Mountain: Mt. Balingkilat (1,100+ masl)
Beach: Nagsasa Cove
Location: Sitio Cawag Settlement, Subic, Zambales (entry point); Brgy. Pundaquit, San Antonio, Zambales (exit point)
November 10-11, 2018
Jay and I’s birthday celebration was planned a month before. It has become a tradition on our birthdays, which is only three days apart, to hike or travel anywhere. As I said, everything was planned a month before. But then, one week before the scheduled hike, our co-hikers backed out on us. To cut the long story short, the month-long plan was gone and we need to improvise on the spot. Jay and I have few options which can be summed up to: where can we go on our own that is within the budget, too. In the evening of our scheduled trip, we found ourselves going back to Zambales where we have contacts and also our comfort zone when travelling.
Day One
Going to Zambales
We were at the Victory Liner terminal around 11:00p.m. which was very lucky for us because the bus was nearly full and it was already the last trip of the day. I was near to breaking down by this time because everything was not going according to plan but thank God for my boyfriend because he can handle an out-of-control situations. I am a control freak and spontaneity is not my strength.
Back to the story…
I contacted Abby, our contact and friend in Zambales, around 8:00p.m. on November 9 and said that we were going to hike Mt. Balingkilat traverse to Nagsasa Cove that next day. She and her family has a tour business in the coves of Zambales which includes the boat, entrance fees, cooking utensils, tents and other stuff needed for camping. We only needed to bring the food. But because everything was spontaneous, we have no time to do that and asked whether Abby can do it for us. Thank God for her kindness and her mom’s who provided everything for us. Her mom, Tita Olive, was the one who gave the contact number of our guide to Mt. Balingkilat. We contacted Kuya Marvin and he agreed to accompany us. Everything has fallen into place so we immediately got ready and decided to just rest during the trip.
We arrived at Jollibee, Subic around 3:30a.m. and waited for Kuya Marvin. He already rented a tricycle for us going to Sitio Cawag. We passed by the Fire Station where we registered our names and filled up a waiver and letter of intent for our hike. The trip to Sitio Cawag was an hour with the cold wind embracing our whole body and the sky full of stars above us. After we paid the amount of P60.00/head registration fee at the barangay and a short ride again going to jump-off, we started our hike around 5:30a.m.
Hiking Mt. Balingkilat
It was already late when we started because the ideal start on climbing Mt. Balingkilat was 1:00a.m. The first part of the hike was grassy and we found ourselves comparing it to our hike at Mt. Cinco Picos. Oh, yes we already climbed Mt. Cinco Picos traverse to Silanguin Cove (on our birthday hike also) as well as Mt. Pundaquit traverse to Anawangin Cove in 2017 (I did not write about it yet.)
Unlike Mt. Cinco Picos, Mt. Balingkilat has no rivers to cross. By the time we arrived at the spring where we refilled our bottled water just to be sure, the sun was already up. It was also the starting point of the unlimited assaults going to the summit.
Our guide, Kuya Marvin, is a local and although we were older that him, we still call him Kuya. Haha. He is so mature and entertaining. He has lots of stories to tell and opinions to share which made the hike more fascinating. Although we were already late, we were not in a hurry and instead we just chill all the way to the top. Whenever there were trees we can cover from, we rest. We also slept for 30 minutes to an hour as we did not all sleep the night before and there were no other hikers behind us.
Jay and I agreed that this was our chillest hike because we just enjoyed it and played soft music, laughed, danced, sang, ate and just be happy. And although the assaults were really hard and the sun was really scorching hot although the wind was strong, we did not care at all. We climbed and rested on our own pace and time and we love it, including Kuya Marvin. By the time we reached the summit, it was already 12:00nn.
Jay and Kuya Marvin pursued the Peak 2 wherein the view of Anawangin and Talisayen Coves was can be seen; I opted to rest and waited for them at the campsite of Mt. Balingkilat which, I observe, was pretty cool although it was really hot during that time. Haha.
When they got back, we refilled our bottles of water at the spring which was also the last water source. It was hidden in a sanctuary and indeed a wonder to behold.
At this point on, we entered hell.
The descent of Mt. Balingkilat towards Nagsasa Cove was indeed one kind of hell. The sun was directly upon us and it seemed very angry with its scorching heat. There were even no clouds to at least keep us awhile from the sun. The descent itself was very rocky and on the edge, one wrong move can be fatal. The rocks were sometimes farther so we needed to bend lower for us to reach and they were pointed at some angles. There were minimal to no trees at all during the descent and every time there was a tree, we make sure to take a rest and cover from the sun.
