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“Tatay, the seashore isn’t pink in any respect!” exclaimed our toddler as quickly as we disembarked from the boat and touched sand at Zamboanga Metropolis’s Nice Sta. Cruz Island—the house of the so-called Pink Seaside within the Philippines. And certainly, if you happen to take a glancing look, our son, can’t be extra proper. The seashore doesn’t look pink in any respect, however appears to be like somewhat like every other white sand seashore within the nation. However, why is it dubbed as one of many few pink seashores not solely within the nation, however on the earth? Is Zamboanga’s Pink Seaside actually pink? Nicely, let’s discover out.
UNDERSTAND ZAMBOANGA STA. CRUZ ISLAND
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| A BOAT CROSSING THE WATERS BETWEEN MAINLAND ZAMBOANGA CITY AND STA. CRUZ ISLAND |
Santa Cruz Island is positioned 4 kilometers south of mainland Zamboanga Metropolis alongside the Basilan Strait. It’s so shut, about fifteen minutes by boat, that it will probably truly be seen by the bare eye from Zamboanga Metropolis’s Pueblo, or downtown space. It’s additionally the backdrop for the annual Regatta De Zamboanga boat race held on the R.T. Lim Boulevard in the course of the Zamboanga Hermosa Competition.
It’s divided into two islands—the Grande or Nice Santa Cruz Island, which is the primary island, and the Little Santa Cruz Island, a small islet northwest of the primary one.
HOW TO GET TO STA. CRUZ ISLAND ~ BOOKING A TOUR
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| SANTA CRUZ ISLAND FROM AFAR |
Attending to Zamboanga’s Pink Seaside is, as our son says, straightforward peasy. There are two methods to go about reserving a tour at Zamboanga’s Santa Cruz Island, the place the Pink Seaside is positioned.
The primary one is the DIY technique. Chances are you’ll contact the Zamboanga Tourism Workplace to order a tour, or just head over to the Zamboanga Tourism Workplace in Paseo Del Mar not less than someday earlier than your tour date.
However, if for some motive, you had been unable to order a slot a day earlier than your tour date, you’ll be able to probability on a slot by going on to the tourism workplace in case they’ve nonetheless obtainable slots for the day. Notice that solely 400 guests are allowed to go to Sta. Cruz Island a day.
Zamboanga Tourism Workplace: islasdesta.cruz@gmail.com | +63 (062) 975-6341 | Reserving time 7:00AM to five:00PM, Each day
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| REUSABLE WATER JUGS FROM ITRAVEL TOURIST LANE, SHUNNING THE USE OF PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES |
The second is by reserving a tour by way of accredited Zamboanga tour companies. We had ours by way of iTravel Vacationer Lane. That is the simplest method to go to Santa Cruz Island, they’ll deal with all the things from reserving a tour slot, paying for all of the charges, and getting ready a luxurious lunch. Our As soon as Islas Day Tour was additionally booked by means of them. Extremely advisable.
iTravel Vacationer Lane: +63 (995) 699-3274 | +63 (917) 722-6410 | +63 (917) 392-9474 | information@itraveltouristlane.com | Fb
STA. CRUZ ISLAND FEES
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| SANTA CRUZ ISLAND, ZAMBOANGA CITY |
Like most island excursions within the Philippines, there are charges vacationers have to pay when accessing the island. These are utilized in sustaining Santa Cruz Island and giving livelihood to the locals residing there.
• Entrance Price: ₱30.00
• Terminal Price: ₱5.00
• Ferry to Santa Cruz (10pax): ₱1,000.00
• Boat Switch to Lagoon or Sandbar (10pax): ₱200.00
• Yellow Boat for Lagoon Tour (2pax): ₱300.00
• Sandbar Tour (10pax): ₱100.00
• Small Cottage (10pax): ₱100.00
• Medium Cottage (15pax): ₱200.00
• Pavilion (30pax): ₱500.00
STA. CRUZ ISLAND DO’S & DON’T’S
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| SANTA CRUZ ISLAND, ZAMBOANGA CITY |
Earlier than going to Santa Cruz Island, you’ll have to personally attend a briefing at Paseo Del Mar. They’ll focus on what you’ll be able to and can’t do, and what you’ll be able to and can’t deliver on the island.
