Ozamiz Voyage Tips and guide

Ozamiz, known as the "Gem of the Panguil Bay" and the "Gateway to Northwestern Mindanao", is a city in Misamis Occidental in Northern Mindanao. With a population of 143,620 (2024), it is the largest city in the province.

Ozamiz is located at the southern coastline of Misamis Occidental. It is bordered by Clarin to the north. Tangub to the southwest, and the Panguil Bay to the south and east. Across the bay is Kolambugan in the province of Lanao del Norte. The city has good harbor location. Its local port is the principal outlet of mineral deposits, agricultural and forest products of the provinces of Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, parts of Lanao del Norte, and Lanao del Sur.

The city of Ozamiz grew out of an old Spanish town called Misamis. Misamis developed because of the Spanish garrison stationed at the stone fort called Fuerte de la Concepcion y del Triunfo, which was built some time in the 18th century to control the pirate activities in the nearby Lanao area. In 1850, the town of Misamis became the capital of the District of Misamis.

In October 1942 Wendell Fertig established the command headquarters of the growing guerrilla resistance to the Japanese occupation of Mindanao in the Spanish fort in the town. His headquarters was abandoned June 1943, in the face of a large Japanese attack. Until the end of the war, the Japanese occupied this fort.

After the Second World War, Misamis was renamed to "Ozamiz" after a World War II hero, José Ozámiz, who hailed from the province of Misamis Occidental and who at one time also served as its first governor and congressional representative of the Lone District of Misamis Occidental, as well as a delegate to the 1935 Constitutional Convention that resulted in the creation of the 1935 Constitution for the Philippine Commonwealth Government. In 1941, José Ozámiz was elected to the Philippine Senate.

8°9′20″N 123°50′38″E

Map of Ozamiz

There are ferries from Manila, Cebu City and Iligan.

• 2GO Travel have a ferry from Manila via Iligan and Cebu.
• Cokaliong Shipping Lines have a ferry 5 times a week which goes to and from Cebu and Iligan.
• TransAsia shipping lines from Cebu.
• The Mukas to Ozamiz Ferry cost ₱25 + port fee ₱5.

• 8.178525123.8413861 Labo Airport (OZC  ^IATA) (north of downtown). (updated Jun 2020)

The Labo airport has daily flights from Manila and Cebu.

• Philippines airlines - Manila, Cebu.
• Cebu Pacific - Manila, Cebu.

• Rural Transit is the bus line to Ozamiz
• The bus/ferry fare from Iligan is from ₱100.
• The bus fare from Dipolog is from ₱185.
• There are also buses to Ozamiz from Pagadian for ₱90.
• To get to downtown Ozamiz you can use the Mukas to Ozamiz Ferry. First get on a bus from the bus stop in Mukas. The bus to Mukas from Iligan goes every 30 min and costs ₱70.

Tricycle, anywhere in the city ₱8-15, is a cheap way to get around.

• Archdiocesan Marian Shrine of the Birhen sa Cotta, near port area. Locally known as the Cotta Shrine. A shrine dedicated to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception and of the Triumph of the Cross of Panguil Bay, locally known as the Birhen sa Cotta. The shrine is located at the south wall of the Fuerte de la Concepcion y del Triunfo and is a known pilgrimage destination in the city. (updated Error: Invalid time.)
• Fuerte de la Concepcion y del Triunfo (Cotta in Bisaya), near port area. Called "Fort of the Conception and of the Triumph" in English. Established in 1756, this fort is the oldest structure in the city. Inside in the fort is a garden, with a museum displaying artifacts from the fort and the city. On the southeast bastion is a lighthouse. 5 per person. (updated Nov 2025)
• Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, JP Rizal Avenue. Built from the remains of the original parish church after the earthquake of 1955. This cathedral was designed by National Artist for Architecture, Leandro Locsin. His simple style of squares, circles, and half circles are evident throughout the external and internal designs of the church. Alterations to the façade of the cathedral were performed later. The cathedral is home to the wooden image of the Birhen sa Cotta. (updated Nov 2025)
• Immaculate Conception Pipe Organ, inside the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The only existing pipe organ in Mindanao, and one of only a few anywhere in the Philippines. It was Father Sean Lavery, an Irish-Columbian priest in charge of music at the cathedral, who first thought of the idea of an organ at Immaculate Conception. Funds were raised through donations and a musical extravaganza, organized by the parish, to buy the pipe organ. Father Lavery requested the aid of a German priest, Father Herman Schablitzki S.V.D., in designing the organ. Father Schatblitzki visited Ozamiz to take measurements to give to the organ builders back in Germany. Father Schablitzki himself, assisted by one carpenter and one electrician, assembled the organ in six weeks, and it was completed on May 31, 1967. It was inaugurated on July 16, 1967'. (updated Nov 2025)
• Bukagan Hill, Barangay Malaubang. At the top of the hill is a bell tower that houses four great bells, named "St. Peter", "St. Marien", "St. Joseph", and "St. Michael". They were originally purchased by Bishop-Prelate Patrick Cronin, D.D. for the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. However, the bells weigh 7 tons and were found to be too heavy and too large for the cathedral's belfry. Given the recent costs of installing an organ at the cathedral, it was commonly thought that the installation of the bells would prove too expensive but, through the efforts of then Mayor Fernando T. Bernad and Jesus Y. Varela, the bells were finally given a place at Bukagan Hill, and were officially inaugurated on July 16, 1948. (updated Nov 2025)

