Robert Tramp
Illustrative photo of an orange sunset over the sea at Aliguay Island, off Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte.

Zamboanga del Norte

Is Zamboanga del Norte safe to visit? My route, by Robert

By Robert Tramp· Published

Stock photo of a sunset at Aliguay Island, off Dipolog City. Photo: Rio Ubatay, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

I travelled through Zamboanga del Norte in late September and early October 2026, and filmed four stops: the 3,003 steps to Linabo Peak above Dipolog, the snow park in Dapitan, the coast at Liloy, and Situbo Falls in Tampilisan. This page is my route through the province. The travel advice comes first.

Is it safe to visit?

The Australian government’s Smartraveller advice, updated 24 September 2026, says not to travel to the Zamboanga Peninsula, and Zamboanga del Norte is part of that peninsula. The UK and US governments also restrict parts of Mindanao. Read the current advice for each place before you book, and read the full list of dates and areas on the Mindanao guide.

My route through the province

The Rizal Shrine park in Dapitan City: tall shade trees and palms on a green lawn, the Philippine flag against a blue sky, a nipa house on stilts and Dapitan Bay behind.
The Rizal Shrine in Dapitan City. Photo: Francisco M. Pajares, Jr., CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

I posted these four stops on TikTok between 28 September and 10 October 2026, numbered by day.

  1. Linabo Peak, Dipolog, day 4. The 3,003 steps, according to my caption.
  2. Snowworld, Dapitan, day 7. An indoor snow park at Glorious Fantasyland.
  3. Liloy, Little Siargao, day 9. The coast that BecomingFilipino, also known as Kyle, calls Little Siargao.
  4. Situbo Falls, Tampilisan, day 10. Two layers of waterfall, which local people recommended to me.
You guys keep showing me places I would’ve never discovered on my own.
From my TikTok caption, 10 October 2026

Route at a glance

Scroll across for the rest of the columns.

Stop Town Day posted What it is Guide
Linabo Peak Dipolog Day 4, 28 September 3,003 steps through forest Linabo guide
Snowworld Dapitan Day 7, 1 October Indoor snow park Snowworld guide
Liloy Liloy Day 9, 8 October Coast called Little Siargao Liloy guide
Situbo Falls Tampilisan Day 10, 10 October Two-layer waterfall Situbo guide

Sourced against my TikTok posts for each stop, last checked 18 October 2026.

The other days of my trip were outside this province, and they are in my Mindanao series.

How do you get to Zamboanga del Norte?

Flying is the quickest way. Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific fly direct from Manila to Dipolog (DPL) in about 2 hours 43 minutes, according to Trip.com, and FlyTeam lists a daily Cebu Pacific departure from Manila at 06:15. From Cebu, Medallion Shipping runs a night ferry of about 12 hours, listed at ₱1,495 in a 2025 blog.

By bus, Zamboanga City to Dipolog takes 6 to 7 hours and costs ₱300 to ₱400, according to Evendo.

What does a room cost?

Booking.com’s listed prices for one night, two adults, one room, on Tuesday 17 November 2026, checked on 18 October 2026. Prices change, so check before you book. The four Dipolog hotels checked ranged from ₱1,350 to ₱3,450. The four Dapitan places ranged from ₱1,342 to ₱3,843. The three Liloy guesthouses ranged from ₱2,440 to ₱3,050. Booking.com lists the lowest and highest rates for each town, with names in each guide.

Map of places to stayFind a place to stay in Zamboanga del NorteLive prices and availability for your dates.Show places to stay on the map

Practical details

  • Dipolog to Liloy. 134 km by road, about 2.5 to 3.5 hours by car, according to distancesfrom.com.
  • Dapitan or Dipolog to Tampilisan. About 3 hours by bus for ₱220, according to Lakwatsero.
  • Fees and hours at each stop. Listed in each stop guide.

Day 12 of the trip took me to Dakak Resort in Dapitan: watch it on TikTok.

Sources

Questions people ask

What did you do in Zamboanga del Norte?

I climbed the 3,003 steps to Linabo Peak above Dipolog, visited the snow park at Fantasyland in Dapitan, walked the coast of Liloy, and went to Situbo Falls in Tampilisan. I filmed each stop on a separate day, and posted them between late September and 10 October 2026.

Is Zamboanga del Norte safe to visit?

The Australian government advises against travel to the Zamboanga Peninsula, which includes this province. Read the current advice before you go. It is set out on this page, with its date, and the Mindanao guide keeps a fuller version.

How many days do I need?

The four stops I filmed here fit into a few days. Plan your own order, and check the advice for each place before you go.

How much does a trip to Zamboanga del Norte cost?

Booking.com listed rooms from ₱1,342 to ₱3,843 a night for 17 November 2026. The bus from Zamboanga City to Dipolog costs ₱300 to ₱400, according to Evendo, and an adult ticket to Snow World in Dapitan is ₱750, according to Glorious Fantasyland.