A winter vacation for me is actually something hot. With the cooler days ahead of me, I’d rather be in a beach. Last weekend I went to Zambales for a short pre-Christmas vacation with close friends. Imagine a tropical paradise, overlooking the beach and behind you is nature at its finest, mountains and a lot of forests. Beaching is not just the only activity available here, but you can also go island hopping.

One of the places I was able to go to by boat was Anawangin Cove where a lot of campers stay for nights. The forest here can give someone a break from the sun and feel the cool breeze of the forest. There is a fresh water lake here where campers get water and clean their equipment. Picnic here is also a good idea. The water is very clear and is suitable for beaching.

Next destination was a nearby island named Capones. It is a little hotter here due to lack of trees and the rock formations were nice. You can trek this small island to reach the old light house on top of the hill but sadly, I wasn’t able to get there because of the lack of walking shoes. Snorkeling and surfing are popular activities of this area. This area was a little deserted because during my stay, there were not much people in sight because this is a popular place where one of the major activities would be sun bathing.

The resort I stayed at was simple; they have bbq grills if you opt to cook your own food, a beach volleyball court and a swimming pool. Rooms were decently small but with air con and own comfort room.

This is a quick escape for the holidays, only 2-3 hours away from Manila.