Adventures at Anawangin Cove

It's supposed to be a training climb in preparation for a mountain expedition in Romblon province. I joined my buddies to assist them in their training but things turned out to be different and more adventurous. I remember a home-buddy friend who went for an outdoor camp for the first time and kept on harping about Anawangin Cove. He's the type who doesn't like the water and so with him barking Anawangin over and over again, it must be a place worth visiting.

It was during the Holy Week that we finally planned to visit Anawangin Cove in the province of Zambales in Luzon. Zambales is located in the west coast of Luzon as it accommodates the South China Sea to its shoreline. We left Manila at 6am to begin our journey to our jump off point at the town of Panduquit in Zambales. The best way to get there is to pass by Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Travel time is about 4 to 5 hours by private vehicle. We divided our group into 2 when we have arrived in Panduquit - those who are training will traverse and trek the mountains while the others will have a leisurely boat ride straight to Anawangin Cove. Our trekking group sought for a guide for hire but unfortunately, we couldn't get one. From what we've heard from many people, the trail is easy but one can get lost if you're not familiar with the trail. The weather condition was hot. It was like someone torching my skin; it really hurts even with an umbrella! After passing through some desert-like areas and a dry river, we got lost somewhere in the thick forest; there were tall grasses that we stumble on large rocks that were not visible. If you're not wearing the proper trekking shoes, this will definitely injure your feet. Although, the serene view of the mountains and the nearby sea is as always complimentarily breathtaking but time wasn't at our side. Without the aid of a guide, we just couldn't find a way to follow our itinerary. Just before 6pm, we see it wise to abort and return back to the town as trail food and water supplies are running short. "It was a nice attempt," I told myself. Even with the proper equipment, we wandered aimlessly in the dark thick forest. We were all trying to remember the trail but I'm glad that no one panicked in the process. Eventually, we found the town after 4 grueling hours. While the other group has finally reached the cove and had time to relax the whole afternoon, we arrived by 11pm tired from the whole trekking expedition. We took a boat by special request as locals don't normally transport guests by night time. Thankfully, our friends have prepared dinner for the rest of us. That was a great treat! Yipee!

Having settled and camped a few meters away from the beach, we lavished the rest of the night recounting our adventurous mishap of getting lost in the forest but swearing to return and conquer the mountain. Since it's a long holiday weekend, there were several big groups composed of different mountaineering clubs, groups of families, and friends camping around the area. Water is available and you can even get a good workout pumping it out while you take a bath on public just like everyone does.

On our second day, we bask in the sun and the beach of Anawangin Cove. People enjoy swimming, snorkeling and playing frisbees & beach volleyball. Eating halo-halo is a perfect dessert! The pristine atmosphere was really rewarding. Our trip won't be complete without visiting the picturesque Capones Island where an old Spanish lighthouse sits at the top of a hill. Adjacent to it is Camara Island where we spent time swimming and snorkeling. Upon returning to Manila, we passed by Subic Bay and enjoyed Italian food and coffee at Xtremely Xpresso Cafe along Dewey Avenue. Make sure that you try their gelato as a treat to cap the adventurous trip worth remembering.

Quick travel tips:
1. Seek a legitimate travel guide when venturing to an unfamiliar place. Refer to a local government office for proper advise
2. Bring trail food and water whenever traveling. Dried fruits and nuts are more healthful options than candies and junk food.

Unplanned Subic Trip

My travel buddies just want a vacation from organizing a vacation... including myself. During this year's Independence Day of the Philippines, we finally decided that we're spending our time together at Subic Bay in the province of Zambales, Luzon. Three days before the "planned" day of travel, we haven't booked any hotel until the last minute. Since the holiday falls on a Friday, we should expect fully-booked accommodations across the board. Thankfully, Subic International Hotel has some rooms to squeeze us in.

