Saturday, March 26, 2011

Seduced by Anawangin

May 2010

How something beautiful can be the result of something destructive is truly a wonder. When Mt. Pinatubo erupted in 1991, it gave off substances that later became pine trees and its lahar brought forth the greyish-white color of the sand in an island cove in Zambales called Anawangin.

Anawangin is enchanting. The first time I laid my eyes on it, I immediately made plans to go there.  I invited 3 of my friends who, like me, were captivated by its beauty.

How to get there: Take a Victory bus that goes to Zambales(Iba). Tell the conductor you're heading to San Antonio. One-way fare is approximately Php250. Get off in front of the San Antonio municipal hall, take a tricycle and ask to be taken to Brgy Pundaquit. Once there, rent a boat that will finally take you to Anawangin. There are other islands that you can also visit: Capones, Camara and Nagsasa.

We hired a boatman from Mang Mike (09283405136), he charged us Php1400 for Anawangin and Capones (the ff. day). I also wanted to go to Nagsasa that same day but it was more than an hour away and the waves were crazy, it was almost 4pm that time. Tip: Sail before 3pm because the waves can get rough late afternoon. We were so wet and morbid things were already running through my mind. I was looking at the deep blue water and thought about drowning. Haha.

There are no hotels or any kind of accommodation, you need to camp out. Camping fee is Php100/pax.  While here, you can also say goodbye for a while to the rest of the world. You will be detached from it coz there is no phone signal on this island. No electricity as well. Back to basics. :) The idea thrilled me.

If you don't have tents and you're really not into camping, instead of buying, you can just rent from your boatman. You can also rent whatever you might be needing- super kalan, ice box, flashlights. You can also request for them to cook foods for you. Remember to bring enough foods. There are makeshift stores in the island but their prices are expensive, expectedly so. We bought 1 kilo of rice from one of the stores for Php100. haha. We didn't bring rice, we just had loaf bread. We were lazy. Haha.

The sand may not be very white and powdery like most of our popular beaches but the beauty of the whole cove compensates for that. The enchanting surroundings and the seclusion make Anawangin the perfect escapism haven.

There were not a lot of campers when we were here. It was a Friday. There were just around 5 tents in the island. I liked it that way. But the next day, when we were about to leave, a lot of people had been arriving and setting camp. Good thing we went there on a weekday. :)

The tall pine trees add mystery to the island.


I am so feeling it! LOL.

I thought of bringing a hammock but we were not able to buy one. It would have been a lovelier stay. :) Ironically, on our 2nd day, when we were almost about to leave, we saw a man selling hammocks. Whaaaaaa! Why only now?!


Our quest to find the fountain of youth. LOL! :D We were just looking for the waterfalls. We didn't find it. Haha. The ice cream vendor I spoke to the following day said the falls would be dry at that time. It was May, btw.




aww look, there's a forest fire. dunno if it was an accident or some people were doing Kaingin. I felt kindda sad, the mountain won't look so lush anymore after this. Nevertheless, the fire served as a good photo background. LOL.


Waking up early morning, opening your tent and the first thing you see is the splendid, almost deserted island, blue skies after the sun had just risen..
the calm.. the quiet..
It's an incredible feeling. Sigh happily and say "I LOVE MY LIFE"


Morning Glory
(What's the Story, Morning Glory. lol)
I love this shot. It's one of those photos that can tell a good, riveting story.
That guy in the photo is Edward, my friend's boyfriend.



Another plus point for Anawangin is its lagoon. Hauntingly beautiful, it's like a scenery straight out from a postcard. 

I love bridges, even makeshift bridges. :p


It's almost like camping in a lake in Colorado or Europe, eh?


Picture perfect. ;) A perfect place to get away from the busy world, commune with nature and do some soul-searching. :)


When we left, each one of us had the same thing in mind: "Someday, I'll be back here"
One night on this enchanting island is not enough, we hoped we could have stayed longer.

Anawangin may not have the finest white sand and clearest water, thus not being the most beautiful beach. But for those who have high appreciation for nature, Anawangin has the most beautiful beach scenery in the Philippines.

Hugs and Happiness,

4 comments:

  1. wooooow! I've heard so much of Anawangin but I haven't been there. :D ang saya, ultimate camping experience!

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  2. Hi Smarla, you should go there. :) the place is really beautiful and it's a fun experience. :)

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  3. reminds me of my 1st camping experience. ang sakit pala sa likod no? (arte, hihi)

    and oh, you love yogurt too. apir! =)

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  4. Yep, sakit sa likod at malamok. hehe. so a mosquito repellant is essential. yes, I love yogurt! :D

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