Mountaineering in style? It’s more fun in the Philippines. 📍Talisayen Cove
🇵🇭SAN ANTONIO COVES ADVENTURE PRIMER🇵🇭
✈️🛳🚌 How to get to the coves of San Antonio, Zambales:
⏺ Ride a bus from Metro Manila bound for Iba, Zambales (e.g. Victory Liner in Monumento, Caloocan).
⏺ Alight at the town proper of San Antonio (travel time is 4 – 6 hours).
⏺ Charter a tricycle to Pundaquit Beach which serves as the jump-off.
⏺ Hire a boat that will take you to the coves of San Antonio.
🏄🏝🚴 Sites to Explore/Activities:
Agnaem/Agnain Cove
Anawangin Cove
Talisayen Cove
Nagsasa Cove
Silanguin Cove
Capones Island
Camara Island
You may have been to these coves in Zambales but you probably have forgotten the name of the municipality where these coves are situated. During my first visit in 2013, all I remembered was the name of this cove, Anawangin. My friends and I joined an organized over-the-weekend event which included Camara and Capones Islands in the itinerary. We camped out in Anawangin and I fell in love right away with the stunning mountains of Zambales.Another precious thing why these beaches are so close to my heart is because my first travel here in 2013 was my first ever camping trip. That was the time when I learned that camping is without a doubt one of the best options to fully immerse oneself in nature and at the same time, have a break from the chaotic life in the city. Unfortunately, I was not able to save and collate my photos back then. I didn’t have a good camera and I didn’t have any basic knowledge yet when it comes to photography. So by the time I went back to San Antonio by 2015, I made sure to capture all the fun with my friends. 📍Nagsasa CoveWe left Manila by midnight and arrived at San Antonio’s wet market by dawn. We bought our supplies for our weekend camping trip before heading to Pundaquit Beach which serves as the jump-off to the coves. 📍Nagsasa CoveI noticed that Pundaquit Beach has become busier compared to my 2013 trip. Loads of boats were lined up by the shore waiting to take passengers to their chosen camping site. 📍Nagsasa CoveConsidering San Antonio is facing the West Philippine Sea, the swell here is treacherous especially when there is an ongoing weather system in the Philippines but we were lucky that the heavens bestowed us the perfect sunny weather we hoped for. Our eyes feasted on the breathtaking mountains of this municipality as we sailed in calm seas on our way to this cove, Nagsasa.The coastline of Nagsasa was still quiet upon our arrival. We unloaded our food and camping paraphernalia and headed to one of the resorts here where we rented a huge cottage. We also decided to pitch our tents which were included in the package offered by our travel agency.We decided to take a stroll under the heat of the noontime sun. Boy was it so scorching so we went back to our camping area after getting a few shots.It was almost lunch time so we started cooking our delectable fresh catch of seafood we bought from the market. It feels so good to be alive, I thought to myself as we were munching on our dishes.I noticed that more and more people were arriving by the minute. All the cottages beside us were taken by tourists in just a fillip. It began to get noisier. I couldn’t complain. After all, it was a weekend and this side of Zambales is one of the most mainstream tourist attractions in the country due to its proximity to Metro Manila.So what’s next after filling our tummies with lots and lots of food? We rested and dozed off while enjoying the refreshing breeze of nature. We waited out the harsh heat of the sun before setting off for the next phase of our itinerary.If my memory serves me true, we headed to this side of the cove by 3:00 PM and trekked to a higher vantage point to see this magnificent view.The climb was short but quite steep and technical. I am a seasoned mountaineer so it was a piece of cake for me but my friends who are not into hiking had a hard time conquering the trail.We finally reached this portion of the view deck where we could photograph the expanse of Nagsasa Cove. Our climb was worth it. The place was deserted as well.We captured a lot of pictures before we agreed to descend. Going down proved to be much harder but my friends who are hiking virgins were able to get down safely.We strolled farther to the other side and noticed more crowded resorts as we walked by the shore. We then passed by this stream connected to the beach.We traced the small estuary and continued walking towards this river. This reminded me of my 2013 Anawangin trip when we camped out near a stream connected to the shore.There was literally no one around as we walked leisurely in this part of Nagsasa. Nobody really ventures here.The lighting condition here could have been perfect had I already mastered low light photography back then. Too bad I only got my point-and-shoot action camera during that time.We ended our walking tour before it went dark. We headed back to our campsite whilst savoring the sunset followed by a lovely afterglow.