Learn and know this forward of your scheduled journey, as this may assist in planning your journey to Santa Cruz Island, particularly their coverage relating to single-use plastics.
• No in a single day tenting
• No taking of sand or seashells
• No leaving of trash on the island. Rubbish in, rubbish out.
• No single-use plastic luggage and bottles. Put your meals in microwavables or Tupperware packaging, and drinks on reusable tumblers.
• No vandalism of any form is allowed.
• No climbing of bushes allowed.
• No pets allowed.
• No alcoholic drinks allowed.
• No smoking or vaping allowed.
• No fishing allowed, fishing rods are prohibited.
• No washing of dishes on the seashore allowed.
• No nudity allowed.
• Grilling of meals is barely allowed on designated areas.
• Loud audio system and videoke machines are allowed however want prior permits.
• Excursions are from 7:00AM to 2:00PM, Each day.
STA. CRUZ ISLAND TRAVEL TIPS
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| A VINTA AT SANTA CRUZ ISLAND’S MANGROVE AREA |
Know earlier than you go. Listed here are some suggestions for issues it’s essential to know earlier than going to Santa Cruz Island.
• Go early, as there’s a first-come first-served rule in case the island tour is overbooked. They solely permit 400 company a day.
• The most effective time to go to Santa Cruz Island is in the course of the summer time months of March to Could.
• Carry sufficient money for souvenirs and trinkets, there are retailers manned by locals promoting vacationer souvenirs proper on the island.
• You may deliver meals and drinks, however make sure you put it on microwavable or Tupperware containers as they don’t permit single-use plastics on the island. For drinks, put it on reusable jugs or tumblers—single use pet bottles aren’t allowed.
• Carry a snorkel with you. Zamboanga’s Pink Sand Seaside is an efficient snorkeling space. Simply watch out with the present, because it will get sturdy at instances.
• Carry aqua footwear in case you have, the Pink Seaside is suffering from crushed corals that’s uncomfortable to the ft.
• There is no such thing as a altering space in Pink Seaside, however you’ll be able to nonetheless deliver a change of garments simply so that you’d be dry on the way in which again to Zamboanga Metropolis.
• Carry a hat, sunblock, and different sun-protecting issues particularly when visiting the Little Santa Cruz Island Sandbar, as there isn’t any shade on the island.
STA. CRUZ ISLAND DAY TOUR
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| SANTA CRUZ ISLAND, WITH MAINLAND ZAMBOANGA AT THE BACKGROUND |
I used to be truly stunned that there’s extra to visiting Santa Cruz Island in addition to Zamboanga’s Pink Seaside. My preliminary impression was that you simply go to Santa Cruz Island only for the Pink Seaside. Nicely, I used to be improper, there’s extra to touring Santa Cruz than simply the famed seashore.
LITTLE STA. CRUZ ISLAND SANDBAR
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| THE SANDBAR AT LITTLE SANTA CRUZ ISLAND |
Relying on the tides, the sandbar at Little Santa Cruz Island could also be your first or final cease in your Zamboanga Santa Cruz Island tour. If the tide is low in the course of the early morning, like once we visited, then it’s gonna be your first cease.
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| THE SANDBAR ALSO HAS THAT PINKISH HUE |
The sandbar is about half a kilometer lengthy and stretches from the ocean as much as the Little Santa Cruz Island. The sandbar is usually made up of damaged or crushed corals, remnants of dynamite fishing within the space from years previous. And even at this sandbar, you’ll be able to see hues of sunshine pink on the sand, like that of the Pink Seaside on the Nice Santa Cruz Island. That is from crushed pink organ pipe corals that litter the sand.
