Nature and adventure
A famous poet once said that “Nature always wears the colors of the spirit.” Zambales has the landscape to back it up: coves, islands and peaks that will excite any adventurous spirit.
Spend a day or two with nature and you’ll get far more than you expect. Trek uphill and shout out with all your might. Take in the view from the top, dip into a crystal clear ocean, then settle in for the sunset. Pack up, tap your friends for a weekend escapade, and share an adventure that will last a lifetime.
Explore Pundaquit Coves
Pundaquit sits in the town of San Antonio, Zambales, and it’s rich in sun-kissed locals and beautiful islands with crystal clear water that will wash the city right off you.
It’s a paradise away from the hustle and bustle. Most businesses are owned by locals, or by foreigners who made this quiet province their home. Stays suit backpackers, barkadas, families and couples, and some places let you pitch a tent near the shore for a cheaper holiday.
Mornings start with the men hauling their boats out to fish, and the shore is busy from 4:00am to 5:00am. The sunrise here is like God’s canvas, awe-striking and well worth the early start. Finish the night with a bottle or two, mingling with locals, family and friends while the waves hit the sand.
Come in peak season and you’ll meet travellers from all over the world, all here for the islands and coves. In the off and rainy season, surfers come in to ride the waves off Pundaquit’s shores.
Pick a cove below to explore.
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Explore Anawangin Cove
Need a break from the daily grind of the city? Anawangin Cove is the place to unwind and recharge. Live the simple life: camp out, cook your own food, watch the sunset sink into the horizon and make memories with family and friends.
Anawangin Cove is more commercialised now, which makes it a go-to for mingling with other campers and joining the activities on offer. There’s a small lake in the middle of the area where you can still sink your feet and cool off.
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Explore Nagsasa Cove
You’ll be greeted with warm smiles when you arrive at Nagsasa Cove. The locals who call it home have taken good care of what nature gave them, and the water is as clear as the morning sky.
Nagsasa is famous for more than its shores. Nagsasa Falls is about an hour’s hike away, and the trail there is a highlight too, lined with tall trees and tall grasses.
Cottages are available for groups and families, whether you’re doing a day tour or staying overnight. You can also bring your own tent or rent one from the local convenience store nearby for a reasonable cost. Swim among the harmless little fish, or string up a hammock (a duyan) and be the beach bum the cove wants you to be.
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Explore Talisayen Cove
One of the best unspoiled coves in Pundaquit. It’s privately owned and well looked after, with cottages for day-tour guests and overnight lodging. Talisayen is the most tranquil and least commercialised of the neighbouring coves.
A local told us it was a private cove long ago, until the government approved public visits. With its magnificent façade and crisp, clear water, it’s a haven for anyone after a serene and inexpensive holiday with family or friends.
Bring your own food and prepare it in the shade of tall trees, looked after by locals who work to keep the cove clean for everyone. Pitch your tent and drift off to nature’s music. It’s a great spot for stargazing with friends or s’mores over a bonfire, and you can walk uphill to the famous grotto, or go further for a fantastic view of the sea.
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Explore Agnaem Cove
An untamed cove that’s yet to be discovered by the crowds. If you want to cut loose from the stress and demands of the concrete jungle, it’s a great escape, with thick forest, fresh air, vibrant corals and pure, crystal clear water. Agnaem is a crescent-shaped cove, the closest to the Pundaquit area, and you can get there on foot or by boat.
The shore is inviting and you’ll be relaxed the moment you set foot on it. Bring food and drinks and cook over charcoal. The cove is yet to be developed, but there’s a convenience store nearby if you forget anything.
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Explore Camara Island
One of the nearest islands to Pundaquit, just a 15 to 20 minute boat ride away. It’s the most visited, thanks to the remarkable rock formations, crystalline water and fine white sand. A sandbar appears in the middle of the island at low tide. Plenty of boatmen can take large groups, or as few as 2 people, out there safely.
