Seating on the edge of a volcanic mountain range of Zambales, Anawangin seems out of place. The white strip, the verdant pine tree amalgamation, and the clear aquamarine water make the cove superficially foreign to its surroundings. However, Anawangin makes a stunning contrast to the mountain ridges encompassing it.
When you are looking for a place to escape from the fast city life and routinary activities, then Anawangin is one of the humble options.
There’s nothing more noteworthy than living simply in a beach camp, sharing stories with friends, cooking for yourself, waiting for the sun to slowly disappear from the horizon, gathering for stargazing after sunset, and, of course, walking along the stretch of fine white sand under the morning sun.
If you want to find your way to Anawangin, then this guide might help you.
How to Get There
You can take a bus to Iba or Santa Cruz, Zambales from either Cubao, Caloocan, or Pasay terminals of Victory Liner. Note that you are not going directly to Iba or Santa Cruz. Pay only a ticket to the San Antonio, a municipality within Zambales. This usually costs ₱270, and the travel time is 3.5 to 4 hours.
Get off at San Antonio public market and transfer to a trike to Pundaquit. The fare is ₱30/pax. If you are planning to spend a night or two in Anawangin, then you can buy your supplies at the market first, before you hop on a trike.
At Pundaquit, outrigger boats are available for rent. A smaller boat that can carry 4 to 6 individuals can be rented for ₱1,500 to ₱2,000. You can use your charm here to avail discount. The boat ride also includes a side trip to Capones Island. If you are a solo traveler, then you can opt to join other travelers or look for bigger boats that offer “passenger-type” services. The boat fee for this kind of service is ₱300/individual.
Another option is to get to Anawangin from Pundaquit is by hiking. However, this will eat up to 6 hours of your time compared to the 45-minute boat ride. This is worth the time though, especially for the adventurous souls out there.
Things to Do
- Beach bumming
- Soul Searching (sunset watching, stargazing)
- Trekking (to see the panoramic view of Anawangin Cove
- Camping
- Side trip to Capones Island
Things to Bring and Reminders
- Bring food supplies enough for your stay. Cooked, fresh, and canned are the options. Your call. If you want to cook, a portable stove would be much help. You can also buy charcoal if you want to do it the conventional way.
- Carry enough drinking water. A 4-gallon container may be enough for a group of 3.
- Pitch your own tent. Though you can rent one at Pundaquit.
- Settle the 100-peso overnight fee per person. You can also rent a table with benches for ₱100.
- Personal kits and clothes for the whole stay.
- Camera that is properly water-proofed. The boat transfer can be hard sometimes. With that being said, always check PAG-ASA’s gale warning signal to check if it is safe to sail the day prior to your trip.
- Electricity and mobile network are not available.
- Gadgets to light you up at night (spotlights, etc). Please avoid the campfire as possible.
- Avoid going to deeper areas of the sea. The cove’s strange underwater current and riptides may drown even the confident swimmers.
- Rest rooms, showers, and manual water pumps are available for guests’ use.
hi.. do you have a contact details of the boat man? thank you