Travel Guide: Capones Island
Four kilometers off Barangay Pundaquit, Zambales in the main island of Luzon, Philippines is the Capones Island or “Isla de Gran Capon” during the Spanish era. It is a two kilometer long bone-shaped island surrounded by white sand and rocky shores.
This island boasts of white sand beaches conducive for overnight camping, day picnic and swimming; turquoise water and rich marine life that is great for diving and snorkeling.
There are no commercial establishments on the island and the only structure there (aside from an unfinished building) is an old Spanish lighthouse (Faro de Punta Capones) that was built in 1890 to guide ships entering and leaving the bays of Manila and Subic, and to warn passing ships of the dangers of rocky shores around the island. The solar-powered lighthouse is Capones best kept secret, with its original brick house structure still in place, though ragged and neglected, but still draws a dramatic picture.
Close to Capones Island is the Camara Island, which is virtually two islands connected by a sandbar.
How to Get There:
By Land
To get there, one must go to Barangay Pundaquit or San Miguel in San Antionio, Zambales, where a boat to Capones Island can be rented for a standard rate of P700.00 (~$17) round trip. It is a 15 to 30 minutes boat ride from the shores of Pundaquit or San Miguel.
To go to Pundaquit, ride a bus bound to Iba or Sta. Cruz, Zambales. Victory Liner has regular scheduled trips to those destinations. Tell the driver to drop you off at San Antonio. If you are coming from their terminal in Sampaloc, it will cost you P220.00 (~$5.25), don’t forget to tell the cashier that you are up to San Antonio only, or they will charge you the full fare to its destination. Travel time is around 3 to 4 hours via NLEX.
From San Antonio, ride a tricycle to Barangay Pundaquit or San Miguel, standard rate is P20.00 (~$0.5), you may opt to add some tip since it is quite far.
By Air/Sea
By ferry, take a Mt. Samat Express (Contact No: 551-5290) ferry ride to Subic in CCP (~P250.00 – P300.00) or the Supercat from Mall of Asia (P300.00) . It is an hour ferry ride to Orion Bataan. From there catch a bus to Subic for another hour or less and then a bus to Iba, Zambales, passing to San Antonio.
By air, charter an aircraft to International Subic Airport, Castillejos Airstrip, or to Iba Local Airport and catch a ride to San Antonio.
Where to Stay:
Since there are no commercial establishments in this island, you may bring a tent or camping equipments (plus foods and drinking water) if you are planning to stay there overnight. Just tell the boatman your planned date and time of return to Pundaquit. Boat rate for overnight trip is highr at P1500.00 for aboat that can fit up to four persons.
Most tourists, however, camp in Anawangin or Nagsasa Cove or stay in Pundaquit where numerous hotels and restaurants can be found. You can have a room for as low as P1000.00/~$25 (or even lower). For Lakwatsero’s compilation of hotels in Barangay Pundaquit click here:
Activities:
- Trek to Capones Lighthouse: If you are coming from the east side of Capones Island, you have to trek for an hour or less, to a rocky shore, passing to an unfinished building and statue of Mama Mary. I suggest you have someone with you who knows the place since the trail up has no signage, (only stone guides) and you may get lost. But if you are coming from the other side of the island (near the stairs), the lighthouse is already visible so it is easier to reach the place passing through a field, this side of the island however has rocky shore and some huge waves making it impossible for bancas to dock.
- Camping: Just bring your own camping equipments, enough foods and water supply.
- Swimming, Snorkeling and Diving: Just bring your own equipments.
- Island Hopping: You can visit the nearby Camara Island, Nagsasa Cove, Silanguin Cove and Anawangin Cove.
- Aquatic Sports in Barangay Pundaquit: Jetskis are available for rent.
