The Broken Promise of Anawangin

I first heard of Anawangin from a friend around two years ago. From the sound of it the place was for anyone who's up for something new and a bit of an exploration. 'Cause normally, when people think of the beach, what immediately comes to mind are the bajillions of beach resorts that line up the likes of Boracay, Bohol, and Puerto Galera - crowded, busy, expensive. This is where the promise of Anawangin as "hidden away" "laid back" "uncommercialized" "uncrowded  appealed to me.Well, the last one would have been true 3-4 years ago when people first started coming to this place, but not so much when we went there.

All my expectations of Anawangin are captured in this photo (Photo credit: Manilenio!)

To be fair, we went there during the peak season (April-May) and on a long weekend at that, so the crowd was to be expected. I wouldn't have minded that actually, because of how it lends a hippie vibe when you're on the camping grounds, but what really bothered me was the volumes of trash that a huge crowd usually translates to. Oh i'm getting ahead of myself. More on that later.

It took us about 6 hours from Metro Manila to get to barangay Pundaquit in San Antonio in Zambales. The trip would've been quicker if we took the SCTEX exit from Dinalupihan, Bataan that would have taken us through SBMA instead of the vehicle congested Olongapo town proper. Another hour was spent looking for a place to stay since we're not a family that's good at making detailed plans.

There are a lot of places that offer lodging, but only a few that actually line the beachfront. We ended up in a cabana at the Pundaquit Luxury Resort, which was a stroke of pure luck given that we were without a reservation and the beachfront resorts were all packed. If you aren't as lucky as we were, there are plenty of other options, but you have to be prepared for cramped spaces and long walks to the beach.

View of Pundaquit Beach from our cabana

Or you can always pitch a tent at one of the coves for the complete outdoor experience. I think this is a must if you're going here with your friends instead of your family, in whose case it would be better to stay in a comfy hotel room.

Boat trips, along with your food and other camping needs can be arranged with your resort. Most of them offer an island hopping package which cost around 1500 for a group of four to Capones Island, Camara Island, and Anawangin Cove.  Separate packages include single destination trips to Talisayin and Nagsasa coves which are a good 45 minutes to an hour boat ride from Pundaquit beach. We actually wanted to go to Nagsasa because we heard it's relatively uncrowded and the waters are more pristine than in the other coves, but it was already high noon and the boatmen discouraged us because the sea was starting to become restless. So off to Anwangin it was.

Capones and Camara islands as seen from Pundaquit beach

I'm glad we listened to the boatmen, because that was one rough boatride just going to Anawangin. But that was only a quarter of my woes, because as we were rounding off the corner to enter the cove itself, I saw bottles and chip wrappers floating on the water. uh-oh.Not the sight you want welcoming you.

Anawangin Cove from a distance

Not to say that Anawangin is without its charms. In fact it's a beautiful place, what with the fine off-white sand, the evergreen forest, and the beach cliffs that straddle the cove.  There's a place for those just wanting to relax as well as a getaway for the thrill seekers.

the beach at Anawangin

If you're looking to swim, you may be disappointed as the beachfront is usually full of docked boats. The water is also quite deep and reaches the chest area just a few feet from the beach. There's a rocky part on the rightmost part of the cove where most of the people take a dip, but other than that you just have to wait till the boats leave.

the campsite

Further into the cove, you reach the campsite that's shaded by the agoho trees that cover the forest. This is a nice escape from the scorching heat of the sun especially around mid afternoon when temperatures on the beach can be very extreme. The campsite was almost full when we got there, and as you can expect the place was littered not just with bodies but with trash, the latter a problem that could only get worse as more people hear about this place.

You can bring your own tents or rent from one of the resorts. An entrance fee of fifty pesos per head is also reportedly asked at the entrance, but i'm not sure how strictly this is enforced since I don't remember us paying for anything.

Since we weren't planning on staying for the night, we didn't bring any tents and instead settled for one of the picnic tables placed all over the campsite. You have to be quick in getting your own table and once you leave it, there's no guarantee that you can get it back again. You can also buy hammocks from the peddlers that frequent the place and tie it between the sturdy agoho trees. 

The other side of Anawangin - a stream.

If you take a walk further into the cove, you're in a for a surprise as you see another side of Anawangin. A stream runs the length of the cove and supposedly empties out into the sea. I was afraid to get in the water though, because I heard some campers would take a piss or a dump there. Your call.

One of the beach cliffs enclosing the beach

 If breaking into a sweat is more of your thing, then a hike into one of the beach cliffs is the perfect activity for you. I didn't try this one since we were only there until late in the afternoon, the time that they say is when most people usually hike up the peak for a beautiful view of Anawangin.

It may not be the serene, uncrowded, picture-perfect paradise I had in mind, but Anawangin Cove is still one of those places worth going to if only for the thrill of unfolding a new experience. I just wish we had gone there before everybody else started hearing about it. Oh well, there's always Talisayin and Nagsasa.