Beach and my birthday soon

I'm praying, wishing, dreaming, hoping or whatever you call it of going to beach this month as a birthday gift to myself. I have no beach trip last year which is quite sad so I'm aiming for an early contact with the beach this year.

(my Anawangin sunset picture)

I saw a voucher selling Anawangin trip and I wanted to buy one but I realized doing it on our own will be a lot cheaper. I've been to Anawangin twice and for me that is the most beautiful beach nearest to us. Though it's not for those who wants comfort while beach bumming because it's a camping beach site. Anyways, here's an entry I made about our Anawangin adventure few years ago. If I have to go back there again, we will be needing a tent because we only borrowed the one we used before, although you can also rent from there for a minimal feel but I gues sit would be better to invest in a good tent like the kind of nemo tents perhaps...so I can have can have more camping trips with my husband and friends.

Going back to the beach and my birthday- Please let me have that simple wish. I so miss the sand!!

Nagsasa Cove

The picture was snatched from a friend's facebook page, they recently did a trip there and I was so envious. The place is so similar with Anawangin although double the distance of the boat ride in Anawangin thus making it more expensive. But still I'm dreaming of going here one day, camping, with outdoor firepit for the bonfire, 'mores, fishing and swimming or just lazing around the beach.

 

Anybody wants to schedule a trip there with me? I am so missing the sand and the beach!!

Anawangin revisited

We went to Zambales again last June 21, we planned this trip so Liz (a youth missionary fro the US ) can see a bit of our country side. I hope I did not fail her. We stayed in Megan’s resort, we chose the cheapest room we can stay in, and guess what it’s really basic, there were 2 beds and a CR, there is a built in bamboo table outside where we used as the kitchen. We are the only people in the resort so that’s nice.

(Our cabin)

We went to Anawangin cove for a day trip. After negotiating with the boat man and applying loads of SPF lotion not wrinkle cream of course, off we went to the cove.

(On our way to the boat ride- Pundaquit river)

It is still beautiful!! I think the lake is even more beautiful now. The sad thing is there is an additional lot where there are few tables and huts. Obviously this place is becoming so popular thus the additional huts. There were no people except us. We have the entire island for ourselves. We really enjoyed it, well not to mention the big waves that scared me to death. The boat we rented is a smaller boat compared to what we rented before.


I’m sure I’ll be back again to Anawangin, I want to stay overnight again and camp there. It’s so peaceful and so calm. I am really in love with the place.

Group picture!!

SF- Trees

This is one of my favorite photos taken during our four day vacation in Anawangin Cove, Zambales City last year. And as of this moment I am missing the place terribly. I miss the sand and the beach. I miss the pine trees. An officemate of mine went there last February and said there are a lot of campers, as in the campsites are crowded. I am thankful that when we went there, there were only few people and we even had the day and night when we were left alone. It was so serene and so quiet.

This one was taken while I was resting at a hammock.
For more skywatch photos. Visit skyley.

SKYWATCH FRIDAY

Some of the photos I captured during our new year get away in a secluded cove.
Click here for more sky photos.

Our Anawangin Adventure

Our original plan was to stay for 2 nights and 3 days but when we saw the place we decided to extend it for four days and 3 nights.

HOW TO GET THERE AND BOAT RATE

We went there December 29, Monday, we left Manila at around 7:30 AM and arrived Pundaquit at around 10:30 AM. The trip was a breeze because it is still holiday, there’s no traffic and of course we passed by NLEX and the new SCTEX all the way to Olongapo and then San Antonio, from San Antonio another 5 minute drive or less to Pundaquit.

At Pundaquit we went to Wild Rose Inn just to inquire for a boat and a place to park the car, a lady and a boy ushered us somewhere near the shore and then we rented a boat there (a major headache when we are about to leave na, Imagine they want to change the price from 1000 to 2000? We paid 1600 including the parking fee which is 80.00 for overnight) The ongoing rate for boat they say is at 1000 for day trips, if the boat will stay with you overnight there is an additional charge.

the boat

Note : it is only a small boat so if the waves are too strong be ready to get wet.
Tip : We made sure our belongings are packed in a plastic bag to be safe.