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| A RED ORGAN PIPE CORAL |
Notice, nonetheless, that as stunning as its waters are, swimming isn’t allowed on the sandbar on account of very sturdy currents. And stepping foot on Little Santa Cruz Island is off limits to vacationers since it’s an official Philippine army camp.
STA. CRUZ ISLAND MANGROVE FOREST LAGOON, STINGLESS JELLYFISH, VINTA BOAT RIDE
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| YELLOW BOATS USED IN TOURING THE SANTA CRUZ MANGROVE FOREST |
A tour of the Nice Santa Cruz Island’s mangrove forest lagoon could be included along with your tour of Zamboanga’s Pink Seaside. It truly was our second cease. After the sandbar, we boarded a ship to the Badjao neighborhood, the place we transferred to smaller Yellow Boats for a really serene boat-paddled tour of Zamboanga’s mangrove forest lagoon.
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| UMBRELLAS ARE PROVIDED FOR TO SHADE AGAINST THE SUN |
Every boat comes with a information that rattles off details about the mangroves interspersed with vigorous jokes. He additionally harvested recent lato or sea grapes, to our toddler’s delight—it’s one among his favourite meals. He shortly made a snack of it as we pushed alongside the mangroves.
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| STINGLESS JELLYFISH AT SANTA CRUZ ISLAND |
One other distinctive function of the Sta. Cruz mangrove is the proliferation of upside-down jellyfish of the genus Cassiopea, that are surprisingly stingless. Our information invited us contact it, with cautious directions in dealing with it correctly.
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| TRYING TO RIDE A VINTA |
And earlier than exiting the mangrove forest, a colourful vinta boat awaited us for a trip. All of us took turns, paddling the boat round an space of the lagoon, taking various images for posterity, earlier than heading again to the Yellow Boat docking space.
GREAT STA. CRUZ ISLAND PINK BEACH – IS IT REALLY PINK?
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| SANTA CRUZ ISLAND’S PINK BEACH |
And at last, it was time to go to the primary draw of the tour, the Pink Seaside. However earlier than we delve additional, let’s get the reality out, is Zamboanga’s Pink Seaside actually pink?
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| NOT REALLY BRIGHT PINK |
I noticed a number of images of Zamboanga’s Pink Seaside across the Web with the sand being portrayed as vibrant pink. For those who consider it’s that pink, then you definately’d be dissatisfied—these are closely photoshopped pictures.
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| OFTENTIMES, IT LOOKS LIKE ANY ORDINARY WHITE BEACH |
Upon first look, the Pink Seaside is hardly pink. It truly appears to be like like an odd white sand seashore, as my son says. However look longer, particularly on the foreshore space, the place the water rushes on and off the sand, and also you’d discover a really refined shade of pink. You’d additionally discover this on the seashore itself when the solar hits it on sure angles.
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| CRUSHED RED ORGAN PIPE CORALS AT ZAMBOANGA’S PINK BEACH |
Look nearer and also you’d discover why, you’d see specks of pink sand—crushed pink organ pipe corals (Tubipora musica)—interspersed with common white sand. I’ve seen these on all of the pink seashores I’ve visited—Subic Seaside Sorsogon, Duyos Seaside Dinagat Islands, and Komodo Island in Indonesia.
And now that’s over with, let’s take a look at what the Pink Seaside has to supply for vacationers.
GREAT STA. CRUZ ISLAND PINK BEACH
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| SANTA CRUZ ISLAND PINK BEACH’S SHADED TOURIST AREA |
Zamboanga’s Pink Seaside stretches for round 360 meters. It’s truly longer than that, however most vacationers keep inside that primary space because the huts and pavilions are positioned on these entrance.
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| THE SAND AT THE PINK BEACH IS FINE, BUT HAS BROKEN CORALS |
The sand is sort of wonderful, although not as wonderful as these in Boracay White Seaside, and is blended with bits of damaged corals that may be painful if stepped on. The seabed has a comparatively steep slope so swim near the shore if you happen to’re not good at swimming. Additionally, throughout our keep, the water present was fairly sturdy, so take warning when snorkeling removed from the shore.
