Bienvenidos Aqui Zamboanga!

CEBU, Philippines - Zamboanga City is a highly urbanized city located in the southern ends of Mindanao. It is the 6th most populous and 3rd largest city by land area in the Philippines. The Zamboangeños mainly speak Chabacano (broken Spanish) and Bisaya.

The fastest and easiest way going to Zamboanga City is by air. Cebu Pacific flies direct from Cebu to Zamboanga City, with two available flights daily - at 5 and 10 a.m. Travel time is approximately an hour and a half. There are no taxis cabs in this Southern Philippine city, but jeepneys, buses and motorcycles abound to get visitors from one place to another.

Places of Interest

Sta. Cruz Island. There are actually two Sta. Cruz islands in Zamboanga - the little Sta. Cruz Island and the Great Sta. Cruz Island. The little Sta. Cruz Island offers more beautiful spots and recreational activities. Here, visitors may explore the mangrove forest, frolic at the white sand bar, visit the native cemetery etc.

It is a mini-paradise, very famous for its pink sand, which is really such a marvel. Residents of the island say that pink corals are abundant in their surrounding seas. When rough waves smash the corals, the tiny particles are washed to the beach; hence, the pink sand. A round trip boat ride from Paseo Park to the island costs P200.00 per person, from 6 until 10 o'clock in the morning.

Lantaka Hotel. Referred to as "Hotel by the Sea," it is one of the most popular hotels in Zamboanga City. It has a 3-star hotel classification, and offers good service and delicious food.The hotel is close to beach resorts, shopping malls, public parks and the airport.

Fort Pilar Shrine. It's one of the Catholic Churches to be found in the city - very unique because it has no roof. Amazingly, the local faithful still attend mass there even if it rains or under searing sun.

Muruk. If Cebu City has Tops or Mountain View, Zamboanga has Muruk. The place overlooks the city, a nice picnic venue that's easily reachable by motorbikes-for-hire at P50 fare per person. Picnickers, though, have to bring their own food-and-water provisions since there are no sari-sari stores in the area. Muruk is also a good place for trekking, especially in the morning.

Paseo. It's a seaside park that's a very popular hangout place in the city. A number of restaurants and bars are found inside the park. People go there to eat and enjoy a drink, or simply to relax in the refreshing blows of the sea breeze and the sound of the waves.

Barter Market. This is a favorite destination of visitors and tourists for souvenirs like 'malong.' 'Malong' is perhaps the bestselling item of the market; it comes in different colors and designs. And it's quite affordable, with the price starting as low as P150 a piece.

Merloquet Falls. It is another favorite destination for tourists, located in Barangay Sibulao, about two hours bus ride from the city. One may take a bus bound to Dipolog, Pagadian or Ipil, and get down at the Vitali bus stop. The fare from Zamboanga to Vitali is P200 per person.

Zamboanga's Specialty Dishes

Ole! Ole! Restaurant. Located at Don Basilio Navarro Road, the place serves authentic Malaysian cuisine, with Malaysian pop songs for entertainment. The bestselling dishes are Egg Wrap and Mee Goreng. Egg wrap is spicy rice wrapped in scrambled egg, while MeeGoreng is spicy fried noodles mixed with several vegetables. The restaurant is open from 2 p.m. until 5 the next morning.

Jimmy's Satti House. Zamboanga's famous 'satti' is at its best at Jimmy's Restaurant. 'Satti' is a special kind of barbecue sauce which is very spicy. Most customers would have soft drinks or water ready, before digging in the barbecue. It makes a great meal and very affordable - a set of three sticks of barbecue and rice costs only P25.00.