This is the itinerary I took during my first visit to Zamboanga City. I arrived from Davao City and spent three days in Zamboanga. I wanted to explore more of the Downtown area of Zamboanga City then squeeze in a visit to the famous pink sand beach of Santa Cruz Island.

On my last day, I had to take a connecting flight via Cebu since there were no direct flights from Zamboanga to Iloilo.

Previously

Day 1 – Downtown Zamboanga City

Davao to Zamboanga Flight

  • 8:30am – Davao to Zamboanga Flight (1 hour and 10 minutes)
  • 9:40am – Arrived in Zamboanga Airport
  • Walk to airport gate (right outside the passenger terminal)
  • Ride “Canelar” jeep to Downtown. Drop off at Plaza Pershing – P7
  • Walk around Downtown to scout for hostels
  • Check-in at David’s Inn (3rd level Chowking Bldg, La Purisima St., Zamboanga City / near Zamboanga City Puericulture Center)
    • Single Fan Room (common TB) – P300 / night
  • 2:00pm – Walking Tour of Downtown Zamboanga City
    • Plaza Pershing
    • Zamboanga City Hall
  • Ride tricycle to Fort Pilar – P20
  • Fort Pilar Shrine Sightseeing
    • Paseo del Mar
  • Walk to Lantaka Hotel
  • Inquire at the Department of Tourism Regional Office about the ferry to Sta. Cruz Island. I was told that a group was booked for tomorrow and instructed to be at Paseo del Mar early morning the next day.
  • Ride tricycle to Tetuan Church – P30
  • Ride jeep back to Downtown – P7

Day 2 – Santa Cruz Island and Taluksangay Mosque

  • 6:45am – Extend for two more nights at David’s Inn – P600 (P300 per night)
  • 7:45am – Breakfast at ZC Puericulture Center – P50
  • Ride tricycle to Paseo del Mar
  • 7:55am – Arrived at Paseo del Mar. Found out that the group who booked the ferry yesterday already left. On my way out, two locals approached me. They were also searching for joiners. Luckily, six other people joined our group.
  • 9:30am – Ferry crossing to (Great) Santa Cruz Island (30 minutes) – P100 round trip fare per person
  • 9:30am to 2:10pm – Great Santa Cruz Island
    • Bought 3 bracelets and 2 necklace (made of coral stones) at vendors area – P280
  • 2:10pm – Ferry back to mainland Zamboanga City
  • 3:00pm – Walked to jeepney station across the Zamboanga City Hall
Taluksangay Mosque Side Trip
  • 4:00pm – Ride jeep bound for Taluksangay (1 hour) – P20
  • 5:00pm – Taluksangay Mosque
  • No more jeepneys at Taluksangay. Had to ride a trisikad to the next barangay and take the last trip back to Zamboanga City
  • Ride jeep back to Zamboanga City Proper or “pueblo” – P20
  • Dinner at Tini’s Malaysian Bruneian Restaurant
    • Murtabak Ayam / Chicken Murtabak (P65), Lasi Ayam, Mineral Water – P110

Day 3 – Pasonanca, Abong-abong, and Yakan Weaving Center

  • 11:00am – Lunch at Zamboanga City Puericulture Center – P60
  • Walk to Zamboanga City Hall
  • 1:20pm – Desserts at Tsokolate by Linfood (N.S. Valderosa Street). Nice place but the food was just so-so.
    • Blueberry Cheesecake – P60 (1 slice)
    • Cream Puff – P8 per piece
  • Walk to National Museum – Fort Pilar. Closed on weekends.
  • Walk to cor T. Claudio – Barcelona Sts. (beside ZC Puericulture Center)
  • 2:25pm – Ride “Pasonanca” jeep to Hardin de Maria Clara Lobregat (20 minutes) – P9
  • 2:45pm – Hardin de Maria Clara Lobregat sightseeing
    • Butterfly garden – P10 entrance fee
    • Aviary – P5 entrance fee
  • 3:45pm – Ride jeep to Brgy. Abong-abong
  • Ride habal-habal to the foot of the “stations of the cross”
  • Start uphill walk
  • 4:03pm – Reach summit (13th station)
  • Walk to downhill to Freedom Park. No habal-habal in sight near the 1st station.
  • 4:25pm – Reached Freedom Park
  • Ride habal-habal to highway
  • Ride Abong-pabong jeep back to “Pueblo”
  • 5:00pm – Pass by Zamboanga Cathedral
  • Walk to parking station of “Upper Calarian” and “Sinunuc” jeeps.
  • Ride Sinunuc jeep to Yakan Weaving Center (20 minutes) – P10
  • 5:30pm – Yakan Weaving Center
    • Buy medium-sized table mat – P200, small coin purse (2 pieces) – P30
  • Ride jeep to Zamboanga Golf Course and Beach Resort – P25 entrance fee
  • 5:50pm – Sunset along the beach coast
  • Ride jeep back to Pueblo
  • Walk to Pilar St.
  • 6:50pm – Dinner at Satti Stall
    • Beef Satti – P30, Mountain Dew – P13

Day 4 – Zamboanga to Cebu to Iloilo; Cebu Side-trip

Zamboanga to Cebu Flight

  • Ride Canilar Jeep to Zamboanga International Airport – P7
  • Check-in at Zamboanga International Airport – P50
  • 9:45am – Zamboanga to Cebu Flight
  • Arrival at Cebu Mactan International Airport
  • Ride multicab to Mactan Marina Mall
  • Ride jeep to SM City Cebu
  • Ride jeep to Ayala
  • Lunch at Hukad by Golden Cowrie at the Terraces, Ayala Center Cebu
    • Puso Salad (P55), Pandan Chicken (P108), Unli Rice (P32), Iced Tea (P37) – P232
  • Ride jeep to SM City Cebu
  • Ride jeep to Parkmall
  • Afternoon coffee at Coffee Dream at Parkmall
  • Ride jeep to Mactan Marina Mall
  • Ride multicab to Mactan Cebu International Airport
  • Check-in at MCIA – waived terminal fee since I was on a connecting flight.
  • 7:00pm – Cebu to Iloilo Flight