WHERE TO STAY IN ANAWANGIN

None so bring your own home (joke) tent. You can rent one from Aling Ligaya (the caretaker) but she has only one tent for rent so it is best to bring your own.
There’s a bathroom and a “poso” water pump in both camping site.

There’s two camping site. Aling Ligaya’s place is the one who had barbed wire fence. She also rent out hammock just in case you forget to bring one.

Our tents

Note : There is no electricity and no mobile phone signal there.
Tip : Make sure you have extra batteries for your torch and lamps.

CAMPING SITE RATE

This one I am not so sure because they said it’s 100.00 per head for overnight. But then we only paid 150.00 per head for three nights. So I guess they gave us discounts. Probably because we’re the only group left for the New Year. I think the fee is for the use of the poso and CR.

the CR

WHAT TO DO IN ANAWANGIN

Swim- At first we were afraid because of the ongoing talks about the recent drowning, so you need to be very careful, don’t swim too far because the water can be deceiving, you don’t know where the part where it can be deep.
The water is so clear and warm. Sayang naman if you don’t swim di ba?


Trek/Hike – the nearby cliffs/mountains, the husband and our 2 Canadian friends did this and they enjoyed it.

Tip: Bring your camera, the sight up there is amazing according to hubby.

the three who climb the nearby mountain

Read – You’ll will not get bored if you have good books with you.

Watch sunset – I did this for 3 afternoons and see what I captured here;





Fishing -yes, you can go somewhere near the lake, the guys tried two times and was able to catch one small fish..hehe!

the lone fish

the lake

Sleep and Eat – Make you sure you have enough food with you. We ran out of food because we thought we’re only staying for 2 nights, we asked the ice cream man (yes there’s one guy selling ice popsicles there) if he could buy some food for us because he said he goes home to Pundaquit everyday, so he agreed to buy for us but turned out he can’t go back the following day kasi new year nga naman, so she gave Aling Ligaya our stuff. A bit pricey lang kasi we also gave them extra. A bottle of 1.5 coke cost 70.00 there. Bring also lots of drinking water unless you want to drink straight from the poso which we didn't do pero we use the poso water to cook rice. :)

our new years feast

So there, it is still best to go there summer or weekend para there are other campers around but if you do not want a crowd try going there weekdays.

I'm sure we're going back there someday.

More pictures here.

On cold weather and fireplace

Did you notice how it is getting cold everyday? I was surprised nga because when we were at Anawangin, we didn’t even have to use our blankets, our jackets and jogging pants at all because it was hot there. Here in Manila people sleep with their sweatshirts and jammies because it is cold. I even have to use hot water for my bath for few days now. I don’t know when that was but I read from the newspaper that temperature hits as low as 12°C here in Manila and 9°C in Baguio. Wow! That’s really cold for us kasi we are not used to cold weathers di ba?

I remember the last time I felt that cold was when we were in Sagada two years ago, it was like you don’t want to get up on your bed because you’re freezing. Can’t imagine how cold it is in other countries like those countries that snow heavily. Good thing in Sagada the house we rented has fireplace and we were just excited to use it. After all it’s not very often that we can stay in a house like that. I’m sure it is not as good as those from hotprice.uk but it served us well for our three day stay at that house.

So if you’re planning to build a house in cold towns like Sagada and Baguio you might want to take a peek into these Gas Fires and Electric Fires from hotprice.uk. They boast of good quality fireplace at very low cost. Their Hole in the Wall Fires is so nice! Neat! It is wall mounted and like touch screen phones it operates via touch sensitive glass.


In Anawangin, we can only have this kind of fireplace not to give us heat though but to light the place and roast some mallows and hotdogs and our very yummy chicken!

Anawangin Pictures

I'm trying to make a very detailed post about our Anawangin's New Year adventure but for the mean time here are some of the pictures of that so quiet place.