The recent maiden Philippine Airlines flights to Tawi-Tawi from Cotabato City paved the way for me to explore the country’s southernmost province once again. I remembered when I first went here, I had met a slew of curious queries about safety when traveling to Tawi-Tawi. As many remembered, this province once hogged the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

I remembered being envious of my then-girlfriend years ago when she went on a solo backpacking trip to Tawi-Tawi and hiked Bud Bongao. Not only was the mountain located in the southernmost province of the Philippines, it was also considered a sacred peak. Two preachers mentored by Karim ul-Makhdum—the Arab missionary who brought Islam to the Philippines in 1380—were said to be buried on Mount Bud Bongao in a location called the Tampat Rocks.

Everyone was silent as our speedboat sliced through the calm, glassy waters of the Celebes Sea. Under the brilliance of a full sun and unmindful of the burnt sensation on my golden skin, I savored the eerie stillness of cruising over a body of water once notorious as one of the most dangerous maritime backwaters in the world.

What used to be a violent playground for pirate ships committing robbery—and during the worst of times, a sailing route for militants preying on civilians—the waters approaching Panampangan Island are now a picture-perfect, unruffled natural haven.

As the southernmost province in the Philippines, Tawi-Tawi boasts a wealth of destinations still firmly considered to belong along the off-the-beaten path. Home to deep biological diversity and a colorful culture that has flourished and been preserved for hundreds of years, visitors to this province are guaranteed a memorable experience. Previously overlooked and unreasonably associated with security concerns, Tawi-Tawi is quickly becoming a favorite option for travelers in search of a place teeming with cultural wonders and unforgettable sights. To the lucky and adventurous traveler willing to explore Tawi-Tawi, here are just some of the many places worth visiting.

As I stood proudly on the deck of BRP Capones—a spanking new Japanese-made Parola-class patrol vessel belonging to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)—where we hitched a secure ride going to Tawi-Tawi to cover the Agal-Agal Festival, I quickly surveyed my surroundings. I saw the sacred mountain of Bud Bongao lording it over a picturesque coastal landscape, gently covered by the morning mist.

Yet, I was clearly able to spot the glowing silhouette of the town’s Mosque and the faint outlines of a modest village with fishing boats and passenger ferries that were just starting to stir the day’s activities. And then it finally dawned on me: I had successfully reached the southernmost province of the country. Tawi-Tawi, I have arrived!