Team Out of City Weblog Hub (www.outoftownblog.com) – After being caught at residence for greater than a 12 months, it’s solely pure that it would be best to start to journey once more. In case you are in search of a trip spot that can fulfill your sense of wanderlust, Zamboanga Peninsula (ZamPen) is the spot for you.
This area, situated on the Southernmost portion of the Philippine archipelago, will make up for greater than a 12 months and a half of mobility restrictions with its unspoiled pure wonders. Between delectable dishes, a vibrant tradition, a wealthy historical past, and loads of enjoyable adventures; you identify it, they’ve it in ZamPen.
Earlier than I’m going additional, let me deal with the proverbial query: is it secure to go? Sure, it’s! You’ll expertise what a bunch of journey influencers invited by the Tourism Promotions Board and the Division of Tourism, Area 9 are raving about.
I used to be fortunate sufficient to be a part of this journey, which highlighted 3Hs – Habi (weave), Hilom (wellness), and Halal (delicacies) within the cities of Isabela and Lamitan in Basilan, Zamboanga Metropolis, and the municipalities of Kumalarang and Lapuyan in Zamboanga del Sur.
Habis
Though Lamitan is part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Area in Muslim Mindanao, a 3H tour isn’t full with out paying homage to Nationwide Residing Treasure or Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan Awardee Apuh Ambalang Ausalin.
Apuh Ambalang is acknowledged for her function in preserving Yakan’s artwork of tennun weaving.
We visited her at her GAMABA Weaving Middle, the place she and her neighborhood of weavers are maintaining the custom alive and ensuring the youthful era learns the craft too. The Basilan College of Residing Custom in Isabela Metropolis additionally promotes tennun and different indigenous crafts, music, and dance.
Apart from Basilan, a neighborhood of Yakan weavers may also be discovered on the Yakan Village in Zamboanga Metropolis. The village is a group of stalls that sells tennun and different native crafts. In addition they display weaving to guests.
Zamboanga Metropolis, a melting pot of cultures, additionally showcases Pis Siyabit, the handwoven material of the Tausugs of Sulu. ZamSulu Crafts, situated at The Azurra Resort situated at Sto. Nino Village, Putik, sells desk runners, shirts, and luggage; plus mats and dolls made by the ladies of Sulu.
In Zamboanga del Sur, we visited the weavers of Kumalarang and Lapuyan.
Anybody in search of colourful mats with intricate designs ought to come to the Kumala Weavers in Kumalarang, which is run by a household of weavers.
The Dacula household has saved the artwork of weaving alive for greater than a century and is passing it all the way down to the subsequent era. Every mat they promote is a masterpiece and displays the group’s tradition and custom.
Lower than an hour away from Kumalarang is Lapuyan, residence of the Subanen individuals.
After cultural displays, some carried out on a deck overlooking Lapuyan waterfalls, and a go to to their heritage home, our group visited their Kabuhayan Weaving Middle. The institution sells conventional Subanen clothes and weaves made by differently-abled individuals.
Halal
What’s a trip with out meals?
As colourful as their weaves are the area’s delicacies. Halal is an Arabic phrase which means ‘permissible’.
In Isabela Metropolis, the Marang Marang Ladies’s Affiliation ready a banquet of heirloom recipes of the Sama and Tausug cultural communities. We had oko-oko, a Sama sea-urchin delicacy; utak-utak, a fish cake; putli mandi, steamed rice cake; and junay, a packed rice dish wrapped in banana leaves with burnt coconut meat and numerous spices.
Speaking about instagrammable meals spreads, to not be outdone was our Malamawi White Seaside’s seafood feast of crabs, which included curacha, fish, prawns, shells, and squid. Equally memorable was our gastronomical journey by Lamitan Metropolis’s famed Bulingan Falls. We had curacha cooked in bagoong sauce, tiyula itum or black beef soup, shells cooked in coconut milk served inside a squash, and prawns in Alavar sauce.
Alavar sauce, a mix of coconut milk, crab roe paste, and numerous spices, is initially served in Alavar Seafood Restaurant in Zamboanga Metropolis.
In Zamboanga Metropolis, our group additionally sampled Jimmy’s satti, or grilled meat skewers, that are served with a candy and spicy purple sauce; Palmera’s Knickerbocker, a halo-halo like dessert; Woodland Ranch’s tiyula Itum; and Dennis Espresso Backyard’s pastil, an empanada like dish dipped in candy vinegar and Bangbang sampler, which incorporates biyaki or corn cake; wadjit, much like biko, and daral, a crepe with bukayo filling.
We had our satti in Nice Sta. Cruz Island in Zamboanga City. Our gracious tour director, Errold Lim Bayona of iTravel Vacationer Lane, made positive we don’t go away Zamboanga Metropolis with out having this breakfast staple.
Apart from that, he additionally served deep-sea crabs, prawns, tuna, squid, and fruits cooked by members of the neighborhood.
In Kumalarang, we had been served crabs, rooster piaparan, prawns, and numerous rice desserts on the Kumala Weaving Middle. The lunch was served in an elaborate moro-style setting known as pagana.
In Lapuyan, we realized the method of creating a rice cake known as thimo, which is often served throughout particular events. It’s manufactured from glutinous rice, coconut milk, ginger juice, brown sugar, rock salt, and lemongrass wrapped in a wild leaf.
Hilom
Nature has the facility to heal and soothe us. All of us had our much-needed Vitamin D on the White Sand Seaside of Malamawi Island and the Pink Sand Beach of Great Sta. Cruz Island.
Malamawi White Sand Seaside is dubbed the crown jewel of Basilan’s tourism, and rightly so. It has an extended, large stretch of sentimental, grainy white sand and calm turquoise water.
The Nice Sta. Cruz Island, which was named one among Nationwide Geographic’s 21 finest seashores on the planet in 2017, is understood for its pink sand. The colour comes from pulverized purple organ pipe coral combined with white sand.
We additionally had our commune with nature on the mangrove forests of each Malamawi Island and Nice Sta. Cruz Island.
Each mangrove cruises are run by neighborhood members, so once we take these excursions, we give again to the neighborhood members who make certain we are able to expertise these pure wonders.
The Yellow Boat tour of Nice Sta. Cruz island additionally permits company to work together with stingless jellyfish and harvest sea grapes. On the finish of the tour, every customer has the chance to journey in a vinta, a conventional outrigger boat.
Aside from nature’s therapeutic powers, just a few members of our group additionally had an opportunity to attempt Subanen’s historic therapeutic artwork, or hilot, at their heritage home.
#OnceAgainZamPen
It was not my first time in that a part of the Philippines, however as its tagline goes, #OnceAgainZamPen! This space is certainly meant to be skilled extra than simply as soon as, and it nonetheless managed to shock and delight. In truth, I’m sure this place nonetheless has extra surprises up its sleeves.
As quickly as its doorways are open once more for vacationers or whenever you really feel secure to journey, go to ZamPen. In spite of everything, life is extra enjoyable in Zamboanga Peninsula!
The group adopted strict security protocols your entire journey. Every underwent an RT-PCR check earlier than and on the finish of the journey. Masks had been worn your entire time (besides when consuming), face shields had been worn indoors, and social distancing was strictly noticed. #SafeTripPH
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Additionally learn: Likhang Habi: This Artisanal Trade Fair Reintroduces The Journey Of ‘Habi’