The island is popular with campers, and with productions too: TV ads, TV shows and local movies. Locals say weddings, photo shoots, receptions and birthdays are held here as well, and that you only need to coordinate with the local government to arrange one. That’s according to boatmen who have seen these events first hand.
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Explore Treetop Adventure
The top spot for extreme adventure. Bring your family and friends and take on rides that make you face your fear of heights: flip and glide, jump and ride. Our highly trained park professionals guide you on every ride to keep you safe. You’ll find us in Upper Mau, Cubi Point, Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Choose your adventure:
Canopy Ride
Dangle through the trees 100 feet off the ground on a safe motorised cable, and see nature from a different viewpoint.
Tree Drop Adventure
A freefall that will leave an adrenaline junkie lost for words. It’s the ultimate rappelling adventure, from a 60 foot tree.
Silver Surfer
Take this ride with a buddy and glide from one side of the park to the other, looking out over the forest wilderness.
Superman Ride
Take off from a 70 foot tower and see the terrain from a superhero’s perspective. Ride alone or with a friend, and get launched face first.
Parachute Fall
Plummet 75 feet and bounce up and down. It’s an adrenaline rush you won’t forget.
Trekking Adventure
A more mellow option, built to give you a real appreciation of Mother Nature in her unrefined beauty. Learn basic survival tips, how to build a bonfire, and drink only the freshest water from the vines.
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Explore Capones Islands
Capones is famous for its Faro de Punta Capones, better known as the Capones Lighthouse, which once guided ships into Subic Bay. It’s a steep trek, and worth every step. There’s a shorter way up, but the shore is full of oversized corals and stones. You can also start from the main shores of Capones, but that trek is more intense and challenging.
The island is a stone’s throw from Camara Island, and it’s a much larger formation of boulders stacked one on another. The shoreline is a great spot to lie back and take in the mountains of San Antonio. Set up a bonfire, pitch your tent and watch the sunset on the horizon.
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Explore Jest Camp
J.E.S.T. Camp stands for Jungle Environment Survival Training. Here the locals show you how to survive in the forest using only basic tools. Choose from a range of programs, including an overnight adventure in the rainforest with no food or water. With an Aeta guide to teach you survival skills, and only a knife in your hand, you’ll get a back to basics adventure. The programs:
Survival 101
A short activity for guests who are stopping by for a visit. Learn to start a fire without matches, make useful utensils and cook food in bamboo.
Wildlife Walkabout
Walk a trail with a 360 degree view of nature in its rawness, and see why it’s worth preserving our environment.
Camp Craft
A whole day to put your survival skills to the test. It’s an expedition-style camp beside a cascading waterfall, where you live only from the land.
Wild Child
For children aged 11 to 16. Over 2 days, and without parental guidance, they discover the spectacle of nature and the joy of it.
Hunter Gatherer
One to share with friends. Build natural shelters, make friction fires and find edible food, then brag about it when you collect your Jungle Survival Certificate of Training.
Survival Bootcamp
The hardcore step up from Hunter Gatherer. Spend three days in nature’s abode with other campers while your survival skills are put to the test, and live like MacGyver.
Tribe
Be one of 8 outcasts and use your dexterity and cleverness to get through survival scenarios. It builds a stronger mental attitude, and it’s a great way to work on personal development.
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Explore Networx
Established in 1997, Networx Jetsports is the frontrunner for thrilling water sports in Subic. There’s something for the faint-hearted and for adrenaline junkies, and you’ll find them in the Boardwalk Area, in the heart of the metro. Here’s what’s on:
Banana Boat/Bandwagon
Gather your friends and family, straddle up and get ready for a ride you won’t forget. It’s a fun-filled 15 minutes along the coast of the Boardwalk Area, with a great view as a bonus.
Parasail
A safe and exciting way to see Subic Bay from a different angle. Enjoy a 10 minute bird’s eye view of the Bay, 600 feet up in the sky. The latest harnesses and equipment make for an easy lift off and a gentle landing, so all you have to do is enjoy the ride of your life.
Jetski
For jet ski enthusiasts: rent one for 30 or 60 minutes and charge off to the horizon on all that power.
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