Capones Island

We had been looking forward to our side trip to Capones Island, which we had planned on visiting the next day after camping at Anawangin Cove. Despite the lack of sleep because of the socials that lasted past midnight, everyone in our group got up early and was ready in no time. After breakfast and packing up our things, we bid goodbye to Anawangin Cove en route to see the famed lighthouse and island of Capones. Except for our cameras, water bottles and some snorkeling gear, all our things were taken back to Barangay Pundaquit by our hired boatman.

We left Anawangin cove around 9a.m. and had a 30-minute boat ride to Capones Island. We first visited the light house tower and then spent the rest of our time swimming and snorkeling in its beach. We decided to stay here since we didn’t have any time left to explore the other beaches of the nearby islands.

This side of the island is quite rocky and you will be greeted by tons of rubbish the moment you land on its shores. The funny thing was that there were hundreds of rubber slippers stuck among the rocks! But the water was still crystal clear and it’s still a good place for snorkeling and swimming. I was wondering how the rubbish got to the shore – I hope it wasn’t the previous visitors who were irresponsible enough to spoil such historic and picturesque destination!

But I was in high spirits despite it and the glaring sun at mid noon. I passed some concrete steps going up the hill, brownish cogon grasses everywhere and and finally an arc of shrubs near the rustic gate of the light house. Surprisingly, I found some nice flowers despite the island’s barrenness.

The light house has been used for more than a century to guide and search ships into Subic and Manila Bay.

Then, I climbed up the sturdy spiral-stairs towards the view deck. It was a spectacular 360 degree panoramic view. This is still a must-try experience if ever you visit the Capones Island. Then I went down the hillside to get some more pictures before I headed down the beach for more picture-taking and swimming.

We finally left the island around 12noon and had another 30 minute boat ride back to Barangay Pundaquit where we refreshed ourselves, had lunch and prepared to head back to Manila. Our Lavapooza in Anawangin was so memorable that we had an endless chatter and laughter on our way home to the chagrin of the other passengers in the bus but eventually the tiredness got into us and we each drifted into our own world.

Boat ride back to Barangay Pundaquit.

“Capones Island is a 2-kilometer long bone-shaped volcanic mass located 4 kilometers off the coast of Brgy. Pundaquit in San Antonio, Zambalez. There are no commercial accommodations here or any structure except this Spanish light house that went into operation on July 16, 1890.”