Subic Bay (officially known today as Subic Bay Freeport Zone) used to be the U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay as early as 1900 after the Treaty of Paris was signed that ended the Spanish-American War. The presence of the U.S. Navy in the base continued even after granting independence of the Philippines from the United States in 1946. This base has facilitated numerous periods of war especially during World War II, the Vietnam War and the Korean War. It is said to be the largest U.S. naval base in Asia until the Philippine Senate rejected the ratification of the treaty and lead to the expiration of the Military Bases Agreement of 1947.

From Manila, you can reach Subic via North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) and Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx). Travel time is about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. And so, with whatever we got from our closets, we drove in a car and left Manila at 6 am to anticipate the heavy traffic ahead of us. Once in the freeport zone, traffic discipline is very much observed unlike in Manila where you have to be a professional defensive driver to survive major thoroughfare. If you live in Manila, you can only wish that we have this kind of discipline being implemented and observed by the every citizen. I guess it has something to do with the inheritance of the naval disciplines left by the Americans.

Since this is unplanned, I'll try my best to recount what we did in Subic. To be honest, we couldn't agree what to prioritize in this trip. Regardless, we enjoyed the company of friends and spontaneous activities we did in Subic.

After checking in at our hotel, we went to visit the Subic Bay Yacht Club (SBYC) to enjoy the water sports activities. Aside from being a berthing marina for yachts and boats, they have Speedboats, Jetboats, Pontoon Boats and Platus for rent for water sports enthusiasts; Kayaks are also available. They also offer lessons and courses on how to sail a boat. for a Platu sailing boat lesson, that's P1,000/3 hours for a person but the boat can accommodate up to 4 people at P2,400/3 hours; you may avail their sailing lesson program. There have a multi-level swimming pool and hoop some basketball while you're in the pool or spend some time in the sauna and use the jacuzzis if you want to relax and enjoy your stay at the yacht club. If you have hydrophobia or simply not in the mood for water, you can still enjoy other facilities and play beach volleyball, basketball, tennis, bowling & billards or work out in their fitness center and have a spa treatment. Relish meals at their restaurants that offer buffets to delight your appetite while you enjoy the view of the bay.

Just right outside the yacht club, there's the Subic Le'Mans Go Kart racing track for a thrill seeking ride. Rates are P300-600 for 10 laps depending on the go kart units.

Camayan Beach Resort and Ocean Adventure are two adjacent places where you can enjoy the beach, marine animals like dolphins and sea lions and other water sport activities like snorkeling, playing beach volleyball, frisbees, kayaking in the mangroves, ship wreck diving and even biking through the nearby forest.

If you can't get away from the urban life of Manila, there's always the restaurants and nightlife bars prominently along Waterfront Road where you can enjoy great food and drinks along the beach. Xtremely Xpresso Cafe seems to be our all-time favorite place to eat PIZZA!!! "Big Ben" is our recommended pizza and make sure you order it extremely big!!! You can also try their humongous burger, pasta, soup and other wide variety of Italian dishes. Oh, don't forget their gelato! The Korean food franchise BBQ Chicken seems to be aother promising fastfood place. Surprisingly, they serve Filipino buffet meals for lunch! (but maybe only for Subic)

If you think we had enough of Subic, they have a lot more to offer. More adventurous outdoor activities await at the Extreme Adventure and Tree Top Adventure near the vicinity of Jungle Environment Survival (JEST) Camp at the Upper Mau, Cubi Point as they offer military-like training and adventure in the forests of Subic. Enjoy riding the zipline, trekking the forest, rappelling down a 60-ft. tree and even learn how to survive in the jungle using the forest resources adopted from the indigenous skills of the Aeta people. We ended our weekend shopping around discount retail stores of signature apparels and of course buying "PX" goods from former duty-free establishments like the Royal Subic Mall.

There's just too many other things you can do in Subic - shopping, playing golf, camping, visiting the safari & equestrian center and numerous dive sites and beaches in and around Subic. I guarantee you would want to go back for more.

