Top 5 Activities in Zamboanga - Philippines

This is a city that is identified with flowers, but there is plenty more to it than just smelling roses. The top 5 activities in Zamboanga will show you just how diversified they are.

Swim at the Beach off Santa Cruz Island

There are numerous beaches in and around the peninsula, but if you have to choose one it will have to be the beach at Santa Cruz Island.

The waters are pure, the resorts are first class, and the folks there are friendly, but without a shadow of a doubt the sands are what compels the people to come. Pinkish white, they are absolutely one of a kind, and the only thing that can match them are the coral reefs and fish lying beneath the waters.

Flores de Mayo Festival

Festivals are plentiful in Zamboanga, and one of the most anticipated is the Flores de Mayo (the Flowers of May).

The Flores de Mayo is highlighted by the Santacruzan, which takes place at the culmination of the fiesta. Consisting of several street parades, the participants are dressed up as Biblical figures. The figure of Queen Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine is represented by a woman selected from a beauty pageant.

Camping at Pasonaca Park

One of the fastest growing tourist hotspots in the city is Pasonaca Park, particularly among camping enthusiasts.

The park is located at a mountain range just off the city, so the climate there is always breezy and acceptable for jamborees. To make camping easier, part of the area has been set aside for setting up tents and there are also pools of spring water you can bathe in.

Pay a Visit to Fort Pilar

Historical markers have always drawn people to Zamboanga and few are as well known as Fort Pilar.

The fortress was built way back in 1635 by the Spaniards as a shield against the Muslim fighters. It was originally called Real Fuerza de San Jose and was renamed Fort Pilar by the Americans when they captured it in 1899. Today the shrine within the fort draws in devotees from all over the Philippines, and there is also a museum there.

Get to Know the People at Rio Hondo

One of the best things you can do when visiting another country is to talk with the locals, and here the best place to do it is by the Rio Hondo.

The Rio Hondo refers to the river, but what draws tourists there is the sight of the local folks living in houses perched on stilts. You can see kids frolicking on the stilts as well as the men fishing and going about their daily lives. They are very friendly and will be happy to converse with you.