(The Great Sta. Cruz Island beach front - a volleyball court and a military vessel for security personnel.)
Zamboanga City, tagged as Asia's Latin City, is rich in cultural heritage and is a home to a diverse culture. It is a highly urbanized and independent city with a long and worth-knowing history, as being the third oldest city in the Philippines. The colorful vinta sails and the stoneworks of the famous Fort Pilar symbolizes the city's rich heritage. It is no doubt that Zamboanga City showcases a lot to its people, and may be considered as a traveller's paradise.
The Great Sta. Cruz Island, boasting its famous rare pink sand bars and arguably the city's best beach, is one of Zamboanga City's gem. As Wikipedia explains it, the Great Sta. Cruz Island boasts the ONLY pink sand beach in the Philippines and one of the VERY FEW pink sand beaches in the world, a feat that puts Zamboanga City and its prized island into one of Philippines' top summer vacations! The color of the sand comes from the pulverized red organ pipe coral from eons of surf erosion mixed with the white sand. These corals are considered rare due to its unique qualities of a soft coral having a hard skeleton. And what's the latest buzz? The Great Sta. Cruz Island was featured in CNN Go's official website as one of Philippine's best beaches and islands! It was ranked 9 out of the 10 best beaches and islands here in our country. Quoting an exemplary description of the island from the author herself, Candice Lopez-Quimpo, "The Great Sta. Cruz Island is a different version of perfection: the powdery beach competes with the blue and green shades of the sea." Definitely, a big plus for the island and Zamboanga City!
(A view of Zamboanga City from the Great Sta. Cruz Island.)
Though the previous kidnapping and abduction incidents in neighboring islands weakened the island's popularity, the current city administration and the city's tourism office are in full force in redeeming the once grandeur island. Tourists are escorted with corresponding security personnel when visiting the island to make sure of everyone's safety. Why is there a need for security escorts? According to the Department of Tourism’s regional office, it's a preventative measure: “On the security situation in Zamboanga City, there are no militant or terroristic activities recently. Although there were reported shooting incidents, these were intended to specific victims due to personal grudges. The city is very vibrant and relatively peaceful.” City office personnel are also stationed in the island to administer onsite. Since I was on a quick summer vacation in Zamboanga City this weekend, my friends opted to spend the summer in the beautiful Great Sta. Cruz Island. A quick registration at the local tourism office was what we need and we were all set to experience the perfect beach getaway!
(The Guys and the Ladies enjoying Nivea products! I enjoyed Nivea's free beach ball that I proudly flaunt it. We had a beach volleyball game after. Big thanks to Nivea!)
Exploring the Great Sta. Cruz Island was definitely a blast. The island was just picturesquely beautiful. Indeed, we were amazed with its very rare pink sand beach! It is indeed a feat to be proud of! Though the island is not yet commercially appealing due to a lack of common resort amenities, the perfect view alone and the beach redeemed what it was lacking. We also had no problem battling with the summer heat since we got our very own Nivea Sun Protection products! The Nivea Moisturising Sunscreen Lotion with Collagen Protect is a MUST for beach lovers like us. Its caring formula on advanced skin expertise protects reliably and gives a long-lasting moisture. Worry no more with sunburns and the scorching heat of the summer sun. With Nivea, we were protected from the direct heat with its SPF 30+ protection upon application! There is no need to wait for a couple of minutes for the product to take effect. And the best part is, it is dermatologically proven that is compatible with our skin! Additionally, Nivea's Whitening Immediate Sun Protection was the perfect choice to protect our sensitive faces, preventing wrinkles caused by the whole day of sun exposure. It has also an Active Whitening Complex formula, with Licorice Extract, that reduces skin's pigmentation to effectively lighten the skin. Thanks to its SPF 50+ protection system, we enjoyed the most our stay at the Great Sta. Cruz Island - without even looking and worrying after our skin! All we need to worry was for us to have the blasting summer we all have been wanting!
(The perfect way to enjoy the summer is with great friends and Nivea Sun Protection products!)
I bet all of us should enjoy our very own perfect summer getaway - may it be at the beach, mountain tops, or any outdoor activities. Gear yourselves up with these useful Nivea Sun Protection products and you are all set to go and ready to have some fun under the sun!
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Itching for a summer adventure of your own and want to share it to the world? Share your thoughts and join the on-going Nivea Philippines 7 Summer Wonders contest on FB and get a chance to win NIVEA Sun gift packs, Charina Sarte swimwear, SONY products or a trip for 2 to the Ultimate Summer Wonder! Just click http://www.facebook.com/NIVEAPhilippines/app_180716052039522 to join and vote now!
