It is not quite true that all of the Mindanao population is Muslim but certainly most of the Muslim Filipinos live there and on the neighboring Sulu Islands. The area around Lake Lanao in central Mindanao is predominantly Muslim.

CAGAYAN DE ORO has a population of around 500,000, and is a clean and friendly University City with numerous schools. An old legend tells how the name Cagayan is derived from the word 'kagayha-an', which means shame. The legend tells that an attack defeated villagers. The villages plannned to retaliate, but before they could, their chieftain fell in love with the daughter of the enemy chieftain and married her. His disgusted subjects referred to their village as a place of shame, or kagayan-an. The Spaniards pronounced it Cagayan and after they discovered gold in the river, it became Cagayan de Oro.

Makahambus Cave is about 14km south of Cagayan de Oro and can be reached by Jeepney going to Talacag. Make sure you take a powerful flashlight with you. You will enjoy a trip.

ILIGAN is an industrial town surrounded by factories. The nearby MARIA CRISTINA FALLS will be the main source of power for the surrounding districts as far as Zamboanga, once the hydroelectric plant there is operating at full capacity. The power station so dominates the landscape that it's more likely to appeal to the technically minded than to the nature lovers. To get to the falls, take a jeepney from the pier to Agus Bridge, about seven km away, turn left after the bridge and walk for about half an hour. You cannot swim in the pool and the river is a raging torrent, its too dangerous; the attraction is to look down on the falls from above by going about 200m back towards Iligan from the Agus Bridge, where a path and concrete steps lead straight to the waterfall.

The nearby Hidden Falls have been left in their beautiful natural state and are not marred by construction. They must be among the most beautiful waterfalls on Mindanao. It’s a real pleasure to go for a dip in the big natural pool there, and admission is free. The easiest way to go to the Hidden Falls is a taxi, (you have to walk the last 50m down from the pool) you can even stay the night near the waterfall.

30 km north of Iligan on Cagayan de Oro road is Initao. There's a cave that you can explore, near the hospital. You'll need a powerful flashlight there, cottages are available for around $3.00, $P100.00 about 300m away on a white beach, which will appeal to guests wanting peace and quite.

ZAMBOANGA has been praised, as the exotic pearl of the South Philippines. The other popular description is City of Flowers, comes from the Malay word "jambangan", meaning "land of flowers", and may have been used when the first Malays settled here. It is more likely that the name comes from "samboangan", a word made up of "samboang", meaning boat pole. As well as speaking English, Filipino, Cebuano, Tausug and Samal, the locals in Zamboanga also speak Chabacano, ironically known as Bamboo Spanish.

On the outskirts of town, to the east of Zamboanga, are Fort Pillar and the Muslim water village of Rio Hondo. Jesuit priests built the fort in 1635 as protection against Muslim, Dutch, Portuguese and English attacks. The USA then called it Real Pillar after its overthrow at the end of last century. For many years the only part worth seeing was the altar on the outside, but in 1986 restoration began to make the building useable.

A visit to the extremely instructive Marine Life Museum is well worth the effort. The museum has set up botanical, archaeological, anthropological and historical departments. About 200m east of Fort Pillar, past a shining silver mosque, is a bridge leading to a village built on piles in the mouth of the river. This is known as Rio Hondo. Footbridges link the houses.

Santa Cruz Islands has a lightly colored sandy beaches peppered with fine red pieces of coral. Not far from the main beach are a small cemetery tucked away in the bush and a Muslim village built on piles in a mangrove lagoon

DAVAO is the fastest growing city in the Philippines after Manila, with a population of 900,000. There is plenty of room for newcomers, as this city covering 2440sq km, is one of the most sprawling cities in the world. You can't miss the Chinese influence here, especially west of the wharf, where numerous business people have set up little shops.

The Lon Wa Temple on Cabaguio Ave, three km in the direction of the airport, with its statues of Buddha and its woodcarvings, is the biggest Buddhist temple in Mindanao and a sight to be seen. About 300m south of the temple, a Tourist temple with a beautiful pagoda stands on Aside Street off Cabaguio Ave.

A tour of the Puentaspina Orchid Gardens, about one km south of the Lon Wa Temple on Cabaguio Ave will be a great idea. The Shrine of the Holy Infant Jesus of Prague, is a great visit too. There's a good view over the town and the Davao Gulf. This small shrine is in the suburb called Matina, about six km west of Davao. It stands on a hill behind the Davao Memorial Park and can be reached by a road that branches off the MacArthur Highway. You can take a Jeepney or a tricycle for $P2.00 to reach the Shrine of the Holy Infant Jesus.

Next to the Insular Century Hotel Davao, near the airport is the Davao Museum, featuring the cultural minorities of South Mindanao, such as the Mansaka and the Bagobo; the latter are known as a proud and warlike people.