departure	Arrival	Departure	Arrival
0530 H	0700 H	0530 H	0700 H
1030 H	1200 H	1030 H	1200 H
1315 H	1445 H	1315 H	1445 H
1600 H	1730 H	1600 H	1730 H

RORO Ferry fares vary starting from ₱ 120 (economy class) and up and Fastcraft Ferries fares vary starting from ₱ 250 (economy class). Travel time to and from Basilan can range from 45 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the ferry you will ride on.

Things to know about when visiting Basilan

Land Area + Comparison of Land Area to Region	1,327.23 km² (512.45 mi²), slightly smaller than the island of Guam
Languages / Dialects spoken	Chavacano, Yakan, Tausug, Sama, Cebuano, Filipino, English
Cellular Signal (Globe, Smart, Dito) / (Poor, Fair, Good)	Globe (Poor to Fair), Smart (Fair to Good), *no signal in some parts of highways
Socket Standard / voltage (V) / frequency (Hz)	Type A Socket (2 flat parallel pins), Type B Socket (2 parallel pins and 1 round pin), Type C Socket (2 round pins) / 220 Volts / 60 Hz
Modes of Payment (Cash / Online Transfer (Maya / GCash) / Wire or Bank Transfer (Debit / Credit))	Primarily Cash. Some establishments accept online transfer (Maya / GCash)
Currency used	Philippine Peso (PH₱)

Basic Yakan Words / Sentences / Phrase you might need to know

– Peace be with you – Assala mu Alaikum

– Goodbye – Maas Salam

– How are you? – Ku Ingge’ Ro Kew

– Thank you – Magsukul

– Beautiful – Hap

Famous food and delicacy in Basilan

Dish

Kaliya Manuk

This traditional dish is a Yakan chicken that must be prayed over before slaughtering. It is then cooked with chili, fine powdered rice, lemongrass, ginger, onion leaves, and garlic cloves.

Delicacies

Panyalam / Panyam

This is a traditional Yakan / Tausug fried rice pancake. It is made with ground glutinous rice, brown sugar with coconut milk and mixed until it becomes a batter then deep-fried.

Jaa / Lokot-Lokot

Lokot-Lokot or “Jaa” (in some parts of Basilan and Sulu) is made by pounding glutinous rice until it becomes fine powder. It is then blended with water and sweeteners to create a thick batter before frying.

Exploring in and out of Basilan

The main modes of transportation in Basilan are the tricycle and intercity buses. Minimum fares vary from ₱ 40 -50 and up, depending on destination. Traffic conditions can be heavy especially during rush hours but are light to moderate throughout the day. Road conditions are generally paved but there are some parts of the highway where land roads still exist.

Read also: Basilan | Things to Explore in the Treasure Islands of the South

*Note that the places, prices, and information written as of publication date and time are true and are given best during my visit. Changes may occur without prior notice. If you notice any changes to the information given above, you can e-mail me here so we can dish things up!*

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