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| PINK BEACH’S I ♥ ZAMBOANGA SIGN |
There’s an I ♥ ZAMBOANGA signal on the western aspect of the seashore, which is a well-liked spot for selfies within the Pink Seaside. And I additionally noticed vintas being rented out to vacationers close to the world.
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| VENDORS SELLING JEWELRIES AND TRINKETS ON PINK BEACH |
On the middle of the tree-covered a part of the seashore are stalls promoting jewelries, trinkets, and souvenirs.
SEAFOOD LUNCH
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| OUR LUNCH HUT AT ZAMBOANGA PINK BEACH |
Apart from bringing your personal meals in Santa Cruz Island, DIY vacationers even have the choice of shopping for lunch on the seafood distributors on the island. There is no such thing as a restaurant, however these distributors can grill the meals for you.
Us, we booked our Santa Cruz Island tour by way of iTravel Vacationer Lane and lunch was already bundled with it.
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| SUPERB SEAFOOD LUNCH PROVIDED BY ITRAVEL TOURIST LANE |
Upon returning to the hut reserved to us after swimming, we had been greeted with a beneficiant unfold of steamed shrimp and crabs; grilled fish, hen, and squid; recent fruits; and, Alavar sauce for dipping that basically elevated the dishes. I can truthfully say that it was probably the greatest seafood meals I’ve had in Zamboanga.
OLD BADJAO BURIAL GROUNDS CEMETERY
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| SANTA CRUZ ISLAND OLD BADJAO BURIAL GROUND |
Earlier than heading again downtown, we visited the Previous Badjao Burial Grounds on Santa Cruz Island. It was a couple of minutes away by foot on the japanese aspect of the Pink Seaside.
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| WOODEN EFFIGIES AS GRAVE MARKERS |
Situated good by the seashore, shaded by balete and calacuchi bushes, the cemetery silently sits. Coated with a thick carpet of dry leaves, it has no crosses or pictures you’d affiliate with Christian cemeteries since Badjaos, earlier than changing to Islam, had been pagans. The burial grounds are marked by wood effigies, a few of them on boats—signifying their kinship to the ocean as a nomadic seafaring tribe. Just a few of the effigies have material on their heads, marking them as a high-ranking particular person.
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| A NON-BADJAO GRAVE IN THE CEMETERY |
There are additionally some stone and concrete grave markers, which aren’t related to the Badjaos, however in all probability from Tausug and Sama Bangingi tribes.
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| AN OLD WOOD INSCRIBED WITH A SYMBOL |
As of now, the oldest current grave with inscription hasn’t actually been declared but, whereas the most recent one is from 1974. The native authorities, eager to protect the cemetery, has since disallowed using the burial floor, giving the Badjaos a more recent burial floor on one other space on the island.
STA. CRUZ ISLAND MAP
STA. CRUZ ISLAND ITINERARY
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| SANTA CRUZ ISLAND MANGROVE AREA |
07:00AM • Arrive at Paseo Del Mar in Zamboanga Metropolis
07:30AM • Sta. Cruz Island briefing and orientation
08:00AM • Depart for Sta. Cruz Island
08:15AM • Arrive and discover Little Santa Cruz Island Sandbar
08:30AM • Arrive at Yellow Boat docking space
• Discover Mangrove lagoon
• Eat sea grapes
• Sail on a vinta
09:30AM • Arrive at Zamboanga Pink Seaside
• Swim and snorkel
• Lounge on the seashore
• Discover the seashore
• Purchase souvenirs
12:00PM • Lunch
01:00PM • Discover Previous Badjao Burial Floor Cemetery
02:00PM • Depart to Zamboanga Metropolis Downtown
iTravel Vacationer Lane Zamboanga Excursions
Tackle: Mayor Jaldon St., Canelar, Zamboanga Metropolis
Contact Quantity: (0917) 724-3199
Electronic mail: information@itraveltouristlane.com
Fb | Web site
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