Colors of Zamboanga

It may have been a brave and bold move to visit this city that is geographically located in Zamboanga del Sur but governing independently as a city, because it is tainted by media generalization of being an unsafe place due to its relation to terrorists hideout and bombing. Much more brave and bold move to spend choose it as your birthday trip and spend your summer vacation there. But come on, is there literally a safer place now? I believe caution is what more needed when visiting any place. As an open-minded traveler, I dare you to follow my move.   

My mom was the number one person who is against my visit to Zamboanga. What she meant is that what kind of thing that got inside my mind that I want to spend my birthday trip in the city along with my best friends! I just laugh. I just don't want adventure. I want something different this time for my birthday. And I think this trip was kinda dare - even my friends who joined me in this trip felt a little apprehensive about this. I want to prove something about Zamboanga. And the best thing to do it to see and experience it!

Vene ya aqui na Zamboanga!

And so I pushed thru with this "brave and bold move" trip to Zamboanga. Actually, Zamboanga feels like home to me. I can fairly understood the dialect Chavacano which is widely spoken in the city as my mother's tongue dialect is Chavacano de Cavite. So getting around, asking directions and buying something is easy for me. But do not fret, English and Tagalog is widely spoken and understood as well even Bisaya dialect.

Just like the colorful sail of vinta (traditional boats) that Zamboanga is known for, I want to discover what colors of this city are offering. I begin with color Green in Merloquet Falls. It is located in Barangay Vitali and Sibulao which is 2 hours away from the city where you have to take a mandatory habal-habal ride for 30 minutes upon reaching the drop-off point. Once at the jump point, you have to take 334 steps on concrete staircase down to a ravine into the waterfall area. Upon reaching the ground of ravine, the loud splash of water from the river flow and lush green forests will greet you. As you shift your view in following the source of river flow, you will be astound to the scenery of Merloquet Falls - a 3 tier waterfalls that is dominantly colored green by its surrounding of lush vegetation and forests.

From the visitors level of viewpoint, Merloquet Falls can be seen as a 2-tier waterfall yet it is originally a 3-tier waterfall. The first tier at the top is hidden from the view as you have to do a hike on top of the 2nd tier to see it. At the 2nd tier has two sections - from left is a strong fall of water current and from right is a calm and slow fall of water current - this feature uniquely defines Merloquet Falls among the waterfalls I saw around the country. What I also like in the 2nd tier is a stage-like area where you can either walk among the rocks, bath on small pools or get a natural shower while meditating or just playing around. The 3rd tier flows into the river. The 334 steps going up is tiring for a couch potato like me but it was worth it as my natural birthday cake on my special day!

The iconic airport of Zamboanga.

Seeing GREEN at Merloquet Falls.

A tiring noon led us to an afternoon stroll on probably the famous "plaza" in Zamboanga City. Paseo del Mar is the public promenade and gathering area in the city which faces the seafront. People stroll here and probably hang out here every afternoon up to sundown as this public square is a good recreational area for public visits. Not it only faces the sea but it also has numerous restaurants, coffee shops, eateries and bars for every visitors convenience. We tried a famous merienda slash dessert in the city called Knickerbocker. At first I thought it is similar to the familiar halo-halo dessert but the difference is that it uses fresh fruits like apple, mango, pineapple and watermelon plus jellies. It is completed by condensed milk and top with scoops of strawberry ice cream which makes it creamier and filing. For me, its not that to much sweet like the conventional halo-halo but a creamy and refreshing sundae that is a must-eat when in Asia's latin city! 

In Paseo del Mar, as afternoon progresses to evening the sun sets into the sea. But before sundown, the sunset bathed Paseo del Mar in color Yellow. The seafront paseo became more dramatic with the basking glow of sunset yellow that plays with the moving shadows of the people in the seafront promenade. Another color of Zamboanga has been discovered.

Junction drop-off marker of Barangay Vitali to Merloquet Falls.

Knickerbocker at Paseo del Mar.

By night time, restaurant bars and cafes along Paseo del Mar started to become active. In one of the restaurant bars, my travel buddies spend my birthday dinner over a live band singing one of my favorite OPM song - Por Que - popularized by Zambonguena band Maldita in 2011. It was a memorable acoustic birthday night! 

