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Published by igodigital, 2017-04-14 11:06:49

Philippines

Travel Guide

Keywords: philippines,travel,guide,lonely planet

366 tween the Lantaka Hotel and Fort Pilar in
Zamboanga.
Rio Hondo, it’s built partially out over the
water; a mosque with red minarets built in z Festivals & Events
1885, the oldest on the Zamboanga Penin-
sula, dominates the skyline. The same sort The city’s main festival, Fiesta de Nuestra
of unwritten rules for visitors as Rio Hondo Señora Virgen del Pilar, takes place from
apply here; wear appropriate clothing and 10 to 12 October. Although a Christian festi-
ask if you want to take photos. Jeepneys go
to Taluksangay (35 minutes), or alternatively val, a time for parades, dances, markets and
you can hire a taxi to take you there and
back for around P150. food fairs, it’s enjoyed by the whole com-
munity. It also has a big regatta that brings
Santa Cruz Island ISLAND vintas out on the water.

Great Santa Cruz Island is around 7km off 4 Sleeping
‚ Veterans Ave
the Zamboanga waterfront, and is home to Lantaka Hotel HOTEL $$
Nunez St
LaSSuaPcnuatrabiasMmnMaCaarryiSeaoetrkJaldon St BUarrdcaenlRoenRtaaeSyStSettsonly a few dozen families from the Samal(%991 2033; Valderoza St; s/d from P950/1200;

‚tribe. Visitors come to see the 2km-longaWs) This venerable Zamboanga institu-

MINDANAO & SULU ZAMBOANGA PENINSULApinkish beach, coloured from finely crushedtion occupies a long swath of waterfront

red coral. You can swim here, but it’s on a complete with a pool, an outdoor bar and

busy shipping channel and currents are several small nipa huts for lounging. The

strong. Several bangka are licensed to trans- existing rooms are large and a little musty;

port visitors to Santa Cruz; the round-trip sea-view rooms have small balconies with

fare should cost about P2500 for up to six metal chairs. The old-school restaurant

people. Boats leave from the waterfront be-

Zamboanga e# 0 400 m
0 0.2 miles

ABCD

To Col Edwin To Alavar Seafood # To Santa Cruz
House (1.2km) Market (900m);
Andrews Bureau of Bus Terminal (1km)
Governor Alvarez Ave
Air Base (1km); Immigration #

1 Hana Sono (1.5km); 9 1
Airport;

Mano-Mano na

Greenfield (2km)

To Yakan Weaving

‚Village; La Vista Stì# #ì Campaner St
ÿ#
D(7e.5l Mkmar)Bu#úen5avista
2

2AlejSotAlvarez 2
Varela St
Calixto St

Don P Lorenzo St ‚

Corcuera St
P Burgos St

St‚
Gove6r#únMoraBLyTSoaimotsrrmiaLlaiAeatnvdseeCslmauadCMPJiSiotuaþ#yStSbrTkAltieoclaOtunrf4ifosicÿ#mSetP#ïe00000000rì#Pshl000000000000aCHi#ú#ænzia000000000000AtgaylTll7#ìm8e000000000000FPRro#úemlòf##inazr000000000000t#ìrazienyCalSaittlVyGaTlodoveOureGr›#forifesznicnRamoJTeeiaSezrr#ïaelatPLullpi3iSklVÿ#manstrAeaASylnvsvtgaertaeoyzSSBatnotaf#atsCî#trouzZGLeaegmnieobrnoanaV#l 1Han000000000Rigor(aLe4sHT000000000up0Ssooit0tttn000000000eRamdlioo000000000) 43
3

66664
ABCD

serves standard Filipino and generic inter- 367
national dishes.
oAlavar Seafood House SEAFOOD $$
Marcian Business Hotel HOTEL $$
(barangay Tetuan; mains P200) Seafood, of
(%991 0005; www.marcianhotel.com; Mayor Cesar course, is the speciality here – choose the
Climaco Ave; r from P1000; aW) Gleaming tile species, size and cooking method from a
menu of delicacies. What sets Alavar apart is
floors, spacious bathrooms with top-of-the- the beautiful trellis-covered backyard. Enjoy
a lantern-lit dinner serenaded by the loud
line shower heads, and beautifully designed squawking from an aviary of exotic birds.
It’s a P30 tricycle ride northeast of the city
boutique-style rooms make this the best centre.

midrange choice in the city. Located at one

of the busiest intersections, the Marcian is a

refuge from the noise and smog. Mano-Mano na Greenfield FILIPINO $

Grand Astoria Hotel HOTEL $$ (Governor Ramos St, barangay Santa Maria; mains MINDANAO & SULU ZE ATMIBNOGA N G A P&EANRI NOSUUNLDA

(%991 2510; www.grand.astoria.phil.com; Mayor from P70) Housed in a large flashy version

Jaldon St; s/d from P850/1200; aiW) This of the native-style outdoor pavilion, Mano-

efficiently run midrange institution is of- Mano specialises in grilled pork spareribs

ten booked by groups attending seminars, and baby back ribs. About 1km north of the

conventions, weddings and the like. Room Edwin Andrews Air Base.

decor is nothing special, but staff are quick Hai-san Restaurant SEAFOOD $$

to rectify any problems. Airline ticketing of- (San José Rd; meals P200) The just-caught sea-

fices and a restaurant on the ground floor. food on display is a menagerie of that day’s

5 Eating catch. Choose the specimen and style, and

There is a food court and several fast-food enjoy; almost everything is priced by weight.

joints in the Mindpro City Mall and South- Hana Sono JAPANESE $$
way Mall.
(Governor Camins Rd; sushi P140) Modern place

Mr Bean’s Café in the basement of the Garden Orchid Hotel.

