Budget Summer getaway @ Nagsasa Cove

- May 04, 2018

View from the Mountain

If you are looking for a weekend getaway, here's an overnight stay itinerary for you @ Nagsasa cove.This Cove situated in the small town of San Antonio Zambales is now gaining its popularity as one of the most tourist attraction for travelers.

Nagsasa Cove Swim area

How to go there:

* From Manila, ride a Victory Liner bus bound to Iba or Sta.Cruz Zambales. Jump off at San Antonio public market. It takes 4 to 5 hrs to get to the town of Sn. Antonio. Fare is between P270 to P310 depending on which bus terminal you will choose. (Pasay/ Cubao/ Caloocan Victory Liner bus terminal bound to Zambales.

* Take a Tricycle to Pundaquit. P30 per person, good for 3 person per tryke..

* Rent a boat to Nagsasa Cove. It takes 45 minutes to get there.

Capones Island

What to do:

Beach Bumming- take pictures,walk barefoot, enjoy the sand and swim

Trek to the Mountain - be amazed to see the breathtaking view of the Cove. Take photos and feel the breeze of the air touching you.

Visit the waterfalls - Explore the hidden falls. Then swim, walk and play.

Bonfire - light a fire at night along the shore line and have fun with friends. Try a star gazing, it will connect you to the universe. Just relax lying on the sand.

Island Hopping - Visit Camara Island, Lighthouse in Capones Island and Anawangin Cove.

Pitching Tent

Nagsasa Cove Itinerary:

Day1:

6:00 AM - Assembly @ Victory Liner Bus Terminal Olongapo

7:40 AM - ETA San Antonio Public Market meet up with boatman

8:25 AM - Ride tryke to Pundaquit

8:45 AM - Meeting our boatman, load stuff to the boat.

9:00 AM - ETD @ Pundaquit

9:45 AM - ETA to Nagsasa Cove

10:00 AM - Pitch Tent. others take pictures

11:30 AM - Early Lunch

01:00 PM - Beach bumming, photo ops, Explore the area and swim

05:00 PM - Cooking time

06:00 PM - Dinner

07:00 PM - Socials

09:00 PM - Lights off

Day 2:

05:30 AM - Cook breakfast

06:30 AM - Breakfast

07:30 AM - Trek to the Mountain

09:00 AM - Swim and picture taking

11:00 AM - Early lunch

12:00 NN - Break camp

01:00 PM - Island Hopping

01:40 PM - pass by @ Capones Light house

02:00 PM - Camara Island

03:15 PM - Back to Pundaquit

03:45 PM - ETD to Sn. Antonio

04:45 PM - ETA to Olongapo Bus terminal

05:00 PM - Home sweet home

Light house

Package Tour

Includes:

Island hopping to Lighthouse & Camara Island

Entrance/ 4 Tents

2 Water container/ Ice Cooler

Kitchen Utensils/ Charcoal/ Bonfire

Camara Island

Expenses:

Boat Package Tour - P 6,300

Food - 2,200

Cottage - 500

P 9,000/9pax = P1,000

Environmental Fee 20

Tricycle to Pundaquit B&F 60

Bus to San Antonio B&F 116

Tricycle Home B&F 100

Total P 1,296 each

Reminders/ Travel guide:

1. Leave early in the morning to avoid traffic, if you are coming from Manila.

2. If you can't get a bus going to San Antonio Zambales, you can ride a bus going to Olongapo, from Olongapo bus terminal you can ride a bus going to San Antonio. (Fare is P58 for A/C and P48 ordinary bus. From Olongapo to San Antonio.)

3. There is no electricity in Nagsasa Cove so bring your power bank and flashlights. There are no signals in the area so switch your phones into airplane mode to save battery.

4. Bring lots of food. There are stores there but its a bit pricey. Bring your cook set to save more.

5. Bring trekking shoes and clothes if you're planning to hike.

6. Bring your tent if you want to lessen your expenses, but you can also rent a tent for P500 good for 2 to 3 pax. Tent pitching is free.

7. There are shower rooms available with unlimited water supply.

8. Bring off lotion and sunblock.

9. Wear life vest, don't risk your safety.

10. Be responsible to your trash. Dispose it properly.

11. Pay the boatman only upon returning back to Pundaquit, Choose a boatman who are recommended by bloggers. Some boatman will not give you a good service like the boatman we encountered. After getting an advanced down payment, he left us with unfinished business. Most boatmen will wait for their guests arrival from the cove after an overnight camp and Island hopping, and they offer a free shower to clean up. Since our contact boatman (Jerico Agasa) was no where to be found, we left Pundaquit without changing our clothes, considering that some of us were wet from Island hopping.

There is more, before I got really disappointment.

(When we jumped off to Nagsasa I asked him if I can borrow plates, he said yes pero hindi na sya bumalik.) Its ok, naka survive naman kami sa Nagsasa Cove without his promised plate.

(But before that, there was an incident already,,, the original plan was to meet us at San Antonio near Public Market, but he was not there. We waited for more than half an hour but to no avail, so I talked to him on the phone and I asked his location in Pundaquit to meet him there. We hired a tricycle and told the drivers to drop us to where our boatman instructed, but to our dismay, wala sya dun, and he gave us a wrong direction. So we have to take a long walk before he approached us.) So guys choose a well recommended boatman.