Quick travel tip:
I only have one this time. Most of what you will need for this trip is available in Subic but it's best to bring a private vehicle while you tour around the freeport zone unless you want to bid and win an auctioned vehicle.

Coron Island Tour (Part 4 of 4)

Day 4: It's the last day of our journey here at Coron. We're taking it easy this time. We started our day by trekking Mount Tapyas and catch the early morning sunrise. They say it's about 700 steps to achieve the height where the cross is located. From Sea Dive Resort, you can reach the summit in 30 minutes but we woke up at 4:30 am to make it leisurely as the sun usually rises at around 5:30 am. From the summit, you get a scenic view of the town and the surrounding picturesque islands.

After descending, we were on a scout for a new place to have breakfast and since we've been loyal food customers of our resort, we went to Pizzito Melano. As the name suggest, they ought to specialize on pizzas but we didn't order that because of the time it needs to prepare. The traditional Filipino breakfast meals were very enticing - dangsilog (dried fish with fried rice & egg) and tapsilog (beef tapa with fried rice & egg) were the best!

There were a lot things we haven't explored in Coron. And so, as we travel back to Manila after lunch, we anticipate another opportunity to visit this paradise.
=)

Quick travel trip:
1. When trekking or walking, make sure that you warm up your body especially your legs by doing some stretching exercises to avoid cramps. Remember also to cool down afterward.
2. As they say, breakfast is the most important meal of the day especially when you're traveling.

Coron Island Tour (Part 3 of 4)

After the whole night raining, we were hoping that the sun will come out for our island tour here at Coron. This do-it-yourself travel is based on our research and inquiries from the locals who are friendly to accommodate us.

Day 3: It's another adventure for island hopping, swimming and snorkeling. Although the sun is peaking and the weather seems better, the water current is still strong. After seeking the advise of the boatman, we have made and decided this route. At 7:30 am, we were on our way to Malcapuya Island. Another round of pouring rain began as we were just enjoying our boat ride to the island. On normal conditions, one can reach Malcapuya Island in 1 1/2 hours. Well, after braving the cold rain in the open sea, we have finally arrived and it was not disappointing. Upon docking, there's an entrance fee for guests at P150/person. You may also rent their cottage huts at P300/day that can accommodate up to 10-15 people. It's like a small version of Boracay minus the commercial establishments. The island features white powdery sand beach where people can bask in the sun at one side, a snorkeling area at the other, and a sandbar at low tide conditions at the third side. We didn't waste any more time to begin enjoying our snorkeling. There were a good variety of fishes thriving at the corals and rocks but it was amazing to see schools of fries by the thousands! Just across is the acclaimed famous Banana Island (Entrance fee at P200/person) that also boasts a great beach area but we weren't able to visit it because of the strong current created by the wind from the east. By lunch time, we enjoyed a hearty meal prepared by our boat men - fresh streamed crabs, grilled fish & liempo (grilled spareribs); their serving was very generous to match our strong appetite. Hahaha!

In the afternoon, we went to Atwaian Beach where 'Jessabel' TV show was filmed as we have more swimming and snorkeling. Less than 5 minutes from the beach, there's the Skeleton Wreck where the rear of the vessel can be seen from a distance especially during low tides. Great coral gardens and lots of fishes thrive in the vicinity. By the end of the day, rain came pouring again to cool the night as we have dinner at the resort. Then again, the night won't be complete with going to another & even shabbier videoke bar. Oh well, you just can't expect too much for a 5-peso-song videoke machine by singing 'Beat It' at a much slower tempo but simply enjoy the night. =P

Quick travel tips:
1. Always bring water to hydrate yourself.
2. Bring a light jacket or a portable poncho in cases where unpredictable nasty weather rushes in your vacation scene.

Coron Island Tour (Part 2 of 4)

Organizing a big group to travel out of town is no big joke. Your organizing skills will be really tested but it can be very fun and can build your camaraderie for each other. Being 10 in a group is manageable; if it were bigger, you should consider another coordinator to manage a subgroup.

