The Island Explorer

I fell i love with Zamboanga slowly, though the first hotel I stayed in is still my favorite to date. It may not be the biggest, newest or most recently renovated (goes to Orchid Garden), but Lantaka by the Sea provides me with two things I look for in hotels: location and charm.

When I visited Zamboanga last year, I saw this island that was calling on me form a distance. I wasn't able to go, since it was the time when there was an all out war in Basilan, and there was a boat curfew starting at 3PM. I ended my business in Zamboanga at 3:30PM, and I was to fly to Davao early next morning. So when I was back in Zamboanga last month, I didn't let anything get in my way of going to that island, the Sta. Cruz Island or more popularly known as the Pink Island. So, how do you go there? It's about 15 minutes via a pump boat that you can hire from Lantaka Hotel near the pier. But before doing that, there are some steps you must undergo. First, go to the Department of Tourism office beside Lantaka to secure a permit to travel and a request for tourist police (they call them escorts). After that, you have to go to the Tourist Police office in the building on the other side of Lantaka. It is the last room on the ground floor along the driveway. Once there, pres...

Next stop in MOTY: the city of Zamboanga. When one thinks of Zamboanga, you imagine the colorful vintas and the uneasy peace situation. When I first visited Zambo, I thought all these vintas would line up the harbor or the coastal areas. It turns out that these are only seen during the Hermosa Festival. And about the uneasy peace situation? Yes, there were military all around, but Zambo looks like any ordinary peaceful city, surprisingly clean and organized. We stayed at the Lantaka Hotel, already a landmark in Zambo. It has undergone a much needed renovation, so the restaurant area looked new and modern already. It was a great place for breakfast. They had one of the best bacon and eggs I have tasted (so crisp). New rooms are being constructed and the old ones, renovated. It is a relaxing hotel as it is situated beside the sea, with a small beach (not swimmable) and just beside the ferry. It has a pool with cabanas around it. Again, we visited 3 nominees for the Microentrepreneur of t...