It was a long and winding journey and Nagsasa Cove seemed too far away with every step. The real problem was not the climb down but instead it was the heat of the sun which was directed to us at that time. It was the reason why hikers start around 1:00am—to avoid the sun.
Our rests became frequent because we starting to get dehydrated from the heat although we were drinking water; and I did feel getting weaker. By this time, Jay and Kuya Marvin were also getting affected by the heat and thus our pacing became slower. We were asking Kuya Marvin whether we will encounter a river or falls of some sort because Mt. Cinco Picos is really abundant with bodies of water. Unfortunately, we would encounter the falls at the end of the descent. Nonetheless, the scenarios have been the same the entire time of going down with some statements of giving up along the way. Haha. It was harder than I thought.
After four hours, we finally reached the mini falls and also a water source where we rested and plunge ourselves into the cold water. It was a needed refresher. The trail towards Nagsasa Cove by this time was rocky and at first and then eventually, it has gotten grassy. And our pacing was faster than ever.
The sun was already setting down by the time we reached the expanse of a river bed which was very rocky again. There were an abundance of frogs which made me scream all the time. I was getting afraid of the dark too because of the eerie feeling I felt or maybe because I was just really afraid of the dark. Haha. By the time we reached Nagsasa Cove, it was already 6:00p.m.
Because it was not peak season, there were only about ten other visitors, aside from Jay and I, at our respective campsite. And of course, the locals there. The bangkero Abby assigned was already waiting for us at the site together with the cooking utensils, tent, logs, water, ice and of course, our food.
After resting for a while, we pitched our tent and changed our clothes. We were really exhausted to take a bath. Haha. Then, we started to cook. The food was delicious by the way. *pats myself at the back* Haha.
After dinner time and sorting our things, Jay and I entered our tent and a few minutes later, we were both knocked out. By the time I woke up, it was only 3:00a.m. and I was fidgety because it was too hot inside the tent and there were insects biting me. And just because my boyfriend was not being bitten by the insects, he assumed that they were non-existent. Tsk. Men. Jay greeted me a happy birthday then and again, we were knocked out.
Day Two
Nagsasa Cove’s Beauty
It was already 7:00a.m when we decided to emerge from out tent. Yeah, lazy butts. We were still dead tired from the hike the day before but because our stomachs were already empty, duty called. We cooked our breakfast and drank the wine we requested from Abby. The simple kind of celebration I needed.
After eating, we decided to hike the hill of Nagsasa Cove to really appreciate its beauty. It was near at our campsite so we just walked a little bit to reach the base of the hill. It was barely a five-minute hike up to the top where the full view of Nagsasa Cove, as well as Mt. Balingkilat, were can be seen.
The wind was really strong at the top and it was refreshing indeed! We stayed for ten minutes and then we tracked our way down the beach so Jay can start swimming. I, on the other hand, would just walk. Haha.
Nagsasa Cove’s sand was white whereas Silanguin’s ash gray to black. With the same fine sand and clear water, both really were an amazing view to behold.
The water’s not that cold, maybe because of the effect of the heat of the sun. We enjoyed dipping our bodies in and without our notice, time passed by and it was time to say goodbye.
The sun was blazing on us again during our boat ride. It was noon by that time and the water seemed to stretch up to the sky. The sea looked pristine and it was twinkling as we passed by. After an hour boat ride away, we reached the Pundaquit Beach.
How to get there:
- From Cubao, ride a bus going to Olongapo. (Victory Liner) — P285.00/head
- At Victory Liner Olongapo terminal, ride a bus going to Sta. Cruz, Zambales then ask the driver to drop you off at Jollibee in Subic where your guide to Mt. Balingkilat will meet you. — P45.00/head
- Ride a tricycle going to Sitio Cawag. — P300.00/ride
- From Pundaquit, ride a tricycle going to San Antonio. — P15.00/head
- There were buses passing by going to Olongapo, Cubao and Pasay. Just choose. Haha.
Note:
Doing it your own can be a bit pricey but it will be fun! You can opt to join at travel agencies if the price is too much for you. But if you are travelling with your buddies, you can handle the fees and I suggest doing it your own. Haha.
Contact Persons:
For Mt. Balingkilat guide, I really would recommend Kuya Marvin. You can contact him on his personal number at 09286351722. Guide fee is P2,000/5 pax.
For the boat services at Nagsasa Cove, I highly recommend Abby and Tita Olive’s. You can view their boat packages and can message them on their Facebook page Zambales Tour Packages or directly contact them on the following numbers:
- Abby Agasa — 09166891133 / 09194075942
- Tita Olive — 09065156823
It was a great way to celebrate a birthday! See you on next travel!
Meandering Cloud 
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