For today’s “Is it safe” post, let’s look at Zamboanga City. I would guess that a large majority of foreigners reading this will expect that I will say that Zamboanga City is dangerous and should not even be considered as a travel destionation. Well, if that is what you are thinking, I’m going to surprise you! You see, I feel that Zamboanga City is a relatively safe travel destination.
There have been a few bombings in Zamboanga City over the years, but the number has been not too high, I guess. There was a day when Zamboanga city was dangerous for foreigners too, but I think that the day has passed. Did you know that a fair number of American military personnel are stationed in Zamboanga? That is a fact that is not widely known, but it’s true. A big part of the US War onTerror is staged right from Zamboanga City, and the Philippine part of the War on Terror has been probably the most successful of any part of the fight against Terrorism in the world.
It would be my advice that if you visit Zamboanga City, you should stay in the City and not really venture out of town, though, because that part of Mindanao does indeed have it’s safety concerns. I do feel that the area around Zamboanga City deserves a little extra caution and concern from a foreign traveler too. I was in Zamboanga City in February for the first time, and found it to be safe and peaceful there.
So, if you have reason to go to Zamboanga City, you can do so without a huge amount of fear. I recommend that you stay in town, don’t venture out of town – especially on your own. Take normal precautions and use common sense in your times around town. If you take these steps you should be able to enjoy a safe and uneventful visit to Zamboanga City.
Have a fun trip!
Great. I really want to go Zamboanga now.
Hi Michael – Give it a try! It’s a real nice place.
Hi Bob, I’ve been to many places in the Philippines but not in Zamboanga. I need to go there in Dec. and was concerned about the safety situation. Now have a better idea what to expect. Thanks for the info.
Hi Jerry – Happy to be of assistance! Enjoy your trip. I recommend that you get our free Safety Evaluation report, which will give you the most up to date safety and security information that you can find for every province in Mindanao. To get it, just send an e-mail to: safety@mindanao.com and it will automatically be e-mailed to you in return.
Have a great trip!
I am planning a trip to Zamboanga. Thanks for the intel!
- James
Hi Bob
thinking of going to Zamboanga for two weeks in march.
i am from england and only read bad comments untill i read yours..
i will be staying with a filipino family..
regards
ian
Hi Ian Harrison – Good luck on your trip! I’m sure that you’ll have a great time!
Hi all,
I stayed in Zamboanga in march 2008 for about 6 days and didnt experience any problems, despite people warning me for going there.
I am Dutch nationality and visited my gf there for the first time.
I was the only foreigner on the plane and people look at you when you wanna fly there.
The Hotel was protected by security guards with machine guns and it looked as they did everything possible to keep problems away from the hotel.
Inside the city i felt safe, but i was advised not to leave the city and only go out at daylight.
My gf organised a “bodyguard” for me, who was a policeman and took care of my safety all the time.(35 US $ fo 6 days) and that gave me a good feeling.
If you are not easily scared, its okay to go there, but you have to take care !!
By the way, the policeman that “protected” me, lives on Basilan, the island where many “rebells” and “terrorists” live, but he told me this first afterwards, but he was a nice guy anyway.
If anyone needs more information, just mail me!!
alexsunseeker@email.de
Alexander
hi! i’ll be going to zamboanga this aug
where can i get a tour guide?
Hi Ron — I’m sorry but I don’t know of anybody that I can recommend.
Hi Bob,
Could you recommend a good safe hotel for me in Zamboanga City? i will be going there in november/december to marry my fiance, she will stay with me at the hotel also, any help would be very much appreciated, Thanks
Jack
@Jack: I would recommend Garden Orchid Hotel. It is quite near the airport.
Wow, Thanks for the quick reply Bob, great website by the way, thanks again
Regards, Jack
Hello again Bob,
Garden Orchid Hotel might be a bit expensive for me as i could be staying in Zamboanga for 30+ days, if you could recommend another hotel for around half the cost i would be very grateful, Thanks Bob
Regards, Jack
Hi Jack – That is the only hotel I have stayed at in Zambo, so I have no other recommendation.
Hi! What is the latest about Zamboanga City now? I am planning to go there by boat around new years 2008/2009.
