You may have heard of white-sand and black-sand beaches, but what about shores with pink sands? In Zamboanga City, you will find a beautiful pink sand beach called The Great Santa Cruz Island. Here you can see the beach's pink color, especially when the sun is at the right angle. Aside from that, the city offers a lot of amazing destinations, from white beaches, and museums to waterfalls, Zamboanga City has something to offer every traveler.
How to get to Zamboanga City
Airlines such as Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific fly between Manila and Zamboanga. There are also available flights from Clark, Cebu, Davao bound for Zamboanga City.
For nearby provinces, Zamboanga City can be reached overland. You can ride a bus from Cagayan De Oro City, Pagadian, Dipolog, and Ozamis City.
From the Zamboanga International Airport, you may take a tricycle going to Paseo del Mar. The special fare is around P50.
Getting around Zamboanga City
Jeepneys and tricycles are the main mode of transportation in the city. The locals pronounce tricycle as tricy-col. The minimum fare is P20 per person and can usually seat up to four people. There are tricycles that offer city tours. Try to negotiate the cost of the tour.
When is the best time to visit Zamboanga City?
The best time to visit the city is during the summer season from March to May. If you love to join the festival, you can see Zamboanga in October which celebrates Hermosa Festival and Regatta Festival.
Where to stay in Zamboanga City
There are lots of hotels and inns available around the city of Zamboanga, especially near the airport. Below are suggested places to stay in Zamboanga City.
Garden Orchid Hotel Zamboanga
Garden Orchid Hotel is a First Class hotel with 205 guestrooms and suites complete with amenities like a minibar and refrigerator, telephone, cable tv, and piped-in music. It also has a coffee shop, a Japanese restaurant, a lobby bar, a disco, a convention center, and various function rooms, a travel agency, a business center, a fitness center with a pool, gym, and sauna.
Grand Aztoria
Grand Astoria Hotel is a great choice for accommodation when visiting Zamboanga City. It offers easy access to the city's must-see destinations. The hotel features comfy air-conditioned rooms, 24-hour room service, free Wi-Fi in all rooms, 24-hour security, and a 24-hour front desk.
Winzelle Suites
Located in the city proper, Winzelle Suites offers air-conditioned rooms with basic amenities and facilities to enrich your stay in Zamboanga City. The hotel provides free Wi-Fi in all rooms, 24-hour security, a convenience store, daily housekeeping, and 24-hour room service.
Casa Cenelar Pension
If you are looking for a budget-friendly room in Zamboanga, you might consider the Casa Cenelar Pension. This lodging house offers air-conditioned rooms with basic amenities ideal for couples and families. It features free Wi-Fi in all rooms, a 24-hour front desk, Wi-Fi in public areas, and a car park.
Where to eat in Zamboanga City
For foodies out there, Zamboanga City offers a lot of exciting delicacies. From Filpino dishes, Malaysian cuisine to Spanish cuisine, Zamboanga offers much mouth-watering food. Below are suggested places to eat in Zamboanga City.
Bay Tal Mal Restaurant
Alavar Seafood Restaurant
Dennis Coffee Garden
Paseo Del Mar Streetfood
Hacienda Del Palmeras Restuarant
Zamboanga Tourist Spots ( Attractions in Zamboanga City )
Pink Sand Beach of Zamboanga
Santa Cruz Island is a sandbar of little Sta Cruz visit destination in Zamboanga city. It is famous for its pink sand. Yes, there's a pink beach! The Great Sta. Cruz Island is one of the best pink beaches in the world that you should include in your travel bucket list. It's a protected area, 20 minutes by boat from Paseo Del Mar. You may visit this REVIEW.
The Great Sta. Cruz Island Lagoon
Aside from walking into the white sands and swimming to the clear water of Pink Sand Beach, the best thing to do in Zamboanga is boating in the Great Sta. Cruz Island Lagoon. You will find here lush mangroves and hundreds of non-stinging jellyfish. Another exciting to do in this spit is a ride in a colorful vinta boat.
The sandbar of little Sta Cruz
A side trip to the sandbar of little Sta Cruz Island is a must. It is a highly protected sanctuary for sea turtles and other marine life. It's visible all the time. Tourists are only allowed to stay here for 10-15 minutes. This destination is also only allowed one boat at a time to avoid crowds. Swimming is also not allowed to avoid contaminating the water with sunblock and other skin products.
Paseo Del Mar
If you are looking for a great sunset, Paseo Del Mar is the place to be. Many locals and domestic tourists are staying here to chill while waiting for the sunset. It's also a great place for a food trip. You can find here a lot of food establishments that offer affordable food.
Yakan Weaving Village
Visit the Yakan Weaving Village. It's home to the Yakans tribe, an indigenous group of people from Basilan. You will find here women weavers that make colorful clothing, bags, table runners, and many more.
Merloquet Falls
Merloquet Falls is another popular destination in Zamboanga. Located at Sitio Merloquet, Merloquet Falls is an unspoiled natural attraction that is around 2-3 hours from the Town Proper. It features a magnificent waterfall where you can enjoy the cold waters flowing down from the mountain.
Zamboanga City Hall
The city hall of the province is a must-visit destination in Zamboanga. It is considered as a National Historic Site by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, a perfect example of a Filipino Colonial Architectural design.
Camp Limbaga
Another destination to visit in the Town Tour is Camp Limbaga. It features 24 green boy scout huts. The camp was named in honor of Zamboanga resident Scout Antonio Limbaga. He was one of the 24 Filipino boy scouts who died in a plane crash on their way to the 11th World Jamboree in Greece on July 28, 1963.
Fort Pilar Shrine
Just a few minutes walk from the Paseo Del Mar, Fort Pilar Shrine is another destination that you need to visit when in the town proper. It is named after Our Lady of Pilar, the patroness of the Archdiocese of Zamboanga. Port Pillar is an open-air park and shrine that has several concrete benches where you can sit to pray and rest.
Zamboanga Tree House
You can take a quick visit to one of the Instagrammable houses in Zamboanga. The Zamboanga Tree House. It's surrounded by several trees and plants. The treehouse is for rent if you want to stay here overnight.
Once Islas
For beach lovers out there, island hopping is the best thing to do in Zamboanga. Go on the island hopping on Once Islas. This group of islands features 11 beautiful private and public islands These islands offer white sand beaches, crystal waters, and amazing rock formations. You can do a lot of things to do here like swimming, boating, hiking, and kayaking.
0 comments: