Ayyy, Zamboanga!
Zamboanga, the exotic sounding highly urbanised city is a glimmering gem encased in sparkling turquoise waters. So when our friends in the Department of Tourism Region 9 invited us over for a firsthand experience of the renowned Zamboanga Hermosa Festival, we packed our bags and jumped at the opportunity.
Right off the bat we found ourselves immersed in our very first event: the highly competitive Regatta de Zamboanga. The sun shone favourably upon some 200 vintas (traditional sail boats) and sailors ready to coast the curved shores of R. T. Lim Boulevard in a bid to win 15,000 pesos and the title of champion. Open to all Zamboangueños, the race has been a pillar event of the Hermosa Festival and is a vibrant tribute to their patron saint, La Virgen Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zarragosa.
Fittingly, vinta 001 emerged as the overall champion, neon sails pulled to attention as they sailed toward the cheers of crowds spanning the finishing shoreline. Their win was followed by another show of victory, an impressive capability demonstration held by the Philippine Navy through the Naval Forces Western Mindanao. Fresh from the thrill of the show, we were ushered to the Wow Sardinas Grand Boodle Fight where the masses come together to partake in a public feast of tinned sardines and crackers, highlighting the city’s standing as the Sardines Capital of the Philippines—aptly titled considering 9 out of 12
national sardine companies operate within Zamboanga, accounting for roughly 70% of the city’s economy.
Invited on a row boat to gently amble downstream through the merry mangroves of Zamboanga, we became acquainted with the workings of a mangrove (and harmless upside-down jellyfish which run rampant in these parts). Brought to a halt, we were told to reach into the water and, carefully avoiding algae, to pull up strands of lato. The deliciously savoury sea grapes grow in abundance around here—also known as “green caviar” for its characteristic salty taste and explosive crunch akin to that of roe. The department of tourism takes vast measures to promote the preservation of the mangroves because one square metre of sea grass can produce up to 10L of oxygen—just one of the benefits of a healthy mangrove ecosystem.
Anton Mari H. Lim is someone familiar to these areas as the founder of Yellow Boat Project (www.yellowboat.org), a donation-based organisation that builds boats for children in underprivileged river areas to help them get to school safe and dry. “You don’t have to be swimming to school to know how it is to be swimming to school. It’s about empathy,” he explains, as we watch the community of bright yellow boats bobbing in the water, a noble and successful attempt at community-based ecotourism.
Breathtaking bodies of water was a running theme throughout our trip as we were brought to Onse Islas in Panubigan where we trekked on the serene Sirromon Island for a scenic lunch surrounded by sparkling waters and then to Bisaya-bisaya Island for a splashy afternoon of sunbathing, kayaking and laughter among astounding rock formations. It should be mentioned that all islands were maintained to an impressive standard of cleanliness as part of the “Garbage In, Garbage Out” policy.
For two consecutive nights, Bay Tal Mal Restaurant were our kind dinner hosts as we dined on a symphony of spices and herbs in their famed Latal platter parading a variety of traditional Tausug dishes such as tyula itum and beef kulma. Another iconic must-try we came across was Alavar Seafood Restaurant where we had our first taste of curacha: a luscious and fleshy deep sea crab, cooked in Alavar’s iconic sauce.
Speaking of curachas, they make for wonderful island feasts to be devoured voraciously after a morning of beachy fun in the sun on Great Santa Cruz Island. The island is known for its pink coralline sand and as our guide aptly puts it, “If Santa Cruz had a Facebook page, its profile picture would be its pink sand.” As one of the protected areas in the Philippines, it has been recognised by National Geographic as one of the best beaches in the world and taking in the contrast of the aquamarine waters against the dotted pink sand, it’s not difficult to see why. Visitors are regulated and should make advanced bookings and reservations through the tourism office before their visits.
To cap off our experience of the vibrant Zamboanga Hermosa Festival, the Mascota Del Zamboanga competition was our final magnificent sight to behold, the definite icing on the cake from the series of exhilarating events leading up to this. An opulent fashion showdown that takes you through the ages, the competition took place at the Astoria Regency Convention Center and shone a spotlight on 15 intricate designs by local up-and-coming designers. The stunning mascotas, elaborate Spanish-inspired formal ball gowns worn by aristocratic Zamboangueño women back in the day, are showstoppers in their own right and absolutely iconic to say the least.
A BIG shout-out to our friends in the Department of Tourism Region 9 for showing us around Zamboanga. For more information on Zamboanga, head over to their Facebook page at @tourism9zampen.