@Stefan: No problems in the City at this time.
hi bob! im planning to go to zamboanga this coming summer around may i want to stay for 3weeks me and my gf i just wan to know how much cost i will pay in garden orchids hotel for 2 person in a standard single bed or in deluxe single bed? without meals how much per day i can spent for a standard or deluxe room single bed? is the single bed enough for 2 person? thanks
@ivan: When I stayed at Garden Orchid, I am thinking it was around P2500 per night, but I don’t recall for certain. 2 people in a standard room should be fine!
this is a really useful site!
GOT TO PLAN FIRST BEFORE VROOOM VROOOM!
sir bob,
may I ask something? I’m from Manila and I want to go go Zamboanga City with my motorcycle. Do you have any suggestion how can i bring it! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
@hong: You can actually ride your motorcycle all the way from Manila to Zambo. Just take the same route that Transco Bus line takes through Leyte and such. Between bridges and a couple ferrys, you can ride all the way from the north to the south of the Philippines!
hi bob. i have been to zamboanga twice . jan 2009, feb 2009. you are right about the garden orchid hotel. quite nice to stay, security is good. but abit expensive for the area. a cheaper option is the marcian hotel not far down the same road. not bad rooms and the staff are good. any one can enjoy zam just be careful. especially at night
hi guys… summer is here.. foreigner who would want to visit our place, feel free to do so… i’ll be ur tour guide
no problemo! enjoy our city! viva zamboanga! +639161410988
Hi Bob,
I am thinking of zamboanga city as a place for living later this year. I am a Christian Egyptian American (with U.S. passport) and get along well in Moslems’ culture, however, I can’t help being concerned about the negative news from there. What other cities in Mindanao can you recommend for long term stay other than Davao?
Aslo, I wanted to receive the Safety Evaluation report at: safety@mindanao.com but my e mail to that address failed.
Thanks,
Philip
Hi philip – I am not doing the report from “safety@mindanao.com” anymore. I thought I removed all links, perhaps I missed one?
Yeah, I think that Zamboanga is a safe place to stay. In addition, I’d recommend Iligan, Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, Davao, General Santos. All of those should prove safe for you too.
Enjoy your stay in Mindanao!
Hi, Bob. My gf is going to live there for at least 1 year. Is it safe for her to do so? Can u give me any advice about that place? Just wanna make sure the place my gf’s living is safe.
Hi Aizat – You didn’t really give me much info to go on, but i think that Zamboanga City is generally safe.
My gf is from sabah and she’s going to stay in Zamboanga for at least 1 year…according to my gf, she said she and her step sister’s living in a long house with other family who’s staying there. Is it safe to go out at night? Is it okay to go out of the city or my gf should just stay in the city?
Hi Bob!
I was just searching for more information about the situation in Zamboanga and I found this website. I’ve been invited by a friend of mine who’s living in Zamboanga to stay at his house with his family next summer (2010) for about 3-4 weeks. But now, I must confess that I’m a little bit confused by everything I can read here and there. Is it okay to go in this part of the country?
Plus, I’m a swiss girl, so is it more dangerous for a white woman?
Thanks for your reply!
Hi Charlie – You should be able to visit Zamboanga City without much trouble. Stay in the City. Don’t venture out in the countryside. Enjoy your trip!
did you go to Zamboanga?
Yes, I have been to Zamboanga.
Hello Bob!
i’m Zamboangenya Tausog,but grow-up in abroad,although my family they all in Zamboanga I don’t vesit them more often. I have 2 kids and planning to take them to see my family this month along w/ my husband, his amirican, any advice for my husband where he can hang out to watch Red Sox & drink beer? I was only sixteen when I move out. I could use an advice too……..Thank you sooooo much! Oh! add some where can we take the kids for fun.
hi bob…..
just want to commemnt about about zamboanga. i grew up in zamboanga,but now i’m currently living in manila. Zamboanga is not dangerous at all, you have so many things to enjoy doing there, even for foreigners.. But just dont venture outside the city,that’s a different topic. The best place that i have memory of so far is abung2,pasonanca,you should also try going to port pilar,and santa cruz island as well..i still have so many places in mind,those are just few.. hehe..enjoy zamboanga guys… viva zamboanga
I wish i ‘ll go zamboanga city mindanao one day….
