(Part 3) Zamboanga's Zest and Best!!: The Pink Sand and Colorful Vintas of Santa Cruz Island

- Nov. 1, 2019, Friday, All Saints' Day.

- Zamboaga City may be rich in cultural heritage brought about by the different Philippine ethno-linguistic groups who call the city their home, but Zamboanga is also rich in natural wonders. Now I don't usually go do nature-stuff when I travel since my focus and personal interest is on history and different cultures, but I do make exceptions for "must-see" natural places. Among the many natural wonders Zamboanga is known for, its most prominent natural tourist spot is the Great Santa Cruz Island, along with its neighboring Little Santa Cruz Island. The Great Santa Cruz Island is known for its pink sand, made from reddish and pinkish dead colors that wash ashore and eventually break down into grains of sand. Note that the island's pink hue can only be seen when the lighting (or camera settings!) are just right. This is due to the pink sand mixing with white sand, and so, usually if there's too much light, people can only see the whiteness of the sand, but not its pinkness. This island is so unique that the National Geographic called it as one of the 21 best beaches in the world in 2017!!

- My award-winning tour guide, Mr. Errold Bayona from Zamboanga iTravel Tourist Lane, picked me up at the hotel around 7am, and we were both dropped off by our van driver at the Paseo del Mar ferry terminal for my mandatory pre-departure orientation. All those planning to go to the island need to go through this pre-departure orientation as there are strict guidelines to follow, such as no throwing of trash in the island, no taking home of the pink sand or shells from the island, and so on. This is to preserve the beauty of the island, especially since it takes hundreds to thousands of years for the island to recover in case people are careless enough to destroy it.

Orientation with Mr. Richard Alyangan, the protected area superinterndent of the Protected Area Management Office.

- To get to Santa Cruz Island, guests must register at the city's tourism office near Paseo del Mar to reserve a slot, as boats are not always available for walk-in customers. Normally, each chartered boat can take from 1 to 10 people, and for groups less than 10, they may join other groups to to lessen the cost of the boat fare. Since I signed up for a tour via a travel agency, my registration was done beforehand and all I had to go was show up, attend the orientation, and sail away!! (Again, I signed up with Zamboanga iTravel Tourist Lane, the best travel agency for tours around Zamboanga and nearby provinces like Basilan, click here for their website.)

- The journey took around 10-15 minutes, with a good view of nearby Basilan's cloudy mountains, before seeing the vibrant "I ♥ Zamboanga"sign at the coast of the Great Santa Cruz Island. After waiting for the other tourists to arrive, I got on a boat for my island tour. You see, there is more to this island than just its pretty sand and regular activities you can do at the beach. It has a rich ecosystem which I'd normally only see in books or on TV - or maybe I'm just saying this because I don't usually like going near the sea since I don't usually like going to beaches. However, I'll make an exception for this island! The entry point to the island tour is the dense mangrove forest at the shallow part of the sea (so shallow that the deepest point is around 3 feet). It was my first time to see the seabed so close, that I saw many species of sea grass, sea anemones, sand dollars, big starfishes, strikingly-colored sea slugs (that looked like Pokemon), and some small fish. Riding a boat in this part of the island reminded me of my river cruise in Brunei (click here to see my trip to Brunei.)

Military people also go to the island everyday to guard it.

Colors of the harbor.

Boats.

Hello mountains of Basilan!!

See the pinkish hue of the sand?

It wasn't too bright so I was able to see the pinkish grains mixed with white ones.

As usual, I have to be in full costume.

These are called pipe corals, and as you can tell, these little buddies are responsible for making the sand reddish/pinkish.

- I later had the opportunity to hold the stingless upside down jellyfish, creatures that chose to hang out the other way around because that's the way they eat plankton. Visitors are allowed to hold and touch the jellyfish after a demonstration from Mr. Richard, who was acting as the group's guide. There is a specific way of how to hold the jellyfish without hurting, stressing, or "choking" them. Being the Chinese-Filipino that I am, the moment I saw the jellyfish, I immediately though of cold cuts (jellyfish tentacles are normally served as part of the cold cuts appetizer platter in a multi-course meal in big Chinese restaurants.) They were quite slimy and harder than the weightless appearance they have when they blob on in the sea. I also got to harvest the freshest sea grapes, also called "green caviar," which is one of my favorite edible seaweeds ever! I didn't get to eat the whole thing since the bottom part had worms (and they're there to help fertilize the plant,) so I just got a teeny tiny piece from the top, washed it with sea water, and chomped on it. As expected, it was a delightful morning snack!

Entrance to the mangrove forest.

Children from the Sama Banguingui people.

Looks like an aquatic Narnia.

