Mountain: Mt. Pundaquit (464+ masl)
Beach: Anawangin Cove
Location: Brgy. Pundaquit, San Antonio, Zambales
June 10-11, 2017
This is Jay and I’s first solo DIY travel together and with our love for mountains and beaches, we discovered a way to combine both. My first ever camping experience was not something to look forward to but it was a memorable one which made me love camping. Mt. Pundaquit traverse to Anawangin Cove is a perfect way to experience nature at its best.
Day One
Going to Zambales
Being a frequent planner, I researched a lot about how to spend a two days and one night trip at most, lo and behold, a post about hiking with a promise of beach after came up with my research and found Mt. Pundaquit traverse to Anawangin Cove. I contacted Abby Agasa, the admin for Zambales Tour Packages, immediately. She told me the basics about the boat packages and also recommended a guide for Mt. Pundaquit, we were set for the next adventure before the day ended.
We had a late start, as our usual, going to Zambales. It was 6:00a.m. when the bus left at Cubao going to Olongapo City. We arrived around 11:00a.m. at Pundaquit where we met with Abby. There were other two guests who opted for an island hopping which was lucky for both Jay and I because we can leave our things with them and the boatman while we will be hiking Mt. Pundaquit.
Hiking Mt. Pundaquit
We started our climb around 12:00nn. and luckily, the sun was not too hot due to the storm that was currently affecting the country that time. (But later on I’ll tell you the story about not being lucky at all.) The first part of the hike was a wide trail going to the river bed which can be dangerous if there was a flowing water because it was wide and can be very deep. But we only experienced crossing the river of big rocks.
(Honestly, I am trying my best to recover my memory about our hike with Mt. Pundaquit and I am very sorry if somehow you will find this post not very helpful.)
After the riverbed, we entered into a forest trail which have high grasses and bamboo trees. We were also covered from the view because of the trees. This was the part where I have difficulty in breathing because of the heat and there was no wind that reached us. Although the sun was not clearly visible, the heat from being secluded around the trees can cause difficulty during the hike. After an hour of walking, we reached the grassland of Mt. Pundaquit which means we were an hour away from the summit. Haha.
Upon entering the grassland, we were welcomed with the view of the nearby mountains and we were surrounded by trees and grasses and of course, the wind was abundant at the area. Although we can already see the summit, it took us an hour before reaching it because of my dizziness. But the view of the summit was breath-taking because we can clearly see Anawangin Cove from our location even there were no clearing because of the weather.
Walking down the path towards Anawangin Cove was easier. Though the trail was a little bit slippery because of the moist, we maintained a fast-paced walking and running. The guide said that as long as we can still see the Anawangin Cove, it means we were still far from it. Haha. But when we entered the part of the mountains where pine trees were abundant meant that we were just an hour away from the cove.
After an hour, reached the trail where the sand of the beach was visible.
I did not know why and I still do not know the reason until now, but our guide took us crossing a river which was waist-deep. It was the crazier part of the climb because I got really scared with what was in the water but the craziest part was when I discovered that we can cross a bridge instead of going into the water. And the reason why we went into the river was still unknown to me. Haha.
After four hours of hike, we reached the famous Anawangin Cove.
Anawangin Cove’s Beautiful Disaster
When we reached Anawangin Cove, the two other guests of Abby were already there. They were very friendly and we enjoyed being with them. After eating our lunch and could also be considered as dinner, we went into the beach to swim. The water was cold and there were a lot of other tourists who visited the Anawangin. The weather was still not good and by the time we decided it was time it get up, it was already dark.
Remember how many times I said the weather was not good? After we showered, the weather became worse. The rain started to pour so hard and we have done crazy measures just so our tents stayed dry. The rain did not let up until the wee hours of the night. It was a disaster indeed and I was getting worried because the wind and the rain were too strong. And although the rain did not stop, we still had a great time and still managed to get some sleep.
Day Two
Waking up after the disaster last night was not that great. The waves at the beach were too strong. But there were glimpse of the sun and the rain already stopped. We played volleyball where all I did was pick up the ball. Hahaha. We enjoyed the current of the water but did not try our luck with it. We stared and just enjoyed the sea waves and the pets running around the beach.
To our surprise, our boat man was already at Anawangin Cove around 9:00a.m. and has brought us a bad news. The waves destroyed some of the boats that tried going into the cove and because it was unsafe to travel by sea, we have no choice but hike Mt. Pundaquit… again. For Jay and I, it was okay but the others had difficulty because they brought a lot with them and also there were kids and babies and even elders. The boatmen served as our guide and it was like having a mass hike at Mt. Pundaquit. There were also other guests who pursued going to Anawangin Cove from Pundaquit despite the circumstance. It took us quite some time reaching the summit. But we still took a lot of pictures because there was a clearing! Haha.
After five hours, I guess, we reached Brgy. Pundaquit. Abby’s receiving area has shower rooms so it was really convenient for us. We exchanged stories first before saying goodbye. And I was sure as Jay and I left the place, we were going back to Zambales in no time.
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 San Antonio. — P45.00-P60.00/head
- From San Antonio, ride a tricycle going to Pundaquit. — P15.00/head
- Going home, ride a tricycle going to San Antonio.
- At San Antonio, 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 with 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.
- Abby can also recommend a guide for Mt. Pundaquit which only cost P500.00.
- This post is based on our personal experience last June 2017 and prices may vary.
Contact Persons:
For the boat services at Anawangin 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
What an incredible experience for my first camping! See you on next travel!
Meandering Cloud 