• 8.29049123.870751 Dolphin Island at Misamis Occidental Aquamarine Park, Sinacaban, Misamis Occidental. Located in the shallow seas but far from beaches, Dolphin Island is a great place to enjoy swimming, dolphin watching and feeding, fish feeding, and snorkeling. A boat ride to the island can be taken at Misamis Occidental Aquamarine Park (MOAP), Tudela, Misamis Occidental.  

January

• Ozamiz celebrates the Sinulog Festival every 4th Sunday of January. A replica of the Santo Niño will arrive from Cebu City and will visit Ozamiz and the nearby cities and municipalities of the province for a week.

July

• The Feast of Our Lady of Triumph of the Cross at Cotta Shrine is celebrated every July 16 which is also the Ozamiz City Charter anniversary. The Perangat Ozamiz Festival is also held on the same day. The Perangat Ozamiz Festival honors the Subanon people, the original settlers of the province. The festival features street dancing activities, where barangay clusters represented by different schools compete, which will culminate into a ritual showdown.

December

• The feast of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception is celebrated every December 8.

• Geege Mall, Robinsons Supermarket, Vicente Ostia Avenue. 10AM-8PM. Has a McDonald's and a cinema, among other notable stores inside the mall. 
• Gaisano Capital Mall & Gaisano Supermarket., Port Road, ☏ +63 88-521-0135. 10AM-8PM. The biggest mall in Ozamiz. 
• PUREGOLD Ozamiz, Don Anselmo Bernad Avenue. (updated Nov 2025)

• La Veranda Restaurant, Royal Garden Hotel, Burgos corner Zamora St, ☏ +63 88 521-2888. Serves Filipino specialties and Chinese dishes in a relaxing atmosphere with greenery and white latticework. 
• Chicken Ati-atihan, Circumferencial road cor. Don A. Bernard Ave. Locally known for their grilled foods with unlimited rice. 
• Shanghai Boy. The restaurant is locally known for Chinese food. 
• Carmela's Restaurant, Ledesma street extension. 8AM-6PM. 

• Gat's, Don A. Bernard Ave. 

• Timfanel Garden and Ornamental Plant Farm, Barangay Banadero, ☏ +63 88 521 2441. Formerly known as Naomi's Botanical Garden and Tourist Inn. The garden has now become one of Ozamiz’s attractions. The nursery of Timfanel Garden has grown to become one of the biggest supplier of plants used for landscaping in Mindanao. The environment afforded by the greenery surrounding the building has made it a favorite venue for different community activities, conferences and weddings. It now has three reception halls for these events. 
• 67th Boulevard Pension House, Cebedo St. (in front of Banco de Oro), ☏ +63 908 700 2248. Single rooms with own bathroom. From ₱581. 
• GV Hotel, JP Rizal Avenue, ☏ +63 88 319 0375. A/C single and double rooms with own bathrooms and cable TV. The GV Hotel Ozamiz has 62 rooms. ₱450/₱575/₱620/₱725. 
• Rosales Travellers Lodge, Ledesma Ext. (over the street from The Country Lodge), ☏ +63 88-5210359. Nice size fan single/double rooms with own bathroom and cable TV. Free Wi-Fi. cheapest single rooms in town. ₱225/₱400. (updated Feb 2015)
• The Golden D Inn, Circumferencial Road, Purok 5 Lam-an, ☏ +63 88 5452588, +63 905-545-9056, +63 930-461-4905, [email protected]. (updated Aug 2016)
• City Tourist Inn, La Purisima Street (near the port), ☏ +63 88 586 1277. Check-in: 1PM, check-out: noon. (updated Jun 2020)

• Internet cafe, port road. 8AM-10PM. ₱12 an hour. (updated Aug 2016)

• Bureau Of Immigration Ozamiz Office. Ground floor Gaisano South Wing. Port Road.
• Mayor Hilarion A. Ramiro Sr. Medical Center, ☏ +63 88-5210022. DOH Hospital.
• Generika Durg Store. Washington Street.

• 2-hour bus ride to Iligan.
• 1-hour bus ride to Oroquieta.
• 4-hour bus ride to Pagadian.
• 4-hour bus ride to Dipolog.
• overnight ferry to Cebu City.