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Also known as Taviran Mosque.
The place
A tiered, pagoda-style mosque in Taviran, one of the last of its kind in the Philippines.
Mosque
Traced to its sources since the guide was written.
Safety in Maguindanao del Norte
Mixed, and worth treating by municipality rather than by province. The Awang corridor and the coastal towns see routine traffic. Some interior municipalities carry a heavier security presence and are not places to arrive unannounced. Local advice before an interior trip is the working rule.
Before the domed Arabian style arrived with pilgrims returning from Mecca, mosques in the Philippines were built as tiered, pagoda-like halls of three, five or eight levels. Very few survive, and the form is now considered endangered.
The mosque of Datu Untong Balabaran in Barangay Taviran is named as one of the last standing examples in Mindanao. Seeing it is the clearest way to understand what the first mosque at Simunul probably looked like.
It has been proposed, with other heritage mosques, for the Philippines' tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage status.
Ask to see the tiered pagoda-style mosque
It is one of the last pagoda-style mosques still standing in the Philippines; ask permission before going in or taking photographs, and dress covered.
en.wikipedia.orgPicture the first mosque at Simunul
The first mosque at Simunul was probably built in this same pagoda style, so this is the closest you can get to seeing what it looked like.
en.wikipedia.orgDatu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte
resort
Precious Cabana Resort and Hotel
Datu Odin Sinsuat
Resort and hotel that hosted a four-day MSSD training, October 2025
mssd.barmm.gov.ph · as of 2025-11resort
Illana Bay Beach Resort
Barangay Badak, Datu Odin Sinsuat
Beach resort registered with the Bangsamoro Board of Investments in 2023; said it would seek tourism accreditation next
bangsamoro.gov.ph · as of 2023-08resort
Amaya Beach Resort
Barangay Kusiong, Datu Odin Sinsuat
Beach resort that hosted MSSD psychosocial sessions in March 2022
bangsamoro.gov.ph · as of 2024-01Named where a public source names them; no rates or availability. Ask the place directly.
Mountain · Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte
A grass-covered mountain near Cotabato City, about a two-hour hike to the summit.
Best: December to April are the driest months (about 20 to 30 mm of rain a month), June to August the wettest
Nature · Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte
A deep, spring-fed pool of bright blue water in the forest, a few steps off the highway.
Best: Morning, when the water looks bluest
Beach · Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte
A grey-sand beach lined with resorts, and the nearest beach to Cotabato City.
Best: December to April are the driest months (about 20 to 30 mm of rain a month), June to August the wettest
Mosque · Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte
A white-and-gold mosque in Datu Odin Sinsuat, built in 2016, that holds more than 10,000 worshippers.
Best: Dusk, when the white mosque stands out against the sky
