Pagadian City, Zamboanga Del Sur: The Little Hongkong Of The South

Pagadian City, Zamboanga Del Sur: The Little Hongkong Of The South

It is located within the tropics of the northern hemisphere which has pronounced dry season from January to March and rainy season from April to December. The region is generally not affected by tropical storms and typhoons as it is located outside the Philippine Typhoon Belt. Temperatures range from 22.2 °C (72.0 °F) to 32.9 °C (91.2 °F). The prevailing winds are the southwest wind that blow shot gust wind from over the sea during dry seasons going northeast, and the trade winds brought about by the mountain range. Rainfall distribution is moderate from 2,500 mm to 3,000 mm annually.

The Philippines, being a country archipelago of islands and seas, have naturally wonderful beaches, some of which are famous the world over. Beaches like Puerto Galera, Boracay, and the various beaches in Cebu rake in tourists from around the world all year round because of their pristine and cool blue waters and fine, white-sand shores. However, if one will just look around more, they will find that there are other less-known but equally beautiful beach spots in other parts of the Philippines. In Pagadian, in particular, there are beaches and islands that will make one believe that there is such a thing as a secluded paradise on Earth.

A nice place to start would be the Dao-Dao Islands some seven to ten minutes away from the seaport, when riding a motorboat. It is a rather big island, with an area size of about 1.1057 hectares. The coral reefs are artificially made, but the whole place is very much ideal for swimming, fishing, and boating. During low tides, a smaller, more undeveloped island appears and like the rest, is also suitable for fishing and swimming. There is also the White Beach that, as its name suggests, is a stretch of white sand beach just minutes southeast of the seaport. Again, it can be reached via motorboat. The clear, deep, blue waters (even during low tides) are excellent for swimming and diving.

The Bomba Beach, located in barangay Bomba some 2 kilometers away from the city, is also a good area for swimming and fishing, with a bomba bridge and natural coral reefs. The Muricay Beach is located further away, at 4 kilometers, but the white sands and clear seas more than make up for the distance. There are also mangrove tracts and seaweed plantations nearby, for those who are interested in such plant specimens. Finally, Poloyagan Beach have rocky outcroppings and coral reefs so one should be careful in trekking them.