Day 2: We've set this day at Coron to visit Calauit Island. It's an island located northwest of Busuanga Island. It's known to be the home of African animals imported in 1976 during the Marcos era. With a pre-arranged van, we got ready by 4am to travel to Calauit Island to visit the Calauit Safari Park. While on transit, I got an unknown sunblock lotion brand recommended by a friend where he bought from a flee market. I shared it with a someone else in the group. After a while, I thought that she overdid herself. I told her that there's too much lotion she applied as she resembles like a ghost in a horror flick B movie. It turns out I have the same outcome as friends were laughing their hearts out at us. I'm not that vain but I think the lotion product is a knock-off of the original. I don't know it's effectiveness to protect oneself from the sun but it's definitely not absorbing to our skin; as if I put flour on my face! I'm not saying that all items in the bazaar are like this but one should be careful in picking the right product especially if it concerns your health or diet. Anyhow, we arrived there by 7am after a long speedy and bumpy ride. We also took a short 10-minute boat ride to finally land to our destination. By the way, I also heard that you can take a boat from Coron town but it'll take you 4 hours to arrive in Calauit Island as an alternative route but you get to see scenic places of the outskirts of Busuanga Island.

Entrance fee at the safari park is at P200/person and there's also a touring truck rental fee of P1,000/group good for about 25 people. We had a short walk and for our first glimpse, we excitedly saw mouse deers grazing within close distance from us. Then, from afar, we were all the more exhilarated to see the zebras and the giraffes. We had the opportunity to feed them for breakfast. The tour guide says that these are third generations of zebras and giraffes since their grandparents were imported from Africa in 1976. Unlike our local animals, these creatures are very sensitive. Since the caretakers do not have the authority to inject tranquilizers or any pacifying agents, they have to improvise to give treatment whenever they have infections and diseases. They usually cover their heads to ease the tension as they may die due to severe stress of being temporary captives for treatments. Somehow, I'm glad these animals have adopted to the local weather conditions and food supply they need to propagate their kind. The safari is under the jurisdiction and care of the provincial government of Palawan. There were also other animals like a small herd to antelopes, a pair of porcupines, a bearcat, endemic chickens, boars and crocodiles... and that's it. Oh well, I was anticipating that there will be more kinds of animals in this vast island where they can roam free. Overall, the highlight was the giraffes... (period). By 9:00 am, our tour was done and we were eating our packed lunch. Hahahaha... Talk about bursting our bubble.

We went back to our resort in Coron town with another 3 hours to reconvene what we can do for the rest of the afternoon. We were hoping to go island hopping again but the weather was not favorable so we decided to take a nap while the rain was pouring. Late in the afternoon, we went shopping to get some souvenirs and pasalubong. Everybody in town knows Lita Escardas' Coron Harvest who makes cashew products near the port. (P50 for the small bag for about 50g & P100 for big bag for about 100g.) You can also buy 'fresh' dried fish and squid at the town market.

If there's something worth going back to Coron apart from the paradise islands, it's the food at Coron Bistro. They're known for their great rectangular pizza (P386 large for 12 slices, yum!), pastas, sausages (Hungarian, Italian or French with potatoes for P175) and other interesting & elaborate items in the menu. I guarantee that it will take you awhile to choose what you want to eat. The owner actually prepares the meals for everyone. To cap the night, we went to a shabby videoke place in a local cafeteria and hooked up with some locals singing videoke. I hope we didn't disturb the neighbors as we were singing our hearts out. It was fun and funny but I'm not sure I was happy with my singing. I hope the neighbors were able to sleep that night. =P

Quick travel tips:
1. Bring a reputable sunblock lotion brand that would protect your skin from the sun and its elements.
2. Travelling with a group is great but consider how you can manage them especially the time and the arrangements.