Anawangin Cove is one of the famous destinations for campers and beach lovers alike.
Last April 17th, the Human Resources Department went to Anawangin, Zambales for another weekend getaway.
We were divided into two groups, the first one took a coaster while we took a Nissan van. We left SM Cubao at 630 in the morning and started the long drive up.
The drive to Pundaquit, Zambales will normally take you 6-7 hours but if you take the new SCTEX (Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway), you'll cut the drive for an hour or two.
Good thing that our van had great air-conditioning so we didn't feel much of the summer heat!
After two stop overs, we were in Pundaquit, Zambales by 11:30AM. We headed straight to Jimm's Resort as this was where we will meet our boatman.
From the waters, we could see the crowded Anawangin Cove. It is summer, and expected to have lots of tourists. But I never imagined THIS crowd.
As I step on the sands of Anawangin, I felt disappointment. The sands were also gray. I was expecting white, powdery sands as I saw in some of the pics in the internet.
Our group found a place to put up our tents near the restrooms and water pump. We had lunch and rested.
The pine trees were dry and so was the creek. It was a very hot day.
It was my first time to go camping however I didn't feel much of the camper experience. Probably if we went here during low season I would have released the girlscout in me. *grin*
We went swimming for a few minutes and decided to scout the area. I suddenly remembered the pics that my brother took when he was here last year. It was different from what I saw when I went there. It was crowded, noisy, hot, and dry. Nevertheless, I was awed by Anawangin's beauty.
There were men selling hammocks for Php150, sari-sari store, restrooms, and water pumps. It has become commercialized. I hope that the tourism and local government can do something to preserve the beauty this cove has to offer.
During the night, you could hear every group laughing and having fun. I didn't feel like I left civilization due to the noise. Also, it was still warm during the night. We had to fan ourselves so we could sleep. For those who want to have a relaxing and serene camping experience, stay away from Anawangin during summer season.
Sometime during the night, I bet it started around 2AM, we heard loud big noises as if there was a storm or airplane coming. We then realized it was the wind coming from the mountains.
In the morning, my husband and I decided to take a hike on the side of the cove. But when we got there, too many people have started to hike and with that slope, it was an easy target for disaster. We then decided to scout the area instead. On our estimate, there were almost a thousand visitors who stayed the night in Anawangin Cove.
At 8 in the morning, we left Anawangin and passed by Capones Island before we head home. The waters was too shallow for our big boat so we ended up by just glancing the island and its lighthouse from afar.
Lesson: Don't go to Anawangin Cove during Summer Season.