⏰⏳ SAMPLE ITINERARY:
DAY 1
12:00 AM ETD for San Antonio
5:00 AM ETA San Antonio / buy supplies / breakfast
7:00 AM ETA Pundaquit Bay / ETD for Camara and Capones Islands
12:00 PM ETD for campsite (Anawangin, Nagsasa, Talisayen or Silanguin)
2:00 PM ETA campsite / pitch tents / free time (swimming, trek to view deck)
7:00 PM Dinner / socials / lights out
DAY 2
6:00 AM Wake-up call / breakfast
7:00 AM Break camp
8:00 AM ETD for Anawangin (if Anawangin Cove is not your campsite)
9:00 AM ETA Anawangin Cove (swimming, trek to view deck)
1:00 PM ETD for Pundaquit Bay
2:00 PM ETA Pundaquit Bay / wash-up
3:00 PM ETD for Manila
💰💶 ESTIMATED BUDGET (for a solo joiner of an organized travel event): Php 3,500 – Php 5,000 (inclusive of island hopping fees + van transfers + food)
***Expenses may vary depending on personal consumption of food and other necessities.
The next day, one of my friends and I decided to take a morning walk to the river. We passed by a few early birds already taking a swim at the beach while the majority of campers were still sleeping.This picture enveloped in sunrays has been engraved in my memory. The warmth of the sunlight, the sound of nature, the morning breeze and the tranquility since the place was deserted were perfect for energizing my still-sleepy soul.If you notice, the sand of the coves here in San Antonio were volcanic in origin. The eruption of Mt. Pinatubo decades ago was a catastrophe of epic proportions which in turn formed the breathtaking landscapes in this side of Zambales. A beautiful disaster indeed. These beaches may not have the creamy fine sand of other Philippine beaches but the impressive scenery surrounding them will surely leave spectators speechless. Besides, the water of the beach is also clear for swimming without any huge rocks or seagrass.After breakfast, we started packing up for the next part of our weekend adventure. While most of Nagsasa’s visitors were still enjoying their stay, we bid goodbye to the cove and sailed towards our first stop for the day.We were welcomed by the crowded coastline of Anawangin Cove as evident in this photo. You can see loads of boats parked at the shore. I was finally back after two years. If there is one thing I would never forget in my visit here, that would be way back in 2013 when I woke up Sunday morning and decided to take a dip at this beach. Since these coves were not yet frequented by loads of tourists during that time, I was the only soul swimming at the moment. I stared at the scenic mountains which seemed like the perfect backdrop surrounding Anawangin. Up until now, I could still remember that comforting vibe as the rays of the rising sun radiated off the contours of the mountains. Very nostalgic.My friends and I hastily made our way to the view deck. I was here in 2013 too but it was much quieter back then with lesser number of people at the top. It felt like the first time, minus the crowd of course. By the way, this was the view on the other side of the hill.We capped off our weekend getaway in Capones Island. This was my second time here since this beach was also included in our itinerary during my 2013 trip.We took our time trekking to the lighthouse of this island hoping that there were fewer people at the top.It was scorching hot when we climbed to this spot overlooking the ocean but the reward was absolutely worth it.Our group was very lucky that we were the only ones taking photos in this part of Capones. My apologies for the low quality of these images for they were all taken using my cheap action camera.We were only able to check out this side of the island because of the time constraint since we were scheduled to be back in the mainland by lunch time.We bid farewell to Capones Island and started with our descent once we were satisfied with our awesome selfies.We came across more tourists climbing up as we walked down towards our boat although Capones was not as crowded as Anawangin and Nagsasa since these coves have bigger camping grounds for its visitors.The ride en route to the jump-off was short and we safely reached Pundaquit. Good thing the weather was still as calm as the day before. After all, sailing in the West Philippine Sea to get to these coves is part of the adventure. But make sure to cancel your plans if you think it is too risky. A typhoon may enhance the monsoon which in turn would generate ginormous waves that would easily overcome your outrigger boat.
📜✏️ Tips/Reminders:
📌There are a lot of travel agencies offering cheap packages for island hopping in San Antonio.
📌It is much better to spend the night to enjoy the beach. Tour agencies include tents and cooking essentials in their packages. You can just buy your supplies at the wet market of San Antonio before going to Pundaquit Beach.
📌You may choose among Nagsasa, Anawangin, Silanguin or Talisayen Coves where you want to camp out for the night while Anawangin Cove, Capones Island and Camara Island are usually included in the packages as your side trips.
📌You can also join organized travel events online to save on time and cut on costs.
📌Best time for island hopping is summer (March-May). Check the weather first before going to San Antonio. The sea condition is usually rough during monsoon season (June-February) since you will be sailing in the West Philippine Sea to get to the coves.
📌Always observe the LNT principles.
