Camping-Out At Anawangin Cove, Zambales

I’m embarrassed to admit, but my trip to Anawangin Cove in Zambales was the first time I ever camped-out and sleep in a tent in the woods with to electricity whatsoever.   I would not have survived if not for the great company I was with during my trip.

Pick-up time was around 5am at the 7-11 in Araneta Avenue Quezon City.  A van picked us up aboard six other passengers and our tour guide.  Yes, we subscribed to one of those package tours, its less expensive and less worrisome than doing a DIY trip where you have to do everything on your own (boat arrangements and transfers, food, accommodations etc).  I was glad that we were in the trip with good looking young fellows and our tour guide was nice as well.

I think the drive to Pundakit, San Antonio, Zambales took about 3 hours or so.  This is the area where you can get your boats to Anawangin Cove, this is also the area you can make arrangements for your accommodations if you don’t have anything yet.  There’s a marketplace 15 or 20 minutes away from Pundakit where you can buy your supply for the overnight stay at the cove.  Our tour guide went shopping there for our supplies.

People are actually taking a dip at the Pundakit Beach area, there are lots of boats, cottages and stores there. If you don’t like sleeping in a tent you can arrange to stay in one of the rooms here.

Boat ride to Anawangin Cove from Pundakit Beach takes about 45 minutes to an hour.

We went there with a calm sea, nice breeze, and lovely but not so piercing sun shining above us. The boat ride was nice and relaxing that you can almost fall asleep on the boat!

Almost there! Beach front of Anawangin Cove!

Our boat docks at the beach front

Pretty happy bunch of tourist we are!

Setting up our tents for camping

Wiwi time! (hehe) Behind me is the “bathing” area and the toilet!

There are a few nipa huts in the area, mostly are convenient stores they sell everything, even liquor!

Souvenir and tattoo shop!

After exploring the beach for a bit and some swimming and lunch we decided we are ready to climb some mountains!

Anawangin Cove view from the top!

That’s the bridge going to the private area in Anawangin Cove.

Eugene feeling like the king of the world!

Loving it up here!

Back to camp!
There’s no electricity here, only generator that they turn on and shut down from time to time. The generator only supplies light for the stores and the beach front but not in the camping ground. You should bring your own emergency light and some comforter for you tents.

Dinner by emergency light.

My mahal is making a bonfire so we can gather round and have some fun while waiting to get sleepy

And now were drunk! LOL!

We slept with the fire out nothing but emergency light that I don’t think lasted the whole night. The next day, after swimming a bit, we were ready for our next adventure. To see the Abandoned Japanese Light House at the next island. I’ll blog about that later.

Travel Tips to Anawangin Cove:

• They don’t have nice hotel rooms or even lodging-ins in there so be sure to bring your tents, blankets, and comforters to sleep in.
• Don’t camp in the  middle of woods, camp in near the beach area where the sand is softer in case your tour guide did not bring sleeping bags because the soil in the woods can be really stiff and not good for the back.
• Bring flash lights so you can see around the camp and your companions as well or when you suddenly need to find your way to the toilet in the middle of the dark night.
• Don’t go to Anawangin Cove on a Holy Week or peek season, it can be so crowded!
• There’s a private/ paid beach area for Php50.00 I heard it was nicer out there but our guide didn’t want us to go there.  Dunno why.
• Make sure to have fun travel companions with you they can make you through the night without electricity.

Anawangin was not one of the best beaches I’ve been but it was a nice experience to sleep in a tent for the first time and live without electricity. The view from the mountain top was the best.

How about you, have you been to Anawangin Cove before?