Anawangin Cove Travel Guide
Hi there! 👋 I’m Benj Tupas and welcome to another Philippines Travel Guide where I write DIY and budget-friendly guides on how to travel to all 82 provinces of the Philippines!
For today’s guide, let’s explore Anawangin Cove in the province of Zambales!
If you have any questions, you may message me on Facebook. 😍
Summary
Anawangin Cove is a great place if you really want to disconnect. There's no mobile signal and the electricity is only from 6PM to 6AM so please bring a big power bank! 😆
Check out my travel essentials for the recommended power bank and tour essentials:
Day 0: Going There
📍 Meet-up at SM MOA in Pasay
🚐 Van Transfer to Pundaquit Beach
Day 1: Anawangin Cove
Day 2: Island Hopping
Tour Details
⛵ P2,399 - Tour with Anawangin Cove Package Tour on Facebook
🛖 P1,500 - Optional: Destinare Beach Resort (P3,000 / 2)
We decided to book with an agency so we can share the cost of the van, boat, guide, and island hopping with other fellow travelers. We paid P2,399 each for the tour and an additional P3,000 for the hut room at Destinare Beach Resort which is optional.
A tent is the common accommodation here but there are huts and rooms at Destinare Beach Resort where we availed our accommodation. Destinare has a swimming pool, better toilets, and a restaurant.
What was included in the package:
- Anawangin Cove (a trekking guide to the hilltop, environmental fee, entrance fee, and overnight stay fee)
- Round trip van transfer: Manila-Zambales-Manila (gas and toll fees)
- Island Hopping: Capones Island + Camara Island
- 3 hosted meals
- Boat transfers with lifevest and driver
- Cottage and tents
- Bonfire
- Cooler with ice, charcoal for cooking, grill, and essential kitchen utensils
- Distilled Water
- Free use of volleyball and guitar
Day 0: Going There
Pandaquit Beach in Zambales is the jump-off point where you'll ride a boat to Anawangin Cove.
📍 10:00PM - Meet-up at KFC MOA (Beside Hypermarket)
This is a popular meet-up place for Joiner Tours
🚐 11:00PM - Start the Journey
- The agency will be the one who will coordinate with the van driver.
- This will be a 4 to 5-hour drive.
- But that's okay coz you'll be asleep most of the time.
- If you can't sleep, ready your earphones and Spotify or Netflix shows.
Day 1: Anawangin Cove
😆
The guide was super funny. He knew what was up! He wore the trash bag to waterproof himself and his things.
💦
The boat ride can be a little bumpy so bring a trash bag to waterproof your things or yourself just like the funny guide.
☕ 04:00AM - San Antonio Wet Market and 711
- This will be your first stop so the assigned guides by the agency can buy food for the included meals of the tour.
- An opportunity to stretch
- There's a toilet inside the wet market with aircon. I'm not kidding! 😆
- We tried to roam around the area but most stores were still closed at 4AM. You can eat your breakfast and drink coffee at 711.
- Also, while at 711, buy snacks, water, and alcoholic drinks. The guides have a cooler where you can store them. The prices are a little premium on the island given how hard it is to bring the goods there.
⛵ Boat Ride from Pundaquit Beach
- San Antonio Wet Market to Pandaquit Beach is only a 15-minute drive.
- Enjoy the 30-minute boat ride.
- The rock formations are super beautiful.
- Probably the reason why my video went viral. See the video link above.
🏝️ Anawangin Cove
You'll arrive here at around 7AM
🏕️ Tent Set-up or Check-in at Destinare Beach Resort
- After the tent or room is ready, I suggest leaving your things right away and going up to the hilltop!
- At this point, you are free to roam around.
🏞️ Anawangin Hill Top
There are 2 hilltops in Anawangin:
1. Regular - the muddy trail
2. Destinare View Deck - This is my recommendation! The resort has a cemented trail and the view deck has a shade that's perfect for hot and sunny days.
Just go down at around 11:30AM for the hosted lunch.
🥄 12:00PM - Hosted Lunch
The menu will most likely be pinoy food such as adobo, fish, vegetable, and BBQ. This will depend on what the guide will prepare on that day. You can ask the agency prior to your trip.
🏖️ Beach and Sunset
- There are banana boats and jetski rentals
- That's pretty much it.
- Just enjoy the slow life. 🤙🏻
😴 04:00PM - Rest
- Take a bath, change clothes, and rest after enjoying the beach.
- You will be exhausted from the long trip and activities.
- So recharge yourself for the nightlife!
🥄 07:00PM - Dinner, Bonfire, Socials
- The guides will prepare your food.
- Anawangin Cove may sound boring but wait until night time. The nightlife is vibrant! There's a comedy show, one of the best fire shows I've seen so far, and a bubble party.
- You can consume the drinks you bought at 711 or just buy from stores nearby for convenience.
- Enjoy the company of your new travel buddies
🍺 08:00PM - Move to Destinare Beach Resort
The resort offers a more vibrant nightlife
They have the following:
1. Comedy shows dominated by gay people who are so much fun 😆
2. Fire dance - one of the best performances I've seen so far.
3. Bubble party
I was surprised that the nightlife was that crazy given that it was a remote island. 🤯
Day 2: Island Hopping
☕ 06:00AM - Breakfast (Prepared by the Organizer)
🏖️ Beach and Sunrise
🎒 Pack your Things and Tents
⛵ Island Hopping: Capones Island and Camara Island
- We weren’t able to swim in Capones and Camara islands coz the waves were too strong and the boat couldn’t dock.
- Both islands still look beautiful from afar. We’ll go back sometime in the future with drone shots by that time. 😍
👋 Time to go Home
Everything will be taken care of by the agency:
⛵ Boat ride back to Pandaquit Beach
🚿 Shower and change clothes at Pandaquit Beach parking area
🚐 Travel back to Manila
🥄 There will be a stop in between for lunch
Please check also the Liwliwa Travel Guide which also located in Zambales. 😍
Thanks for reaching this far!
👋
Say hi on Facebook if you have any questions about the guide
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Travel dates: January 27 to 29, 2023