Pink Sand Beach — Attraction in Zamboanga City

This is 200-meter beach that has pinkish sand because of the semi-powdery crushed red organ pipe coral found in Grande Santa Cruz Island. It can be reached by a 15-minute boat ride from the dock at Paseo del Mar. Given this island a protected and conserved area, only day trips are allowed between 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is best to make a reservation (on your preferred departure and return time) with the City Tourism Office for a slot given only 400 visitors are accommodated each day. Walk-ins are not encouraged, but you make want to take the chance with the tourism officer on duty. A briefing is conducted before the boat transfer to the island on what is permitted and not allowed on the island. Because of its status as a protected area, single use plastics (like food wraps, mineral/soda bottles, cups) and styrofoam materials ARE NOT ALLOWED. You need to bring a reusable water bottle with you. The island also has no fresh water so rinsing off sand and sea water can only be done using sea water. You can bring food, but it should be placed in resuable containers. This rule also apply for utensils and everything you will bring to the island. However, these strict rules are not fully enforced because there was no inspection done prior to boarding the boat which cost ₱1,000/for a maximum of 10 persons each group/roundtrip. Whether you are 2 or 5 in the group, you will still pay ₱1,000 for rhe boat ride because booking is based on groups (unless you find a way to combine your group with other tourists who share the same return time). Other charges include an entrance fee of ₱30/head, ₱100 for a small cottage. Only the entrance and cottage fee were included in the original receipt, so we assumed that the boat transfer charges go directly to the boatmen or the community. If it goes to the boatmen, the price is acceptable, but otherwise the rate was on the high side for a 30-minute roundtrip boat transfers. On the island, visitors are only allowed to walk along a 200-meter stretch of beach. You can snorkel, swim, play volleyball, sunbath to your heart's content. There are optional tours (with additional fees) to the lagoon/mangrove on the other side of Grande Santa Cruz Island and the sandbar on the atoll known as Little Santa Cruz Island. We didn't opt for the other tours. It was also noticeable that both far ends of the beach were peppered with litter (plastic bottles, wrappers). I guess more cleaning activities are needed to sustain a litter-free environment on the island. Overall, it is worth a visit for a couple of hours and also help support the community (like purchasing local snacks like lukot-lukot and pastil from vendors on...

First and foremost, the sand isn't pink. It just looks pink from the aerial view or when you are far from the island. Like many beaches in Zamboanga and Isabela it is quite expensive compared to the facilities offered. You're only allowed to mount the beach and it's less than 200 meters. And you have to leave the beach by 2pm.

The boat is 1000php both ways. There's a fixed cost of a cottage, entrance fee of 260php. You're not allowed to bring any plastic bottles so please carry your water in a water bottle unless you want to pay 60php for a jar and 5php each for paper cups which they sell on the beach.

Bring your own food! The food they serve on the beach is terrible! Let alone being expensive for how they prepare it. I ordered fish and then I couldn't eat them and ended up getting my money back.

No wonder why no foreigners want to visit here. It's not worth it. I'm not...

🌺 A Hidden Gem in Zamboanga! 🌊

Visiting Sta. Cruz Island was absolutely unforgettable! 🏝️ The pinkish sand made from crushed red corals is one-of-a-kind — it’s even more beautiful in person! 💕 Perfect for photo ops and relaxing under the sun. 📸☀️

🚤 The boat ride was smooth and scenic, with super friendly guides who shared stories about the island’s history and marine life. 🐚🐠

🍽️ We enjoyed fresh seafood prepared by the locals — simple but delicious! And the mangrove tour was peaceful and educational. 🌿🛶

✅ The island is well-maintained, not too crowded, and perfect for day trips with family or friends. Don’t forget to book early and bring eco-friendly essentials!

Highly recommended if you’re in Zamboanga! 💯 Nature, culture, and relaxation all in one...