MY PHILIPPINES: Roughing it up in Zambales

A 4 hour drive from Manila to Zambales for a 2 nights and 3 days of beach, booze and back to basics roughing it up living in Pundaquit.

Pundaquit is a local fishing village in the town of San Antonio, its waters face the Chine Sea and surrounded with mountains and hills and other islands.

(photo by MJM)

 Pundaquit beach
(photo by MJM)
 

Although there are other accommodations in the area, we opted to stay in a bahay kubo with no air- conditioning and no private bathrooms (ok so that was a lie, we have dilly dallied too much that all resorts in Pundaquit were already booked and we had no other options). The bahay kubo wasn’t actually that bad, it was clean, it had a functioning electric fan, 2 mattresses, a dining table and a stray cat. My only complaint was that the bath and restroom was communal, dark, cramped and stinky and you need to build up those muscle with the poso before you could take a shower.

our home for the next 3 days

(photo by MJM)

working out

Pundaquit is also the best jump off point to Anawangin Cove and Capones Island.  Capones is well known for its rock formations and white sands, and we took a 45 minute bumpy boat ride to get there.There’s not much to do in the island except to swim in the aquamarine waters, lounge around with a bag of potato chips, set up a picnic and bake in the glorious sun. There's no electricity, cottages, toilets, store and the signal was fluctuating so it was pretty perfect for a getaway.

45 minute boat ride to Capones Island (php 700)

the bangka can carry 5 persons including the bangkero

sharp rock formations all over the island

mj showing off her climbing skills

A Spanish era lighthouse also lies at the back of the island.

 Faro de Punta Capones better known as the Capones Lighthouse
 (photo by Ice Santander) 

It can be reached after an hours’ hike or you could take the shorter way that would require you to climb a steep flight of stairs after another boat ride.

 going up

(photo by Ice Santander)

We wanted to maximize our time so we opted for the latter. What the Bangkero failed to tell us is that it would require a lot of agility, patience and energy to actually reach dry land. In addition to the ride being bumpy because of the huge waves, the boat cannot dock on the shoreline so you have to get off the extremely unstable boat with the water at mid-waist. You then have to navigate on the slippery rocks while struggling against the waves and avoid slipping on the rocky bed.

 struggling to stay on our feet

(photo by Ice Santander) 

But it was a success and worth it.

 

 At the entrance of Faro de Punta Capones better known as the Capones Lighthouse

(photo by Ice Santander) 

 (photo by Ice Santander)

After the tiring battle against the ocean, we headed back to Pundaquit in time to catch the beautiful sunset.
 

Pundaquit sunset
(photo by MJM)

HOW TO GET THERE: Victory Liner buses travel daily from Manila to Zambalez.  Be sure to take routes going to IBA (Cubao to Iba php336.), it will take you to San Antonio bus station, from there take the tricycle to Pundaquit beach.  For schedules of Victory Liner trips visit there website: http://www.victoryliner.com/schedules/