The following day, we went to Santa Cruz Island to experience National Georgraphic 2017 top 21 beaches in the world - Pink Beach. As the name of the beach suggests, pink is the color of Zamboanga here. We had an advance booking to visit the island and the beach, a day prior. This is a requirement by the tourism office and their office are found in Paseo del Mar premises. From the Paseo del Mar docking port, travel time to Santa Cruz Island is 7 minutes via a rented boat. Santa Cruz Island is composed of two islands - Little Santa Cruz Island and Greater Santa Cruz Island. Great Santa Cruz Island is the popular destination between the two since this is where are the Pink Beach is located and the facilities here are more developed. While Little Santa Cruz Island is prohibited from visitors by the Philippine Navy and Armed Forces.  Both islands are protected landscape and seascape by the Philippine government.

Seeing YELLOW at Paseo del Mar.

Nightlife in Asia's latin city!

Pink Beach is one amazing unique beach! Wide, clean and scenic, it is guaranteed to quench your mood for summer. Pink Beach is actually a white sand beach but it has a tinge of light pink in color because of pulverized Red Organ Pipe Coral that mixed within the white sand. On a closer look, you'll see the crushed red coral is mixed with the white sand that collectively becomes pink on the whole beach area. The pink hue of the beach becomes stronger especially when the sand crashes with the waves of the water on the shore.   

They said it is also dangerous to visit the island because of the labels that Zamboanga earned from the social media. But during my birthday trip there, I didn't feel threaten or danger in the island. I felt more secure as well with the presence of military outpost guarding in the area. So I frolic in the beach taking numerous scenic shot of Santa Cruz Island while my friends went into good swim. The only regret we  had is that we didn't try the tour into the lagoon and community area of the island where we can experience the culture of local tribe who were inhabiting the island and try a Vinta boat ride. Vinta is a famous symbol of Zamboanga City.

Seeing PINK...

Pink Beach - 2017 National Georgraphic's Top 21 beaches in the world!

That night, we went to BLOC1 bar, to celebrate my 2nd night of  birthday trip in Zamboanga City. The dominant neon blue lights that scatters everywhere at BLOC1 gives off the Blue hue of the city. BLOC1 is located in Tetuan district of Zamboanga which is quite far from downtown but nonetheless a loud party place to celebrate. Here, I got to taste what's nightlife in Zamboanga. Loaded with booze and food for the night, we danced away to the cool sounds and party music played by their resident DJ. There's no curfew in the city but bars here closes as early as 2 in the morning unlike in Manila which goes til 4am! And on security, the unusual is there 3 security personnel at the bar - a bouncer, a security guard and a military on-duty. After this night's celebration, we went home early.

Birthday celebration while seeing all colored BLUE in BLOC1.

The famous Tree House of Pasonanca Park.

We started early in the morning to discover the Green colors in Pasonanca Park, a public park that is 15 minutes away from downtown. In this park, you'll find the famous Tree House of Zamboanga which can be rented for accommodation. Other sights to see in the park are aviary, butterfly garden, boys and girls scout camp. And lots of greenery spaces of tall trees, grasses, flowering plants and shrubs.

In Canelar Barter Trade Center, colors of the city sprouts everywhere in its textile market. Endless rows of fabrics of various colors and designs are being sold here. It is also where you bought pasalubong (souvenirs) and cheap goods like chocolate, cookies and bags from Indonesia and Malaysia (Zamboanga is also a trading port near these countries) to bring home. It is 7 to 10 minutes away from Pueblo (downtown).

One of the sights in Pasonanca Park.

Los colores de Zamboanga in Canelar Barter Trade Center.

I find White color in Metropolitan Cathderal of Immaculate Concepcion which also known as Zamboanga Cathedral. The church is a modern structure right in the heart of Zamboanga that strikingly bathed in white color. The white imposing structure is the seat of Archdiocese of Zamboanga. It is one of the biggest church I've seen in my travels to Mindanao.

