Great Santa Cruz Island

The Great Santa Cruz Island together with Little Santa Cruz Island are protected areas in Region 9 of the Philippines. Jointly called the Great and Little Sta. Cruz Islands Protected Landscape & Seascape, it was declared as such on April 23, 2000, with the signing of Proclamation No. 271. The park has a total area of . Recent illegal coral reef mining has destroyed most of Great Santa Cruz Island's vast coral reef population leaving the former colorful corals as dead skeletal reefs. ==Getting to the island==

A trip to the island is booked at the tourism office inside the Paseo del Mar park and activity center. Boats to Santa Cruz Island depart from and return to the Paseo del Mar jetty. Each way is a 15-minute trip. All visitors must attend a short pre-trip briefing by tourism and environment staff at Paseo del Mar detailing the rules on the island, including prohibitions on taking sand, seashells and corals, as well as prohibitions on bringing single-use plastic items (like food wrappers and packaging) and PET bottles. Santa Cruz Island is part of the Great and Little Santa Cruz Islands Protected Landscape and Seascape, managed by the local government to preserve its pristine environment and promote sustainable tourism. Visitors can learn about the island's biodiversity and conservation efforts while enjoying its natural attractions. ==Gallery==

File:Isla Great Santa Cruz33.JPG|Welcome sign File:Isla Great Santa Cruz55.JPG|An organ pipe coral from offshore, the coral that gave the sand its pink color File:Isla Great Santa Cruz53.JPG|Corals File:Isla Great Santa Cruz21.JPG|Zamboanga City proper as seen from the island File:Isla Great Santa Cruz14.JPG|Marine life File:Isla Great Santa Cruz22.JPG|Transportation to the island File:Isla Great Santa Cruz7.JPG|Pink sands of the island File:Isla Great Santa Cruz41.JPG|View of the island File:El_corazón_del_Isla_Sta._Cruz.jpg|The heart-shaped figure near the "Welcome sign" == See also ==