Zamboanga Peninsula · Philippines
Isabela travel guide
Isabela is a city in Zamboanga Peninsula, Philippines, home to about 151,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- ZAM27 km · Zamboanga International Airport
- Currency
- PHPPhilippine peso
- Time zone
- Asia/Manila
- Language
- English, Filipino, Taglish
About
About Isabela
While administratively part of Zamboanga Peninsula, this guide treat Isabela as a part of Basilan. The city is both dominated by Christian Chavacano speakers and the Muslim Tausug people. It serves as the economic center of Basilan, though it has been separated from Basilan after the rest of Basilan voted for inclusion into the Bangsamoro. The surrounding area remains volatile due to the ongoing Islamic insurgency, and the tourism industry has stagnated.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Isabela
See
- Basilan Fish Port
- Basilan Provincial Capitol
- Cabunbata Falls
- Cathedral of Santa Isabel de Portugal
- Kaumpurnah Mosque
- Mount Basilan
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Isabela
Isabela has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. March is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; October is the wettest, with about 258 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Isabela: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Zamboanga International Airport (ZAM), about 27 km from the city centre in a straight line; Jolo Airport (JOL, 128 km) is also within reach.
Getting in
There is regular ferry service from Zamboanga port to Isabela City. See the Basilan page for details. There are no flights to Isabela City; the nearest one is in Zamboanga.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
ZAM · Zamboanga International Airport
JOL · Jolo Airport
Questions
Isabela: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Isabela?
Isabela has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. March is the warmest month, with average highs of 32 °C; October is the wettest, with about 258 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Isabela?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Zamboanga International Airport (ZAM), about 27 km from the city centre in a straight line; Jolo Airport (JOL, 128 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in Isabela?
Philippine peso (PHP).
Nearby
Destinations near Isabela
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.