I lived in zamboanga city,at guiwan porcentro.All i can say is that it is safe so far to live and peaceful place too.no hastles in road compare to big cities.a place where you can unwined for a while,because its quite and very friendly people.
Just try to visit zamboanga city.I assure you,that you’ll find it a cool place,and love it……
I have been in Zamboanga City 7 times during the past 3 years, and I have never had any reason to fear for my safety there. But I agree with other people in here, if you atay inside the city there should be no concern at all. Zamboanga City is a very well-developed city and the citizens are very friendly. There are many beautiful spots here, dont forget to visit Fort Pilar, Paseo Del Mar, Abong-Abong Mountain, and the area around Pasonanca. Try to mix up with the local people, they are very openminded and interested to meat foreigners.
I’VE JUST RETURNED HOME FROM MY 3RD VISIT TO ZAMBOANGA CITY IN 14 MONTHS.
I LOVE THE PLACE AND THE PEOPLE ARE FRIENDLY.
I’VE NEVER HAD ANY SECURITY CONCERNS WHATSOEVER AND I EVEN GO TO BARANGAYS 20 MINUTES OR MORE OUTSIDE OF TOWN.
I’M CURRENTLY PLANNING FOR MY NEXT VISIT THERE.
I plan on going next month in mid September.
What’s the current status, do you think if i stay for 6 months i would be taking to much of a chance with my safety?
Michael
Hi Michael – We are not perfectly safe anywhere in the world. I think that you’d be fine if you spent some time in Zamboanga.
SAFETY IN ZAMBOANGA
Firstly – Bob – Thank you very much for this website.
Secondly – Regarding safety in Zamboanga – I defer to Bob’s much greater experience than mine and take as given that every one must always exercise prudent caution. For what it is worth I would add the following:
I am a white man and spent a week in Zamboanga City in August 2010 (shortly after Zamboanga International Airport was attacked by a suicide bomber). I stayed with the family of my girlfriend. They are Christian and several members of her extended family who live in Zamboanga are in the Philippine military.
Before visiting, I had read about the security position in Zamboanga (here and on other sites). However, I was surprised and a little disappointed at how much the security atmosphere impinged on my activities and freedom in Zamboanga. I would say that I am not an overly cautious person but that when family members of my girlfriend tell me, in no uncertain terms, that to go places alone or even in their company is dangerous, I listen and follow their advice. I thought following their advice was prudent – they are on the ground and know the local conditions. I also thought that if I did not follow their advice, this would be disrespectful.
Examples of how the security atmosphere impinged on me:
(1) There are some nice beaches around Zamboanga but the only beach my girlfriend’s family would let me visit (in their company – including several strong men(!)) was the beach located within the Philippine military base in the outskirts of the City. They discussed whether I could visit other beaches at great length and concluded that this was the only one I could safely visit (in their company). Believe me, that beach will never feature on the covers of any tourist magazines. It was a shame for me that I could not visit other beaches. I love to swim.
(2) The nightlife in Zamboanga appears to be centred on “the Boulevard”. Without the need for any serious discussions, the family of my girlfriend concluded that this was off limits for me. I did visit a seaside wharf (once) called “Passeo” which is a relatively lively place at night. It is safer than the other place but some of her family members felt that my going even there was too dangerous. They stressed that in the age of mobile phones, an “abduction team” can be quickly assembled after a foreigner is spotted and that I could then be grabbed fairly easily – even if I was accompanied. Abduction and holding people for ransom is a business in the region. It is not unusual for it to happen.
(3) I went almost nowhere alone (except around the Barangay where the family of my girlfriend lived).
(4) The family of my girlfriend also confine their own living patterns because of the security conditions and they generally do not go out in the city much. Their social lives centre on their extended family and the people of their own Barangay. I did go into the City Centre but only in the day time and I always had some company.
(5) I did not visit the “Muslim Colony” in Zambo (built on stilts) that is somewhere interesting for tourists to visit. Once again, this was ruled out for me by my girlfriend’s family on security grounds.
(6) I would like to have visited Basilan where my girlfriend’s mother’s side live but this too was ruled out on security grounds.
(7) I did feel, to a limited extent, like a prisoner with little freedom in Zamboanga.
