CAPONES ISLAND

If you are really looking for a complete adventure like Trekking, Camping, Rock Climbing, Rappelling, Walking, Surf,Swimming and want to save money. Well, I think CAPONES ISLAND is the best place for you.

Capones Island (Faro de Punta Capones) is a 2-kilometer long bone-shaped volcanic mass located 4 kilometers off the coast of Brgy. Pundaquit. The trip takes about 4 hours from Manila passing through the city of Olongapo heading further north to San Antonio then following the directions to Barangay Pundaquit. The village’s beautiful beach is exceptionally located behind a mountain and facing the horizon of the setting sun. In front of it is Capones Island, which is accessible for overnight camping, day picnic and swimming. There are no resorts on Capones but if you are planning to Camp Be sure to bring all necessary gears and lots of liquids as long as there's no typhoons. Bancas are present along the beach of Pundaquit, and available for rent anytime. Overnight stay is allowed but with prearranged pick up with a boatman. You may enjoy swimming in the crystal clear water along the beach, snorkel, explore the surroundings by kayak or simply walk around and discover the natural beauty of the island. Request your boatman to drop you closer to a tall cliff for a better shade.

Capones is not a tropical paradise. It’s rocky. And it’s mostly barren. But it invokes instead a sense of adventure that would appeal to those people who are looking for secret hideaways far from the madding crowd.

Although there are no commercial accommodations on the island, there are actually structures there. One is a lighthouse and the other is an unfinished building. Constructed by the Spanish colonial government, the lighthouse went into operation on July 16, 1890. Today, the lighthouse is unmanned, the adjacent quarters abandoned, and is solar-powered like many other lighthouses in the country. There are plans to restore and preserve the lighthouse as part of the Philippine heritage. See this extremely informative EPAFI webpage to learn about that plan. As for the unfinished building, I couldn’t find any information about it and what it was supposed to be.


What I really went about that place was the LIGHT HOUSE.
If you want to go there easily, you can request your boatman to drop you there.
But if you want adventure just like we did. We walked and trekk for about 45 minutes from our campsite even
there was no guide at all, its our intuition that made us there .

Your adventure is not complete without seeing the LIGHT HOUSE.

I really enjoyed the place with my fellow TRIP NG BARKADA cast. (PRINCE, ME, DHOC, JOAN C., NELSON, LEILA, MAKIE and AENAH).

How to go to Pundaquit, San Antonio, Zambales and Capones Island:

By car

From Manila, take the NLEX exit at San Fernando Pampanga, from San Fernando, head southwestward to Olongapo city. In Olongapo city, at the the head boundary of Olongapo, make a right turn going to Subic Castillejos then San Marcelino, at San Marcelino, take westward to San Antonio. In San Antonio, head southwestward to Pundaquit. The road to Pundaquit is circuitous so better ask around when you're there. From San Antonio you will see tricycles ask them to take you at Brgy. Pundaquit the fare cost is 20 persons per each depending on your luggages. Finally, From Pundaquit ask the boatman to take you there at CAPONES.


Commute

Take Victory liner (IBA ZAMBALES) at Monumento the fare cost is 250+ pesos, Asked the conductor to drop you off at Brgy. San Antonio, From San Antonio you will see tricycles ask them to take you at Brgy. Pundaquit the fare cost is 20 persons per each depending on your luggages. Finally, From Pundaquit ask the boatman to take you there at CAPONES.


PLEASE and I'm BEGGING!:
If you are planning to go there please don't leave any trash on the Island. Bring garbage bag like we did!. I am very sad when I was there when a group of campers leave their garbages!. Very unhuman!.