Pagadian isn't a city of monuments — its draw is the everyday rhythm of provincial Mindanao life and the natural setting around Illana Bay. Start at the waterfront Plaza Luz for the bay view, walk the public market, and take a ride on one of the city's famously tilted tricycles, modified to handle Pagadian's near-vertical streets.
For something more active, the Pulacan Falls in nearby Labangan and a boat trip to Dao Dao Island in the bay both make easy half-days out of town. The cathedral on the hill is worth the climb for the bay panorama at sunset.