Zambales - Anawangin Cove

 Four of the Core Leads of our organization, "The Project 200" decided to have some doze of Vitamin Sea. Cheche contacted a travel agency to Anawangin, Zambales and we all went as joiners. 

With Reg, Cheche, Vane and Carl

Majority of the people suffering from terrifying heat in the city opted to go to the beach to take a time off from the reality. We left manila 12am, April 30 and arrived in San Antonio, Zambales around 5am. Finally, we were able to breathe completely as the Van was very much crowded. 4 person per row!!! 

The 30-minute Boat ride

Pondaqui Beach

While waiting for the boat

The Anawangin Cove

Boat Ride

We took a 30-minute boat ride heading to Anawangin cove, It was a big boat with 50 heads capacity.  As we approached the island at a distance, it seems to be very crowded. And yes, when we set our foot in the island, there were countless heads in the information area. The organizer was not there to assist us, we decided to come in, took a wooden bridge on top of the Anawangin river. It was a bit scary for my shape to walk on the bridge that's why I had to ensure that I step on the wood where it was nailed to the other one. After the walk on the bridge, we reached the camp site. We were not advised that it will be a self-serve accommodation, you have to find a vacant tent that you can use to home your stuff and to sleep at night. Finally, we got 3 tents that we pitched in an area where a log of a tree is laid. We used it for sitting. We met 3 girls from the same Van that we rode and had their tent pitched alongside us. We met a very very nice couple, Ate AJ and kuya John Vic. Ate AJ gave us indian mangoes and bagoong and also Chicharon. The couple are both working in Mariveles, Bataan and We had a good meet with them. We decided to go the beach to enjoy the view and the sea water. 

With my dear Vane

Reg, Carl and Cheche

With Kuya John Vic, Ate Aj, Cheche and Reg

with Vane

The 3, Cheche, Carl and Reg had a walk to the end rocky side of the beach and took some photos. Me and Vanessa decided to swim with the waves and enjoy the water. After a couple of hours, Carl told us to take a break first and eat some snacks in the beach bar. It was very expensive there as what had told us by Kuya Angel, our cool driver. Indeed, it was expensive to buy there. 

We went back to the beach and swam with the waves; everyone was called to take our lunch. After lunch, we went back to the water and swam again. We stayed in the part that is not too crowded. 

After a couple of hours, the group decided to wash up and prepare to go to the wishing mountain. I was under the impression that the place that we will see is a wishing well, but hell, it was a Wishing Mountain, a top hill place believes to grant wishes as you walk your way up on each step.

View from the top of Wishing Mountain

Jump off of Wishing Mountain

Trek to the top of the hill

Instagrammable view from the top

Along the Beach side

We took it and went up to see the view deck. View was really really mind refreshing I would say. Kuya John Vic came along with us and took pictures with Carl at the top. Ate Aj decided to stay at the foot of the hill.  After quarter of an hour of staying and taking pictures, we decided to come down as rain is about to fall. And yes, the moment we reached the foot of the hill, the rain fell. While we were walking on the beach going back to our tent, it was raining hard, and we had come up to an idea of getting a cottage on the next beach resort. Unfortunately, the resort where the wishing mountain is located was fully booked, the middle resort had some hidden charges that appears not to be so practical for us to avail. It was raining hard for the next couple of hours until the scaffolding tent is ready to occupy in the area near the beach. 

Ate Aj, decided to talk to the owner and had an agreement that we will rent a Scaffolding tent for P1,000 as a group. That includes chairs and tables. Indeed, it was worth paying thus it gave us shelter from the rain. We spent our dinner there in the tent and the bonding at night. There was a live band that performed till 10PM, same band that announced the restrictions for tourist to swim in the water by 10PM. 

Ate AJ, Cheche and Reg decided to reclaim the tents we left in the campsite. Unfortunately, they are still wet. They pitched those in front of the tent that we rent and had it dried up. We had a little doze of booze while the live band is performing. It was an ordinary night; we shared our affiliation group doing outreach program in some certain provinces that appears to be very interesting to the couple we met. 

I slept for 2 hours, woke up by some voices of men looking for a teenage girl. They were asking Vanessa if she saw the girl on their description. Vane told them that she has not seen the girl around. But a side talk with me she said that she saw the girl with a group of men of her age going to the aisle leading to the restrooms. It was dark there. Afterwhile, the girl appeared and was found by the people who's been looking for her. We took another nap and was awakened by a shouting from the beach side. There was a girl in the water shouting for help and seems looking for her partner who swam in the water and nowhere to be found. We thought the person was drowning or drowned of some sort. Several people were awakened too, when we reached the beach side, the girl is still in the water shouting for help "wala bang coast guard dito?" That's where it all started!!! the girl was shouting the name of his guy, forgot it already. Obviously, the girl mistakenly asked for a Coast guard instead of a Lifeguard, or she might not know the difference between the two perhaps. Not being judgemental of her but most probably she is really panicking at that time. 

A guy volunteered to search the person in the rocky parts and the spotlight on the stage was turned on to light the rocky part of the beach. As the girl continued her shouting and the people in the information used the megaphone to call the missing person, a voice from afar shouted "pabayaan niyo ako". After then, we decided to go back to our tent. We find it very nonsense to worry seems the person does really want to vanish in the dark. Kuya John Vic stayed and witnessed how the suppose "missing person" walked in front of the lifeguards who woke up to rescue him. He walked casually in front of the people who were awakened by the shouting and appears to be just nothing for the guy.  Kuya John Vic shared it to us. These people are not from the resort where we are staying but from the next beach resort. We heard the 2 ladies in the information talking that they have to go to the next beach resort to complain the tourists who made a scene in front of our resort. And that's where all it started, the Coast Guard joking till we went bound to Manila. 

Boat to Capones Island

At the Capones Island

When the morning comes, we took our breakfast and took a bath and rode the boat again.  An aeta selling locally made products came and we all bought souvenirs from the island. We went to Capones Island. Vane and I decided to stay on the boat with ate AJ, Kuya Johnvic jumped into the water. Cheche, Reg and Carl went down to take some pictures in the Island. After half an hour, we went back to Pondaqui beach to head back to our Van. We bid goodbye to the couple and wished to see them again soon. 

It was a warm monday morning, the Van was very crowded and find it hard to breathe. The place is very beautiful, the sea and the sand were so good. The only thing I can comment in the place was the accommodations, it could've been perfect if they have prepared the place for Holidays that the count of tourist may double or tripled. On the other hand, it was refreshing and memorable for us. 

You, have you been here in Anawangin? discover Zambales now!