Have you ever wondered how Islam came into our country? Wonder no more. An Arab missionary came to the island of Simunul in the wonderful province of Tawi-Tawi centuries ago, and from there, Islam has finally planted its roots in the country . In this blog, I’m going to present what you can do in this island called “Cradle of Islam.”

This blog post is part of my blog series about Tawi-Tawi, which also covers Bongao and Panampangan Island.

HOW TO GO TO SIMUNUL:

There are boats from Bongao that travel to Simunul, though they are only scheduled in the morning.

For our trip, we rented a private boat that would lead us to both Simunul and Panampangan. Going to Simunul from Bongao via boat requires about three hours of travel.

THINGS TO REMEMBER BEFORE GOING TO SIMUNUL:

1. Coordinate with your guide on when you will carry out your plan to go here. In our case, we only had a few hours exploring the island since we also planned of going to Panampangan on the same day.
2. Wear appropriate dress, especially when going inside the mosques. It is here in Simunul where you can see the oldest mosque in the country. It is highly recommended that you bring with you a malong to cover your legs if you’re just wearing shorts. It would be better, though, if you’re wearing a more appropriate dress. Also, remove your shoes or any other footwear before going inside. Your guide would tell you all these when you’re there, but it’s okay to be informed about these things now.
3. Prepare your cash when going here. You can’t just expect to withdraw cash anywhere, can you?
4. Should you decide to stay for the night here in Simunul to explore more of the place, you can coordinate with their tourism officer. His contact details are provided below.

*I highly recommend for you to read my main blog post about going to Tawi-Tawi. Click this link to go there. 🙂

 WHAT TO EXPLORE:

PAPA BULL’S PARK

It was September 2017 when the largest living crocodile was captured in Bgy. Sukabulan, in the island of Simunul. This crocodile that was later named Papa Bull measures 16.11 ft, smaller than the previous holder, Lolong (20 ft and 3 in). The fishermen and the barangay officials who conducted a rescue operation for Papa Bull surrendered the crocodile to the municipal government, which made a park specifically for Papa Bull to thrive in.

 

SIMUNUL’S NATURAL POOL

After visiting Papa Bull in his park, we headed to this natural pool in Simunul. Calm and serene, this pool is kind of inviting to those who would dare to swim and dive in its waters. Our guide said that nobody knows just how deep this pool is. The local government is said to invite divers who are capable of measuring depth of water forms but it seemed like their navigators could not fathom the depth of this pool yet. Nevertheless, that fact doesn’t discourage the local kids from swimming in this natural pool.

SHEIK KARIM-UL MAKHDUM MOSQUE

Bgy. Tubig, Indangan, Simunul, Tawi-Tawi

The oldest mosque in the country, Sheik Karim-ul Makhdum Mosque was built by an Arab missionary, Sheik Makhdum Karim in the year 1380. Yes, Islam made its way first to the Philippines compared to Christianity. Declared as a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Commission and National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum, the mosque houses the pillars of the old mosque found within the present mosque.

THE BURIAL SITE OF SHEIK KARIM-UL MAKHDUM

Found in the premises of the mosque is the burial site of Sheik Karim-ul Makhdum. His remains that are interred here are covered by sand, which is said to maintain a bulky appearance denoting how big the sheik was. Take a look at the picture and see it for yourself.

WHO TO CONTACT AND WHERE TO STAY

While we only did a half day trip to Simunul, the tourism officer here, Sir Kazt Vie, said there are more places to explore in the island. That’s why he recommends an overnight stay here if ever. You may contact him at this number: 09754071083.

EXPENSES IN SIMUNUL

1. Public transportation in Simunul isn’t always available throughout the day. Our guide contacted a truck driver to fetch us in the port and accompany us towards our travel destinations in the island. Fee for their service is P700.
2. There are no entrance fees in the island. Donations are highly recommended, though, Sheik Karim-ul Makhdum Mosque and Papa Bull’s Park.
3. It was a hot day when we went here so we deemed cold drinks and snacks were necessary. Not to worry, though, because there is a store near the mosque.

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This sums up our short trip to Simunul, the place where Islam in the Philippines originated. Watch out for my next blog post about Panampangan Island, home of the longest sandbar in the Philippines!