From the lakeside at Bagang Beach, the water of Lake Lanao opens out flat and pale, with the shapes of the hills behind the city reflected in it. In the cooler air of the early morning, before the day warms up, this is where Marawi shows you what it is: a city on the shore of a great lake, ringed by hills and volcanic cones.
Marawi suits travellers who are interested in Maranao culture, Islamic architecture and landscapes rather than nightlife or resort comforts. Much of the city still bears the marks of the 2017 siege, and the places worth your time are largely outdoor and contemplative: lakeside beaches, hilltop viewpoints, a national park and a university campus with a museum and a mosque.
This guide covers the sights and experiences you can plan a visit around, followed by a one-day route that links them. Names are given as they appear on their own pages so you can look each one up.
Top things to do in Marawi City
1. Lake Lanao
Lake Lanao is the defining feature of Marawi, and the city sits on its northernmost shore where the Agus River begins. The lake is the largest in Mindanao and one of the deepest in the Philippines, and it is counted among the ancient lakes of the world. Come for the wide view across the water rather than for a single viewpoint.
Go early in the day, when the air is still cool and the surface of the lake is calmest. You can pair it with Bagang Beach, which sits on the same shoreline close to the commercial centre.
2. Sacred Mountain National Park
The Sacred Mountain National Park is a protected area spanning the barangays of Guimba and Papandayan, dominated by Mount Mupo, an extinct volcanic cone known for its perfect cone shape and its untouched forest. Hiking and birdwatching are the reasons to come, and at the summit there is a small pond.
Bring water and start in the morning, since the climb is the main activity of the day rather than a quick stop. The park is the strongest single outdoor experience in the city, so give it a proper half-day if you can.
3. Aga Khan Museum of Islamic Arts
Inside the Mindanao State University campus, this museum features the arts and culture of the Moro and Lumad peoples of the Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan region. It opened in 1962 as a one-room university museum and the expanded museum opened in 1969, and it describes itself as holding the biggest Philippine Muslim collection in the country. Its collections include indigenous art, recorded ethnic music tapes, native tools and weapons, and artistic designs of houses, and it highlights native folk dances from the different regions.
Admission is free. Combine it with the King Faisal Mosque and the MSU Golf Course, which are also on the university grounds, so you can cover all three in one visit.
4. King Faisal Mosque
The biggest mosque in the city, known as King Faisal Masjid, is notable for its green colour scheme, the traditional colour in Islam, and for architectural details including the metalwork pattern of its minaret, painted petals on its dome and the name of "Allah" on top of its spires. It is worth the time for the building itself as much as for the visit.
Dress modestly and keep in mind that this is an active place of worship. It sits inside the Mindanao State University area, so visit it in the same trip as the Aga Khan Museum of Islamic Arts.
5. Bagang Beach
Bagang Beach is a lakeside stretch filled with rocks and boulders, with trees along the shore that serve as benches and shade. The water is clear, and it is a good place for picnics, boating and swimming. It is situated close to the city's commercial centre, which makes it the easiest of the outdoor spots to reach.
Come for a picnic and stay for the afternoon shade. Because it is near the commercial area, it works well as a relaxed stop between other sights rather than a full day out.
6. Angoyao Hills
Angoyao Hills in Barangay Sogod serve as a natural viewpoint over the water of Lake Lanao. The view is the point: you come here to look out across the lake and the surrounding landscape rather than to walk a trail.
Time your visit for the clearer part of the day so the lake is visible below you. It pairs naturally with any of the other lakeside stops.
7. Torogans and Sambitory Old Building
Marawi's Maranao setting is expressed in its large torogans, the antique royal high-roofed houses with carved designs, and in the Sambitory Old Building. Walking past these buildings gives you a sense of the city's architecture that no single museum exhibit can.
Look at the carving details on the torogans rather than just the overall shape of the houses. This is a walking activity, so fold it into a route through the city rather than treating it as a separate destination.
8. Moncado Colony
Moncado Colony is named in honour of Hilario Camino Moncado, a Filipino leader, organiser, author and lecturer. Moncado monuments and wild animal monuments can be found here.
It is a short, simple stop rather than a long visit. Combine it with your other city stops rather than making a special trip.
9. Capitol Mosque
One of the city's noted mosques, this beige place of worship is located within the Lanao del Sur Provincial Capitol Complex. Its setting inside the provincial government complex makes it an easy addition to a city route.
Visit respectfully and quietly, since it is an active place of worship. Pair it with the Islamic Center of the Philippines Grand Mosque if you are covering the city's mosques in one outing.
10. Islamic Center of the Philippines Grand Mosque
Also known as the Islamic Center of the Philippines Grand Masjid, this is one of the city's principal mosques and a landmark in its own right.
As with the other mosques, dress modestly and be mindful that you are visiting a place of worship. It fits into the same route as the Capitol Mosque.
11. MSU Golf Course
Inside the Mindanao State University, the MSU Golf Course is a 9-hole course laid out on the greenery of the campus. You can play a round or simply relax in the surroundings.
It is best treated as a leisurely stop alongside the Aga Khan Museum of Islamic Arts and the King Faisal Mosque, all within the same campus.
12. Signal Hill
Signal Hill in Barangay Matampay is one of the city's hills, described alongside Arumpac Hill and Mount Mupo as beautiful but mysterious. It is a viewpoint rather than a developed attraction.
Go with the expectation of a hill walk and a view, not facilities. Ask locally about the best way up before setting out.
13. Arumpac Hill
Arumpac Hill in Barangay Saduc is another of the hills that shape Marawi's landscape, grouped with Signal Hill and Mount Mupo for its scenery.
Like Signal Hill, it rewards a simple walk and a look over the city and lake. It can be worked into the same outing as the other hills if you have the time.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Lake Lanao, where the water is calmest and the air is coolest, then walk the shoreline at Bagang Beach while the shade trees along the lakeside are still fresh. Continue to Angoyao Hills for the natural viewpoint over the lake.
Afternoon: Head to the Mindanao State University campus and spend the middle of the day at the Aga Khan Museum of Islamic Arts, which is free to enter. Follow it with the King Faisal Mosque, the biggest mosque in the city, and finish the campus visit with a relaxed stop at the MSU Golf Course.
Evening: Return to the lakeside for the late light, then make your way past the Capitol Mosque within the Lanao del Sur Provincial Capitol Complex and the Islamic Center of the Philippines Grand Mosque. If time allows, walk by the torogans and the Sambitory Old Building on your way back through the city.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time of day to visit Lake Lanao and Bagang Beach?
Early morning suits both, when the air is cooler and the lake is at its calmest. The trees along the Bagang Beach shoreline provide shade through the warmer part of the day.
Is the Aga Khan Museum of Islamic Arts free to enter?
Yes. Admission to the museum, which is inside the Mindanao State University, is free.
What can I do at the Sacred Mountain National Park?
Hiking and birdwatching. The park is dominated by Mount Mupo, an extinct volcanic cone, and there is a small pond at the summit.
Which mosques in Marawi can I visit?
The King Faisal Mosque, the biggest in the city, the Capitol Mosque within the Lanao del Sur Provincial Capitol Complex, and the Islamic Center of the Philippines Grand Mosque. All are active places of worship, so dress modestly and visit respectfully.
Use this list to sketch your own route, check the current situation in the city before you travel, and start planning your days around the lake, the campus and the hills.