Mangrove trees.

OMG JELLYFISH!!!!

Yes they're always upside down.

You'll think they're sea anemone, but they're actually jellyfish.

Trying to hold them properly.

From the top of the bell.

From the tentacle side (these are actually its oral arms used for eating.)

Harvesting sea grapes.

I'd love to turn this into a bowl of salad right now (with onions, tomatoes, and saled egg)....if only there were no worms crawling hahahaha.

Taking a bite of my sea grass. My face doesn't show it but it tasted great!

- The highlight of the island tour was one of the main reasons why I decided to visit Zamboanga - the vinta and its colorful sails. The vinta, also known as "lepa-lepa" or "sakayan," is a boat originally created by the Badjao people, a group of people commonly known as "sea gypsies" as they traditionally live in little house boats on sea, or houses on stilts above the ocean. The vinta is known for its sails, normally with colorful triangles and stripes, and is commonly associated with Zamboanga as the Badjaos lived nearby. I had always wanted to see a vinta since I was in grade school because I have always been fascinated with patterns and colors (something people notice about me until today - especially with the way I dress.) It was also the most colorful kind of boat that I had seen in books or on television, so I knew that I had to see one in my lifetime.

- At least, colorful vintas docked near the shore, and we had our photos taken before riding them. I thought that the boatmen were supposed to row the boat, when Mr. Errold told me that I was supposed to row on my own - EVEN BETTER!!!! I rowed my own vinta for a couple of minutes before taking more photos while doing the traditional igal dance that is associated with the Badjaos (some dances that almost resemble the igal can be found in neighboring Moro groups such as the pangalay of the Tausug and the paunjalay of the Yakan.)

- One interesting thing about these vintas is that the opportunity to see or ride them on a normal day has not always been there. Usually, the vintas are only paraded during the Hermosa Festival, which happens annually around October, when the vintas are made to race in the ocean. However, the vinta sails are hand-woven and daily exposure to the sun can cause the sails to tear more easily or discolor (sunlight can easily make colors fade.) Later on, my guide Mr. Errold spearheaded a project where replica vinta sails made from sturdier fabric and still showing the traditional geometric shapes of an authentic vinta sail were presented and approved by the community. This way, a vinta-riding experience can not only give tourists what they want - as most tourists come to Zamboanga to see the vintas - and more importantly, give boatmen jobs. Speaking of the boatmen, most of the people employed to maintain the boats or offer these services were part of the urban poor absorbed by the government and were given jobs. They are slowly trained to be tour guides so they can eventually be accredited by the local tourism office. Some of them used to be involved in dynamite fishing or poaching marine resources; instead of driving them away, the local government thought of tourism as a way to give them a better form of livelihood.

Nearly screamed the moment I saw these vintas!!

This one was donated by the Ateneo de Zamboanga University, through the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation (and yes, that's why the boats are yellow.)

Still can't believe I'm seeing a vinta right before my very eyes!!

Step aside Moana.

A real live sand dollar!!

More sails.

This is one of the rare times that I'd walk through shallow sea water. (See how wet my pants are?) Also, I'm happy that I bought aquatic shoes so the sand grains don't have to stick to my feet.

The most awesome tour guide ever, Mr. Errold Bayona!!

A boatman and his vinta.

- I later rode on a regular boat to see the sandbar in the Little Santa Cruz island, an island across the Great Santa Cruz Island. A sandbar or shoal is a submerged bank, which normally appears during low tide, and slightly covered by water during the high tide. Fortunately, the tide wasn't high when I went there, so I was able to take some photos with the first sandbar that I had seen in my life.

It's literally a mix of land and water!

I found a seashell (but I returned it because I can't take anything out of the islands.)

Walking on a sandbar feels surreal!! Never thought I'd see one, or walk on one (!!) in my life, especially since I don't usually like going near the sea.

Doing igal/pangalay on top of a driftwood.

- Finally, we went back to the Great Santa Cruz Island to have some time for myself. Before that, I had a brief visit to a Badjao cemetery, quite apt for All Saints' Day. I learned that the Badjaos, who I mentioned traditionally live on the ocean, only go to land when they need to bury someone who has passed on. Many islands, including the Great Santa Cruz Island, are still used as Badjao cemeteries, although I think there are stricter government regulations now in order to protect these islands. Badjao tomb markers include wooden boats, carvings of men or women depending on the sex of the person who died, and other tomb "accessories" such as cloths wrapped around tombstones to mark the high rank of the dead person. Sometimes the complexity of the carvings may also show the high rank of the person who died. Although it was All Saints' Day, the cemetery (one of many on the island) was not busy since the Badjaos are Muslim and observe their Islamic counterpart one month before Ramadan; this happens around the middle of the year.

