Island of dreams

A visit to this island is closely regulated to control the influx of tourists and to preserve the natural prettiness of the island.

THE beautiful pinkish shore of the island.

After a couple of canceled Zamboanga trips in the past, I finally found myself blissfully seated on a small boat heading to island of Sta. Cruz — otherwise known as “The Pink Island.”

With my eyes staring ahead to the spread of glistening shoreline, I was quickly arrested by the enveloping hues of green flora in the distance. I was wide-eyed with wonder, and everything felt so good that even the engine’s revving sounded like the soundtrack of a must-watch travel film.

It’s easy to get to Sta. Cruz Island because it is situated only 20 minutes away by boat from the port near Paseo del Mar in Zamboanga City. A visit to this island is closely regulated to control the influx of tourists and to preserve the natural prettiness of the island. Tourists can frolic in the beach starting in the morning up to 4 p.m. only.

After docking, we learned that our trip coincided with the month-long Summer Fiesta. Throughout the month, a group of performers belonging to the island’s Sama-Bangingi community performs a Pangalay dance to the beat of a kulintangan song as a way of greeting the visitors.

A sub-group of the larger Sama people, the Bangingis, live in the islands of Sulu Archipelago. As decades went by, this ethno-linguistic group scattered throughout the western and southern coasts of Zamboanga Peninsula.

Pangalay is a traditional dance of the Tausug people of Sulu. This style focuses on the movements of the wrists, shoulders and elbows culminating with the dancer showing off his/her long fingernails as the remarkable part of the choreography.

The Kulintangan song is traditional music prevalent in the Eastern Malay Archipelago which includes the Southern Philippines. A vital part of the gong-chime culture of Southeast Asia, this type of music is played through a set of brass kettle gongs producing animated beat perfect for the movements of the Pangalay.

No trip to Zamboanga is complete without laying eyes on its iconic vintas. These traditional sailboats of the Badjao, Sama and Tausug people are distinguished for their colorful sails, reflecting the rich history and culture of the Muslim community.

Seeing several vintas glide over the clear waters of Sta. Cruz Island provided us with another visual spectacle as the different colors shone against the morning sun and the gleaming sands — as if dancing to the beat of the kulintangan tune.

HOW to properly hold a stingless jellyfish.

EXPLORING the mangroves of Sta. Cruz Island.

PAMU (Protected Area Management Unit) head Richard Aliangan guided us to the other side of Sta.Cruz island where the heart of the place’ biodiversity area hides a lush mangrove forest and a lagoon serving as a haven for innumerable stingless jellyfish.

With a flair for hilarious storytelling, Sir Aliangan imparted to us some knowledge about the different species of mangrove trees, citing that it also has male and female genders. The male mangrove tree form leaves or flowers with sagging fringes, while the female one produces flowers with tinier spikes.

The highlight of our early afternoon was when Aliangan taught us how to properly touch and gently pick up a stingless jellyfish. I carefully picked up one to get a sensation of it inside my hands. It felt softer and smoother than a lady’s breast, and after a few seconds I mildly returned it back to the water where I watched it slowly slide back underneath to join the others.

At first look, the sands of Sta. Cruz seem like the archetypal beaches in the Philippines. Upon closer examination, one sees a heavy concentration of pink-colored granules.

The sand appears pinker in early morning when the sun is rising or late in the afternoon when the glow of the setting sun heightens the pink particles more. At mid-morning, it doesn’t seem as pink at first glance.

This island remains a model for nature and biodiversity protection and a shining example of how a local government unit empowers the community to safeguard the natural beauty of their place.

What makes the sand pink? The presence of crushed red organ pipe coral, scientifically known as the tubipora musica, mixed with the white sands have resulted in the island’s pink hue.

As I took a dip in the clear waters of the island, I marveled at my surroundings, from the lush tree line to the famed pink sands. I almost forgot the presence of a few marines manning the area.

With the security of the Zamboanga peninsula greatly improving in recent years, Sta. Cruz Island has remained safe and welcoming of visitors.

Today, this island remains a model for nature and biodiversity protection and a shining example of how a local government unit empowers the community to safeguard the natural beauty of their place.