Destination Guide: Nagsasa & Anawangin Cove, Zambales

Nagsasa and Anawangin Coves are among the top beach destinations in Central Luzon. They are close to cities like Manila, Olongapo, and San Fernando, and in recent years have become favorites of Philippine beachgoers, campers, and mountaineers. These beaches are perfect for a quick and cheap weekend get-away.

How to Get There

From Manila take a bus bound for Iba, Zambales. Get off at the Municipal Hall of San Antonio. Behind the municipal hall is a wet market where you can buy food and other provisions. Travel time by bus is 3.5 hours. On the other hand, by private vehicle it takes around 3 hours via NLEX forward to Mac Arthur Highway.

Some Tips:

• Several bus lines ply the Manila to Iba, Zambales route, departing from terminals in Buendia and Cubao.

• Prior to the trip it, ring up the bus company to double check the schedules, schedules published online aren’t reliable.

From the Municipal Hall in San Antonio hop on a tricycle and head for Pundaquit beach. The trip from the municipal hall to Pundaquit Beach takes about 5-8 minutes. Pundaquit beach is the jump-off point to the coves.

My travel buddies and I booked a package which included our boat ride to and from Nagsasa and Anawangin Cove, as well as camping equipment, drinking water, cooking utensils,  and a side-trip to the island of Capones and Camara. (You may want to buy extra charcoal at the market for cooking).

Going home: The trip from San Antonio, Zambales going back to Manila can be a bit more challenging because the buses bound for Manila are scarce and by the time they reach San Antonio, they’re already full. We waited across the Municipal Hall for about an hour then decided to take a crowded, non-aircon bus to Olongapo Terminal instead.

The travel time to Olongapo terminal was one hour. At Olongapo terminal, we were able to get on a bus to Manila, fortunately buses here were open. The trip from Olonggapo to Manila took around 2.5 to 3 hours.

SIGHTS-TIPS-COSTS:

Have a full tummy – It’s a 3 to 4 hour road trip to San Antonio, Zambales, so start your day with a full breakfast and pack a few snacks. If you haven’t eaten in your rush to catch a bus, there is a stop at Dinalupihan terminal where passengers have about 15 minutes to buy food or go to the restrooms.

Cook for Day 1 – Prepare your meals for the first day so you can rest and relax on the beach after the long trip. Pack food that don’t spoil quickly, like adobo, fried meat, fruits, canned food like spam, chips, cookies, and bread.

 Light up your life – Bring flashlights and extra batteries to help you find your way at night. (There is no electricity at the coves). For your cooking needs matches, candles, lighters, and newspapers – anything you can use “pang siga,” would come handy.

Pack charcoal – We ran out of charcoal and forgot to buy candles, luckily the locals have sari-sari stores on the beach, but we got the items we needed at the tourist price.

If you’re not a seasoned camper you will likely forget a few things so do make a list and buy your camping needs in town. On the other hand, buying products from the beach vendors is a great help for them and their sari-sari stalls are also a huge convenience for tourists.

Have a bonfire by the beach  – The locals sell bonfire wood per bundle taken from the woods nearby. You can opt to scavenge the forest on your own if you have the tenacity for it, but please don’t chop down any trees.

Boost the flames – Bring a small bottle of kerosene and newspaper to help ignite the fire for your bonfire or for your cooking, this will cut-down long tedious hours of grilling.

Proper trekking attire – If you plan to explore the mountainous areas surrounding the coves, best to prepare well for it. Pack hiking footwear, leggings, sunscreen, shades, and a hat to protect yourself from the elements, and most importantly, bring a lot of drinking water.

Note: The guides charge a fee per person.

Waterproof your bags – Waterproof your bags with large plastic bags or any waterproof fabric. For your gadgets, keep them in a dry bag.

Conserve nature – Bring an ample supply of garbage bags and place your garbage in one place. The beach locals will collect them at the end of each day. Please practice responsible tourism. Let us all do our part in conserving nature.

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Several tour organizers offer overnight and day tours to Nagsasa and Anawangin. If you’re in for a rough and ready encounter with nature, these wonderfully isolated coves are your go to destinations.

Check out these Travel Guides for more info on the coolest beaches to visit in the Philippines. 

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