The Philippines is an archipelago consisting of over 7,000 islands. Amongst these islands, you will find some of the most dazzling shorelines in the world.
The countries booming tourism industry is a testament to what the country has to offer; this was reinforced by the work of the National Geographic, who chose the Great Santa Cruz Island in Zamboanga as one of the 21 best beaches in the world.
Great Santa Cruz Island is most famous for its Pink Beach. This beach is known for its unique pink hue to the sand; this is due to the crushed red organ pipe corals mixing with the sand on the shoreline.
The intensity of the colour varies due to several factors. This ranges from weather conditions to how much foot traffic the beach may be experiencing. The colour intensity is strongest by the shoreline, where the fresh coral has washed ashore and more moisture is found in the sand.
Much work is now being done to preserve the island from the onslaught of tourists in order to preserve its beauty. Due to the volatility of the area, a lot of tourists hold concerns about visiting the island. Initiatives are also underway to provide a safe and secure experience for travellers coming to the island.
You will notice military personnel around the island who are posted to maintain the islands’ stature as a secure island. Tourists are recommended to only use official transport to and from the island.
People will offer to take you privately, though taking the risk is not recommended when secure alternatives are available.
So, how do I get to Great Santa Cruz Island?
The first step begins with making your way to Zamboanga. The majority of people will be making their way from one of the major population centres, such as Cebu City or Manila. From there it’s as simple as booking a flight with one of the major airlines such as Cebu Pacific or Philippines airlines.
Flying within the country is relatively easy and inexpensive, the airlines often have promo fares, so if you want to travel on a budget it helps to be flexible and arrange your travel times around these promotions.
Once in Zamboanga, you will need to make your way to Paseo Del Mar. This is a small park which neighbours the Zamboanga Port on the cities southern coastline. There you will find the ferry terminal, which will take you by boat to the Great Santa Cruz island.
Enticing tourists to visit Zamboanga
It’s unlikely many will make significant travel arrangements to see one beach. Though, the island acts as one of many reasons tourists should visit the area. Zamboanga, or even Mindanao as a whole, still carries a stigma of danger due to the frequent conflict found across the region.
Due to this unrest, the tourism in the region has never flourished as much as it should. The city is an industrial hub, as its port is a commercial centre point of the region. The city is also seen as a cultural symbol of the countries Spanish colonial past.
The food, architectural style, as well as the local Chavacano language all heavily point to this past. Which, in turn earns the city the moniker of being Asia’s Latin city.
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