Now, Camara Island ... is definitely worth "swingin' by" because its beach has whiter sand than what you'll find at the Anawangin Cove.
Above: The mountains in the area look different from the ones I've seen in other parts of the country, and serve as a nice backdrop for the beach. They amazed me as much as the pine trees on the beach. Below: Resting on the sands of Camara Island.
Giant rock formation at Camara Island.
Go to Anawangin if:
1. You wanna rough it.There are no hotels or inns on the island. You really have to pitch a tent if you want some shelter. Although in our case we found that we had more than enough space because after the social drinking, most of my companions "opted" to sleep on the sand under the stars (they insist that it was a conscious choice).
You'll also need to get water from a pump (unless you bring lots and lots of bottled water for your bath and the dishes). The toilets are communal too. A lot of people bathe (with clothes on, mostly) around the water pump too since it's easier than bringing pails of water to the makeshift shower room.
Sand and pine trees-- something I hadn't seen together before Anawangin.
The lagoon connected to the stream.
2. You want a less crowded picturesque beach. Anawangin is a good choice because it's close to Manila, yet the scenery and terrain are totally different. The place tends to be packed, though, during long weekends.
Lodging at its best.
3. You're not paranoid. I cannot stress this enough. When I saw the place, I was immediately reminded of flicks with campers starting out happy, oblivious to the monster lurking in the lake or the ocean (then the monster attacks when a couple starts making out).
When we made this trip, mobile phones were virtually useless because there was no signal on the island. You have to trust the boatman you hire to pick you up when he says he will.
Lone boat.
Some Girl Scout-y Tips:
1. It is definitely best to go to Anawangin as a group. Since you'll need to hire a boat to take you to the different islands, it'll be cheaper if you have more people with whom you can divide the fee. More people also means more heads and hands to delegate different camping tasks to. Plus, you'll feel more secure sleeping in a tent knowing that you're with a lot of people.
Chillin' under the sun. Is that weird?
2. If you don't want to shell out a lot of money, make sure you bring enough supplies. The mini-store in the island sells items at triple the actual price.
Also, if you plan on getting wasted, make sure you bring a lot of booze. I'm not sure if the mini-store sells alcoholic beverages, but I think that when we went to Anawangin, my group had booze shortage (I can't really be sure 'cause I had passed out at that stage).
Sunset in Anawangin.
3. If you can, pitch your tents as close to the beach as possible. That way you're closer to the mini-store, the toilet, and the water pump. It's good to have visibility of the latter two, so you know when to use them.
A vendor on the island rests at sunset.
4. Bring a malong or something that you can use to cover yourself with when you change. 'Tis good to have one in handy even when you use the shower room (it is makeshift, so there are gaps and holes).
5. Bring a flashlight. If you go with a travel group, surely they'll take care of lamps, but it's still good to have a flashlight of your own for when you need to go to the toilet or wherever not-so-well-lighted area you'd need to go to.
6. Be on the lookout for cheaper Anawangin deals from offer sites like ensogo.com.ph, beeconomic.com.ph, and metrodeal.com. Make sure you're clear, though, about what the package will cover.
Swings-- very scarce in the Eastern Visayas region. Can you tell? :)
*This entry is dedicated to my UP Sidlangan friends who I miss roughin' and rollin' with.