☎️ Contact:
📌Tour Operator for island hopping packages: Ate Liwayway (09278040264)
Fast forward to year 2017, I went back to San Antonio with the same set of friends. But we visited Talisayen Cove this time.The truth is, I’ve never really been a fan of camping yet every time I’d go on a road trip and overnight getaway in Zambales with my friends, I couldn’t deny the fact that the experience is always exciting and full of fun. 📍Talisayen CoveSome friends of mine asked me what my favorite cove is among the beaches in this municipality. “All of them,” I responded right away. I could never compare because each of them is beautiful in its own right. 📍Talisayen CoveUpon docking at the shore of this cove, I noticed right away the virtually empty beach of Talisayen. Compared to Nagsasa and Anawangin, Talisayen is not as famous as the other two. Or so I thought.We followed the same itinerary just like our Nagsasa trip two years ago. We cooked our lunch which we bought from the market of San Antonio. We enjoyed our feast while waiting for the sun’s heat to die down so we could trek to the view deck. One of my companions and I then checked out the beachfront a couple of meters away from our chosen campsite. That mountain turned out to be a great background for our picture.We decided to walk a bit farther to this portion populated by agoho trees which seem akin to the pine trees of the Northern Philippines.The refreshing breeze below the shade of these agoho trees was our perfect reward after strolling under the noontide tropical sun.We ended our photo session and walked back to our cottage. I noticed the growing number of boats arriving at the coast. By late afternoon, almost all of the available cottages were taken by guests. Judging from the crowd, it seemed that Talisayen has become as popular as its neighboring coves.As soon as the sun started going down behind the mountains on the other side of Talisayen Cove, we started strolling along the beach to get to the view deck.I had to commend this friendly dog for guiding us. It seemed as if it knew that we had to pose for this picture.Yeah, I know. A lot of people will roll their eyes because of my outfit, but hey, who says you can’t dress up when you’re trekking with mountains as background for your photos?The splendid scenery perfect for Instagrammable shots as we gained higher elevation was definitely our prize.I noticed a couple of tourists walking behind us as we continued going up the established trail. I told my friends to walk quicker so we would be the first ones to take photos at the top. It was a good thing that the trail is relatively easier than the trail of the view decks in Anawangin and Nagsasa. We stopped by this portion overlooking Talisayen. The spectacular mountains of San Antonio never disappoint. If you are an experienced hiker hungry for some challenge and riding a boat is too mainstream for you, you may opt to traverse the mountains to reach these coves.I always prefer to visit San Antonio during summer. Sometimes, the verdant vegetation giving the mountains its green color during rainy days appears to be too typical or boring in someone’s eyes. I like these mountains way better during dry season. The explosion of bright colors, predominantly orange, gives an interesting contrast to the bluish hue of the sea.The groups of tourists behind us finally arrived but at least we were able to get some great shots. The trail actually goes farther up but being the only experienced mountaineer among my friends, I knew our descent would take time so we capped off our pictorial.We bumped into some more groups of people climbing up as we descended. The sun was already about to kiss the horizon so we hurriedly made our way to our campsite to catch the sunset.Just like Anawangin and Nagsasa, Talisayen also has this river connected to the sea. You’ll find the trailhead leading to the view deck by this small estuary.We took a breather here for a few minutes before heading back to our cottage. I would have loved to take a photo of the beach amidst the golden hour but unfortunately, the beach was littered with people swimming everywhere.The next day, we packed up after breakfast then sailed to Anawangin Cove. It felt so good to be back here.As our boat was nearing the shore, I realized that it was probably one of the most crowded beaches I have ever seen in my entire life. If Talisayen Cove that day was already full of people, Anawangin was much more filled with tourists. The populated cove was not really obvious in this top shot but most of the campers were chilling out inside their cottages enclosed under the shade of agoho trees.We braved again the steep trail towards the viewing deck. The scrambling part was already hard but the ordeal was aggravated by the long queue of people climbing up plus the heat of the midday sun. The challenge was worth it upon seeing this splendor.We didn’t include Capones Island in our itinerary so we just opted to spend the rest of our time here in Anawangin.Once we were back at the shore, we walked towards this part of the cove and passed by the cottages of a resort to get to this bridge. A lot has changed since then. The place is now full of cottages and tables for guests.The feels brought back so many memories while we captured our photos. I could still remember the countless times I crossed this bridge in 2013.Before our tour ended, I had one last look at one of my favorite spots in Anawangin where it all started. My friends and I pitched our tents beside this small river in 2013. It might be a short weekend trip but it surely was unforgettable. The next time I visit San Antonio, I’d probably check out Silanguin Cove or Agnaem Cove.
***For other destinations in Zambales and Central Luzon, you may visit this link.
Hi, your adventures looks amazing! We would like to climb Mt Tapulao in December.
My husband and I are both Filipinos from Sydney, we are hiking/camping mad couple.
Thanks for sharing your adventures online.
2 Comments
Liza
Hi, your adventures looks amazing! We would like to climb Mt Tapulao in December.
My husband and I are both Filipinos from Sydney, we are hiking/camping mad couple.
Thanks for sharing your adventures online.
Riley
Thank you very much. Have a safe trip!