- Visit Pundaquit Falls: Walk along the beach southward towards the Pundaquit river. If your resort is too far north of the river, you can take your vehicle and get back to the main Pundaquit road and head southward until the road ends by the river. From the river, it is only a short walk by the seashore until you reach the end of the beach where there is a cliff and a smaller river (or a big stream, you might say). This small river comes from the falls, so, technically speaking, just follow the river upstream for about a hundred meters and you will end up at the foot of the falls. But remember, you may have to cut your own trail or walk along the shallow portions of the stream to get there. As you explore the falls, it gets more interesting as you climb from cascade to cascade. This falls is worth going to only during the wet season (or a little after the wet season) when there is plenty of fresh flowing water filling up the numerous “tubs” along the stream. Too little flowing water during the dry seasons makes this falls nearly stagnant, dirty and even stinky. (Source: waypoints.ph)
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Hi!
I’ve heard na s capones daw is mejo rocky pa ung place pero s anawangin soft n daw sands don pero kc my forums bout anwangin na mejo delikado daw (http://pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?t=335661&page=2).. my balita pa na may namatay n don… ano kaya pwede mo suggest…balak kc namin magswimming either s anawangin or capones. thanks a lot
kung walang cr sa capones san kami posible mag-cr? balak kasi namin punta this coming october e. Safe ba ng ganong month? thanks ulit…..
hi lakwatsero, san mas safe mag ovrnyt? sa anawangin or sa capones? tnx….
Sepcifically were planning to go at san antonio and capones island..
Hi,our company planning for an outing this coming 8&9th of june.Can u suggest cheaper accommodation & have set up for team building games?Included also the food package?Coz i don’t have any idea in that place.tnx a lot.. *ves
hi bleue – thanks for the quick reply!! appreciate the advice and hopefully, the weather will cooperate as well
hi, we’re planning to go to capones and/or anawangin this weekend.. i’m a bit concerned since i’ve been hearing about the rough open waters going to the island/cove respectively. is it safe to go there at this time? checked weather forecast and there’ll be light to moderate winds.. any advice? thanks!
What was the camping like on Capones Island during Holy Week? Were there any Holy Week events on Capones? Were the hotel rates at Pundaquit more during Holy Week than other weeks? Would I have to book a hotel in advance. I am planning to visit San Antonio and Capones next year during Holy Week.
ohh by the way i’m from san diego california…regards to all lakwatsero..kumbatchero..
Hi, its been like 20 years i didn’t step on capones island & I’m planning to come home on december, i am looking forward to spend overnite to capones island and bring some hot girls to spend the night with me, is it safe there? I’m also grown up and live in barrio san miguel for some years. Drop me a line when you can..say hi to all my cousins there too?
Hello, thanks so much for this feature. We’re planning to go to Capones this year. May I ask where Anawagin is? Can’t seem to find it in the map =)
Thanks so much!
More adventures to you
Image courtesy of PinoyMountaineer.
hi we’re planning on an island hopping on the 16th. we might start in potipot and we plan to visit capones again.can you suggest a route or should we just ask the bangkero to send us in capones after our trip to potipot?(we’ll just add fare for the bangka)
hi lakwatsero,
pupunta kase ako ng zambales this weekend. sa potipot naman. hehe. may ferry ride na bang derecho pa subic? kse ang nakikita ko lang sa internet kadalasan, hanggang orion lang. eh nabanggit mo ngang meron na agad sa subic. magkano ba ung ferry na un? tsaka san sa manila bay? hehe. do u hav contct number?
kase gusto namin itry ung alternatives. baka kase mas mabilis at mas mura.
salamat
Thanks lloyd!
Lakwatsero, very informative! we are planning to go there this weekend.
Wow! Enjoy your Capones trip excited!
ei, anybody there wants to join us this coming weekend?
Hi John, I believe there’s none. I haven’t seen one eh.
ask ko lang po if there are toilets near sa camp site sa capones?
Alex, the P700 is for round trip boat rental and not per head, the boat can fit up to 6 people excluding the boatman. You can have a room for as low as P800.00 per night.