Jump to: Overview | How to Get There | Things to Do | Food to Try | Travel Tips | My Solo Backpacking | Cheap Hotels
Overview of Zamboanga City
"The Latin City of Asia" was given to Zamboanga City because of its language, called "chavacano," similar to Spanish. The city is situated on the Southern side of the Zamboanga Peninsula and the Northern side of Basilan. Aside from their language, the city is also prominent with its "vinta," a colorful and stunning sailboat or watercraft that is usually used by the locals. Using Google Maps, had a walking tour of their top tourist spots and destinations.
How to Get to Zamboanga City
By Air: Book a flight from Manila to Zamboanga City. Travel time is about an hour and fifteen minutes. Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines have daily flights to their international airport. Then, I walked on the street to the highway and rode in a jeepney, and the driver dropped me off on the street near the city hall. Minimum fare.
Top Things to Do in Zamboanga City
- Check the City Hall
- Visit the Pink Sand Beach in Sta. Cruz Island
- Ride a Vinta at Paseo del Mar
- Explore Fort Pilar and the museum
- Take a selfie at the Rizal Park
Must-Try Food in Zamboanga
The city has an amazing combination of cultures, and thus, the taste reflects its origin. A must-try is local delicacies like Satti, which is a street food featuring grilled skewers dipped into a sumptuous sauce. Next is the Curacha (spiced crab). Enjoy the refreshing dessert called Knickerbocker, which is a combination of fresh fruits, nata de coco, gulaman, and ice cream on top.
Travel Tips for Zamboanga Visitors
- Best time to visit: dry season (January to May)
- Bring sun protection.
- Respect cultural diversity—Zamboanga has Christian, Muslim, and indigenous communities.
My Solo Backpacking
This is Day 1 of my 9-Day solo backpacking in Mindanao. This journey covers ZamBaSulTa, Zamboanga Provinces, and Misamis Occidental. May Day 1 started at the Zamboanga City International Airport. To access the Public Utility Vehicles, I walked to the highway and rode in a jeepney to my first destination - the stunning Zamboanga City Hall. By the way, the driver dropped me off on the street near the city hall. Minimum fare. The city hall has a unique structural design with a clock tower in the middle. And from the City Hall, I used Google Maps to locate all tourist attractions in the area.
According to the Historical Marker: "Founded as a southern outpost of Spanish domain under the supervision of Mechor de Vera, 1635; attacked by the Duch, 1646; deserted when troops were concentrated in Manila to drive away Chinese pirates, 1663; reconstructed by the Society of Jesus, 1666; rebuilt under the management of Juan Sicarra, 1719; stormed by Dalasi, King of Sulig, with 3,000 Moros, 1720; cannonaded by the British, 1798; witnessed the mutiny of the seventy prisoners, 1872; abandoned by the Spaniards, 1898; occupied by the Americans under General J.C. Gates, 1899; seized by the Japanese, 1942; taken over by the Republic of the Philippines, 4 July 1946."
Cheap Hotels to Stay in Zamboanga
- Hermosa Hotel
- Cityinn Hotel
- Marian Garden Hotel
- L Meridian Suites
- Hotel Primera
There are a lot of hotels, lodgings, and pension houses in the city. However, their rates are certainly higher than my allotted budget (less than a thousand pesos). On the Google Maps mobile app, I searched "hotel," and it gave me a lot of choices, but it was still expensive. Using the app, I walked on the streets and checked the rates of all the hotels nearby. I finally found one, so I checked in at Hermosa Hotel because they have the lowest price, 750 pesos for an overnight stay, with two single beds, aircon, and toilet and bath. Room Quality: 6/10.