CAFE $$ 7 Shopping

(Catribo Complex, Buenavista St; mains P150; W) About 7km out of Zamboanga, heading
west, the Yakan Weaving Village is really
Inside the Catribo Complex, a strip mall no more than a collection of six or seven
stalls selling some high-quality Yakan weav-
with several bars and restaurants, Mr Bean’s ings, such as table runners and place mats,
a little brassware and lots of ordinary mass-
serves good pizza. produced batik. Yakan are the indigenous
people of nearby Basilan Island, and their
La Vista Del Mar SEAFOOD $$ woven designs are characterised by bright
colours and geometric designs.
(mains P175) The best outdoor seafood restau-

rant is just past the Yakan Weaving Village

(taxi P100) west of the city.

Zamboanga

æ Sights 8 Information
1 Fort Pilar................................................ D4
The PNB and Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)
ÿ Sleeping around the plaza area and the Metrobank on La
2 Grand Astoria Hotel..............................B2 Purisma St have ATMs.
3 Lantaka Hotel ....................................... C4
4 Marcian Business Hotel.......................B3 There are internet cafes scattered around the
city centre east of Mayor Jaldon St and north of
ú Eating Plaza Pershing.
5 Catribo Complex...................................A2 BOI (%991 2234; 2nd fl, Radja Bldg, Airport Rd)
6 Hai-San Restaurant..............................A2 City Tourism Office (%992 3007; Valderoza
7 Mindpro City Mall..................................B2 St; h8am-noon & 1-5pm Mon-Sat) Next to the
Mr Bean's Café.............................. (see 5) Lantaka Hotel; a second office (%992 3007) is
8 Southway Mall.......................................B3 a block from Plaza Rizal.
Zamboanga Travel & Tours (%991 2033;
ï Transport Lantaka Hotel) The personable Paciencia Tan
9 Aleson Shipping Lines.......................... C1 Mañalac can provide everything from an oral
Zamboanga Travel & Tours......... (see 3) history of the city to day tours and airline
tickets.

368

GETTING TO SULU ISLANDS
MALAYSIA
Despite the mellifluous-sounding name, the
Aleson Shipping Lines (%991 500 or so islands of the Sulu archipelago,
2687; Veterans Ave) operates boats to stretching some 300km from Basilan to
Sandakan in Malaysia. Boats (econo- Borneo, have become synonymous with the
my/cabin P2900/3300) leave Zam- conflict between government troops and
boanga on Monday and Thursday in the Muslim separatist groups. The archipelago
early afternoon and arrive around 20 is divided into two provinces: Sulu, with its
hours later. They depart Sandakan on capital of Jolo (ho-lo), and Tawi-Tawi, with
Tuesday and Friday in the early evening. Bongao as its capital. It is further subdivided
into the Jolo, Tawi-Tawi, Tapul, Tapiantana,
MINDANAO & SULU SULU ISLANDS 8 Getting There & Away Pangutaran and Sibutu groups of islands.
Basilan, though the largest island in the
Few travellers venture to Zamboanga overland archipelago, is administratively part of the
and most arrive by plane. However, for the in- Zamboanga Peninsula.
trepid and patient who want to travel throughout
northern Mindanao before visiting the city, it’s The rather isolated Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi
possible to get either a fast ferry (four hours) or Group lies off the coast of Borneo, midway
bus (eight hours) in the town of Pagadian in the between Palawan and the Sulu archipelago.
far north of Zamboanga del Sur. These are still dangerous waters for sailors,
less because of the elements than because of
Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Super- pirates and smugglers. Smaller passenger
Ferry all have offices in a building attached to the
Lantaka Hotel. Sulu Islands 0 50 km
0 30 miles
Air
PAL, Airphil Express and Cebu Pacific fly To To Zamboanga
between Manila and Zamboanga (1½ hours) Zamboanga Tuburan
several times daily; the latter two also fly to
Cebu (one hour) and Davao several times a week Lamitan
(one hour), and to Jolo and Tawi-Tawi in the Sulu
archipelago. Isabela Basilan
Island
Boat
SuperFerry has weekly runs to Cebu (14 hours), Maluso
Davao (10 hours), General Santos (12 hours)
and Iloilo (12 hours); also twice-weekly boats to Pilas TAPIANTANA
Manila (48 hours). Smaller boats also run daily Island GROUP
to Cotabato. Negros Navigation boats leave for
Manila (32 hours) once weekly, going via Iloilo Balanguingui
on Panay. S U L U S E A Island

Smaller boats also run daily to from here to PANGGRUOTUAPRAIsJNloalPnoJdaotliokPualnaPmarMaaonaTgiamliPbpLKauautaonuabgkIisnGlgJaROanaOdLnUOIPsland
Cotabato. Tapul Island TAPUL GROUP
Pandungan Lugus Island Siasi
Bus Island
If you travel by road, travel only during the
daytime. Buses to Zamboanga run several times Sasi Sasi
daily until late morning from Dipolog (eight Lapac Island Island
hours) and Pagadian (seven hours). The terminal
is near the Santa Cruz market on the outskirts Cap Island Bubuan
of town. Island

Laparan CELEBES
Island SEA

Tawi-Tawi Tandubatu Island
Island
TAWI-TAWI
GROUP

8 Getting Around Sanga Sanga Island Panglima Sugala
Bongao
The airport is 2km from the centre of Zam- Manuk Mankaw
boanga. Walk out of the arrivals hall and catch
a public tricycle, or take a special trip for P40. Bongao Island Simunul Island
Taxis cost around P150. From town you can take
a jeepney marked ‘Canelar-Airport’. To Malaysian Sibutu SIBUTU
Borneo Island GROUP

Sitangkai






























































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