The blue-and-white cloth was recently changed by the family of the person buried here. You can see the man-in-the-boat tomb marker.

This is a tomb marker for a lady.

A tomb stone with a white cloth wrapped around it means that the person buried here had a high rank.

This wooden boat-shaped tomb marker, or what's left of it, is one of the oldest from this site and one of the most ornately-carved tomb marker. The family, however, refused to donate it to the museum unlike other good examples of traditional wooden tomb markers.

You can tell that these tomb stones belong to people from the same family.

Another detailed tomb marker.

- I spent my extra time buying souvenirs from the Sama-Banguingui people. There were only a few stalls, and mostly sell the same things. They sold really cheap souvenirs and accessories, so I bought a few, and I tried to buy from as many stalls as I can as a way to help them. While swimming was another normal activity for the tour's "free time," I decided to take more photos with the vinta sails hung on poles that can be found across the island.

YOHOO. BIG SUMMER BLOWOUT.

More pangalay/igal.

"OVER THERE."

A moment to appreciate the simple yet striking details of the vinta's sail.

- Mr. Errold and I sailed back to the Paseo del Mar ferry terminal, with my face as pink as the island from mild sunburn. I parted ways with Mr. Errold after he dropped me off at my hotel, officially ending my two half-day tours with one of the best tour guides ever, and took a bath and changed clothes. I rode the trike to KCC Mall of Zamboanga to have lunch at another highly-praised restaurant called Dennis Coffee Garden. Though its original branch is along San Jose Road, this one inside KCC might be more accessible from the city center. Dennis Coffee Garden started in 1962 as a regular hole-in-the-wall coffee shop serving Tausug coffee and Tausug pastries. Since I was starving from my morning island trip, I ordered two dishes: beef kulma (beef with coconut-curry gravy) and fish utak-utak (crunchy fish cakes.) I liked both dishes, although I would say that I preferred the chicken pianggang and tiyulah itum I had the day before (click here) as the flavors of the beef kulma and fish utak-utak were flavors I am quite familiar with (at least for someone like me who has tasted a wide variety of curries from around the world.)

Dennis!!

Fish utak-utak (left) and beef kulma (right.) Both were served with slices of cucumber topped with some sambal chili sauce.

The aesthetic of the restaurant is also Tausug-inspired. Look at that traditional lampshade!!

Reminds me of "The Greatest Showman."

- Although my lunch was great, I was more excited about the dessert since Dennis is more known for its Tausug rice pastries ("kakanin" in Filipino) paired with its bestseller, the "kahawa sug" ("kahawa" is from the Arabic "kahwa," which means "Coffee," and "sug" refers to the "Tausug" people.) I decided to try the biyaki (steamed grated sweet corn wrapped in corn husk) and the wadjit (purple glutinous rice cooked with coconut milk; it resembles the biko but softer and easier to eat!) I liked both the biyaki and the wadjit, but it was probably not a good idea to order two rice/corn cakes after two dishes for lunch because it was a very heavy meal. It was so heavy that I had to take my time (and lots of it) while finishing my dessert.

I got to sit on an authentic Tausug mat and ate on a small table (this was the table beside me, I had a nicer and more colorful mat. Something to suit my personality. HAHA.)

Biyaki (left, the yellow one,) and wadjist (right, the black one), and kahawa sug (obviously the one inside the mug; I had it black so I could taste the coffee - though I wouldn't say that I'm a coffee connoiseur, nor am I a coffee person generally speaking. I also thought that by having it black, the bitterness would balance the sweetness of the cakes. It was a brilliant idea.)

Mandatory shot, for context.

- I walked around the mall the moment I finished my "lunch + snack/merienda" so I wouldn't feel too bloated. Aside from the usual brands, I saw that it had many clothing shops that cater to the Muslim population of Zamboanga. Though they were mostly for women as appears to be more rules regarding clothing for Muslim ladies, I enjoyed looking at them because of their wide array of colors and their regal design (at least for the more formal clothes.)

- To end my day, I rode the tricycle back to my hotel and had some take out for dinner. I just wanted to lie in my bed all night and rest my legs after everything that happened since I arrived in Zamboanga. I also packed my things so it would be easier to check out the next day. However, my adventure in Zamboanga does not end here, as I had more things that I had to see and experience. After all, this is Zamboanga City, a little city capable of overwhelming your senses - the good way!

- Don't forget to read about my other adventures in Zamboanga City!!

Part 1, Food Coma, Shopping Coma, and a Bit of History: here

Part 2, Zamboanga's History, Society, and Culture: here

Part 4, Zamboanga's "Latin" City Center: here