I met an older white man who had lived there for 12 years. I asked him about whether he thought it safe. He said statistically it is not safe but that he did not care. He simply did not care and he said that if he was taken, he would, at least, “cheat the nursing home”. He said that whenever he encounters road checks (he rides a Harley – the only one in Zambo), he does not stop as they may be fake.
Make of the above what you wish. You could take the view that the family of my girlfriend were being overly cautious about my security. But keep in mind that they are also pretty cautious in their own lives. I would not discourage people from visiting Zamboanga, particularly if they have some one there they wish to visit. But I would not recommend it as a tourist destination.
Best of luck to one and all.
Thomas.
Hi Thomas – It is part of Filipino culture that they will tell you that it is not safe, and you have to be accompanied wherever you go. If you took their words at face value, well, that’s your fault. You can be free to wonder around Zamboanga City and not experience problems. I can guarantee you that Filipinos are going to caution you not to go alone and such… it will happen every time. But, you are a big boy and should be able to make your own evaluation and your own decision as to what is safe for you.
I do hope that you enjoyed your trip.
Hello everybody!!!!
Im a college student from pilar college and i am conducting my researcher study together with my group entitled as “Perceptions of Guests and Hospitality Practicians Regarding the Image of Zamboanga City as a Tourist Destination”. Thus, i would like to ask a help from you guys to gather a data needed for this study more specially for the tourist in zamboanga city today and for those who will spend their vacation from october to december for we will going to have a survey and we will ask you to answer our questionnaire-checlist. its not yet finished but i hope you can help me sample of the question would be this:
1. What are the perceptions of the guests regarding the image of Zamboanga City as a tourist destination in terms of:
1.1 Parks and landmarks
1.2 Arts and Culture
1.3 Festival and events
1.4 Business
1.5 Peace and Order
I will have a positive response from you regarding to this… Thank You!!! by the way, I live in zamboanga and i can assure you that it is a safe place to stay.. Rumors are just crashing down our city but without a doubt i can say with pride that our city is rich with tourist destination and attractions.The city is melting pot of cultures.
Thank you!!! ^_^
Hello..
If you need a help around zamboanga just inform me because i am a tourism student and i bet i can help you and recommend you some hot spots. Im just a student but i can tour you around and be a students tour guide to be a part of my enrichment..
Thank you!!!
We’ll be in Zamboanga in January 2013. Can you tour us around?
sir bob, can i ask if it safe to build a project in zamboanga? because my boss is so confuse . if it safe or not.. tnk you very much
I would not consider Zamboanga to be inherently unsafe. I guess it just depends on what the project is and many other factors.
hi, i’m from zamboanga city and i just happen to see this blog while surfing the net
to all travellers who want to visit our city, i can say that it is very safe to visit our place. just stay within the city proper and you’ll be fine.
there have been bombings here before but those were just few. the military and the police gives us updates if there are security threats in our city so we can be more vigilant.
an advice for the foreigners and other travellers, don’t venture out of the city proper without security escorts.
it is actually quite safe to go out at night, just stay away from slum areas
like all places anywhere in the world, there will always be places where criminals reside
hope you visit zamboanga city
Thank you Judith for your insight, I am visiting friends from the U.K who live in Dipolog and then plan to plane and coach my way around Mindanao and indeed the most popular parts of the Philippines, given the time – Nice to read a proud but sensible report.
Take care.
Hi,
I just want to ask if its ok or safe to travel to zamboanga city right at this moment? We are planning to visit zamboanga city on march but my family said that is dangerous to travel in this place. I have relatives living also and they are not even afraid . But beacause im going with my husband that is foreigner ,my family are worried even i have relatives who will accompany us there.
I really want to visit this place coz as what i have heard it is a nice place and they have a good food.
Hi Sharona – You asked about safety “right at this moment” – I don’t see anything bad on the horizon for this exact moment, I can’t say about March. I think it will be OK to visit, but it’s a personal call.
what about now Bob I’m going to meet my girlfriend and her parents for the first time on June 29. They live on Basilan but from what i read of that place I may be safer in Zamboanga by far?
You don’t want to go to Basilan, Mark, it is quite dangerous. Zamboanga City can be dangerous too, but nothing like Basilan. I would recommend to fly your girlfriend to Davao, Cagayan de Oro or Cebu and meet there. You could do it in Zambo, but I think it would be much safer to meet in one of those cities.