Then in Fort Pilar, I found color Orange as the last color to discover in Zamboanga. The orange tinge walls of the fortress dominates the whole structure from the ground up to its overlooking facade. We failed to look into its museum but we had a beautiful scenic viewing of the sea and the city from its overlooking facade. Fort Pilar is a military defense fortress built during the Spanish colonization of the city. It is originally known as Real Fuerza de Nuestra Senora del Pilar de Zaragoza (Royal Fort of Our Lady of the Pillar of Zaragoza) in which on its outside eastern wall a Marian shrine is dedicated to Our Lady of the Pillar. Today it is a regional museum of the National Museum of the Philippines.

Find the WHITE color in Metropolitan Cathderal of Immaculate Concepcion.

Seeing ORANGE color in Fort Pilar.

Adios Zamboanga!

Zamboanga is colorful. Asia's latin city for its Spanish creole widely spoken dialect Chavacano as one of the huge Spanish influences in its history and culture. Yet harmoniously living alongside with the culture and people of Muslim and Badjao. It has full of wonders to discover its colors in its sights like the pink of Sta. Cruz Island, green of Merloquet Falls and orange of Fort Pilar are some. Yet it still tainted black by terrorist threat and sensationalized media news that I wish will end soon. But all you need when you visit the city is caution and open-mindedness - just like in every trip you embark. See Zamboanga in its other side... It's colorful.


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*How to reach Merloquet Falls.
Ride a van that plies to Barangay Vitali at Gateway Mall van terminal. The terminal is outside the mall building. Be sure to ride the van passes thru Barangay Vitali as there are other vans going somewhere else in that terminal. We almost rode a wrong one. Better ask the driver himself or the dispatcher for the correct van. Travel time is 1.5 to 2 hours and fare is 100PHP per person as of March 2017. Ask the driver to alight you at the drop-off of habal-habal terminal at Barangay Vitali. PNP Station is your marker at the drop-off point. Hire a habal-habal that will take you to Barangay Sibulao where the waterfalls is located. Note that habal-habal (2 wheel motorcycle which can accomodate 2 person) is the only public transportation to the waterfalls. Travel time from the terminal to the waterfalls jump point is 20-30 minutes and fare is 50-70PHP per person as of March 2017. At the drop point to the falls, you need to register and pay 5PHP entrance per person. A concrete staircase of 334 steps will lead you down to the falls for a 10-15 minute hike. Going back is still the same route. Just asked your habal-habal driver to wait for you and ask to drop you off to the highway where vans bound to Zamboanga City passes thru or to the van terminal that plies back to the city.

*How to reach Sta. Cruz Island.
Prior reservation is a must before visiting the island - like a day before the trip. Visit first the booking office at Paseo del Mar. The Department of Tourism office is also in Paseo del Mar for other inquiries. You must accomplish two booking forms with information provided on your visit to Santa Cruz Island. They will get your number in order to remind of your trip to the island the following day which is 30 minutes before your agreed departure time. Boat rental to the island is 1000PHP good for 10 person maximum and rate is back and forth trip. There's an entrance fee of 20PHP and terminal fee of 5PHP per passenger. A mandatory cottage rental is 100PHP good for a maximum of 6 person. During our visit, we don't have a military escort on the boat going to and leaving the island which was accustom and experience of other visitors, however in the island there is a post station of Philippine Police and Military Army. It is safe to visit the island. Visit to the island only is strictly for day trip only from 7am to 2pm as overnight trip is not allowed so maximize your visit by leaving at 2pm. Please note also that there are no establishment and stores in the island except for restrooms for shower and cloth changing. So bring your own food as this is allowed - just keep the trashes to the designated bins.

*How to reach Paseo del Mar. 
Hire a tricycle in the city and tell the driver to alight you to Paseo del Mar. Ask the fare first before riding as the standard rate per person is 9PHP as of March 2017.
 
*Accomodation in Zamboanga City. 
Cityinn Hotel
Governor Alvarez Street corner La Purisima Street, Zamboanga City
Telephone No: (062)955-4058/0936-6088777 (TM)/0947-7615734 (Smart)
Email: cityinnzam@gmail.com