Pro's: super secluded, not crowded (off peak), no electricity, green, quiet, dark, mysterious, perfect getaway, get in touch with nature...Con's: somewhat far, crowded (peak), few trash, waves, no life guard, one sari sari store.Transpo is between P1,000-P2,000 (get to know the locals and haggle). Trip can be dangerous (waves, current, trek). Travel in the morning (like 6am). Bring ample food and water.Practice safety and you'll be fine. Be extra careful and responsible (alcohol). Please pick your own trash after and bring it with you.
I always love outdoors activities...camping, hiking, and all.. So when I heard about anawangin cove... I was so curious hows it.. And hearing all those good reviews. So went with friends to see and experience. Its an island far from civilization (lol.. Exaggerated?) But yeah a bit.. An island with pine trees.. White sands and few locals residing there.. And there's only one store so better buy all what you need before heading to this island..no hotels or inns so you need a tent (there's a tent for rent too..rented a small one that's 300pesos)..no electricity.. Cook food with woods.. Quiet and safe.. And you can swim all night long.. Its just a perfect getaway with friends!
This island is just so great for people who wants beaches, sand and island hopping. Travelling with friends, we had a great escape on this island .
My hopes and expectations were high for Anawangin coz of the great travel stories my friends told me about the place. Well it was a so-so place for me. Plus factors are the serenity of the place, nice beach waters, and the camping experience. Negative factors are the cleanliness of the place which was not properly maintained, and the availability of electricity at night, which was expected.Boat ride going to Anawangin takes an hour and 15 minutes so be aware when creating your own D.I.Y trip.
My dorm buddies and I spent the night at the cove, we camped by the beach (Editha's Campsite) and we really enjoyed our stay. We also hiked the small hill beside the cove to get a good look of the cove, and the view was breathtaking. the best time to hike is early in the morning or late in the afternoon, just before sunset. the shoreline is just short, it suddenly dips down...but the water is pretty much calm, especially early in the morning. this is a nice place for camping, outings and just simply relaxing, a break from the urban life. tips: buy all necessary things: food, water, etc at Pundaquit market because they are quite expensive at the cove, besides it is limited. bring disposable materials (paper cups and plates) for easier disposal, to save water (no need to wash) and for easier food preparation. remember to clean as you go...practice trash segregation... :)mosquitoes are not much a bother except probably on rainy season. go early so that you could choose a nice spot, by lunchtime esp on week-ends, the nice spots are already occupied. also, try to go there on weekdays and avoid peak season: summer.)
We were indeed amazed by the beautiful beach in anawangin. Very refreshing and relaxing! This is a very affordable way of having a vacation. We searched over the internet if we can find a boatman than can arrange our tour in anawangin. Luckily, we contacted kuya jay-r and he arranged everything from boatride to tents and supplies of mineral water and cooking utensils. Its much cheaper if we directed to a boatman rather than having a travel agency. When we got there, we went to their receiving area and his wife, ate liselle prepared the stuffs we needed. Then we got board and after 30minutes,whoahh! We arrived at anawangin! Nosignal there and electricity but its alright because thats what we really wanted. Away from work and urban life. And after an overnight stay, we appreciates more the beauty of nature. Im very thankful for the wonderful trip and for the people who helped us on our adventure. Th boatmen especially kuya jayr and his wife. By the time we left,the other boatmen rush to us and told us that we left a camera along the shore. Thank God! Because we didnt even notice that it is missing! People like them will make us coming back again and again to visit anawangin.In case you might need a boatman, I can post kuya jayr's numberhere and feel free tocontact him. 09173809104.
Very cheap entrance fee. 100Php- overnight and 50Php- day tour. We camped overnight, we slept in a tent and it was fun because it's a new experience. Do not worry because there will be people camping with you too, it is a popular place for camping. There is no electricity. Bring your own lights and lamps. You cook your own food in a basic way (by charcoal or wood) or you can bring your own portable gas tank for cooking or just canned goods. There are canteens but they close 5pm. Also, they can run out of food fast depending on how many people are there camping. There are shower rooms and also toilets. They are pretty clean. People there try to maintain them. Morning in this cove is amazing, the fresh breeze coming from the ocean, the sunshine hitting the mountains that creates beautiful colors and the morning hot taho by manong. LOL!!!
I was there with couple of friends a years ago. We paid Php 1,200.00 for the banca roundtrip. It's better if you know someone there so you can get discounts on their banca. Travel time should be morning so that the sea is calm. Afternoon is not good. Sea wasn't calm when we went there. I was a lil bit scared coz I dont know how swim in case of trouble. Anyway, at Anawangin for me it was so beautiful when we went there. Peacefully and relaxing place to visit. Not crowded unlike other beaches. The problem there was they don't have electricity since its far from the town and they have no signal. Should bring snacks with you too because they only have one sari sari store. Btw, that place maintained its cleanliness.
Like: relaxing place, a place to be close to natureDislike: can be crowded specially during peak season, limited picnic tables, food and drinks are pricey, almost double the regular price
What I love the most in Anawangin Cove was the fact that there is no electricity, no cellphone and internet signal and everything is back to the basics; Cook on a camp fire if you don't have a butane gas stove, eat with bare hands if you don't have any utensils and entertain yourselves with funny stories if you're bored.Getting to this place is relatively easy, by private or even by public transportation. It is advisable that you leave the Metro before 4am since it will take 4-5hours travel time to San Antonio, Zambales depending on the traffic. Stop by the public market for your camping needs and drive or hire a tricycle to Brgy. Pundaquit, you won't get lost since there are lots of sign boards along the way. From Brgy. Pundaquit negotiate for a boat ride to Anawangin Cove or take a package tour offered by local boat operators. This package tour would include a round trip boat ride and a side trip tour to Capones Island. Some of the packages includes camping necessities like camping tent, icebox with ice, purified water, charcoal and cookware. It is really hassle free package, the boatman will carry all of your things and even set up your tent for you if your having troubles with it.You can bring your own hammock or just laze on the sand with a paperback. You can swim all day if you want or trek up the hill and take photos of the whole cove. You can consume all the booze that you brought with you and dance like nobody's watching around the bonfire and no one will bother you.Life is better at the beach, isn't?