Anawangin with a Kid: How Safe is it?

Safety is probably the number one concern of parents who want to take their little tots camping in Anawangin Cove. Although nowhere in the world is safe because anything can happen anywhere, there are just certain places that are (are you ready for this?) ...more dangerous than others. As parents, we want have to know how safe the place is before we decide to explore it with our kids. So for cautious (paranoid) parents like me, here's my assessment and some bits of research of how safe Anawangin Cove is. I hope you'll find this helpful.

The Boat Ride. I'm a worrywart but I never worried for a second while we were on our boat. Maybe it's because we chose a big boat. Maybe it's also because the weather was very fine. Maybe it's also because we traveled before noon. Just make sure the weather's good, you travel in the morning (waves are gentler in the am), and choose a big boat.

The Sea. Unfortunately, the sea is not as peaceful as it looks. Anawangin is known for its VERY strong undercurrent so make sure you and the kids just swim close to the shore. Never ever leave your kids on the shore even for a minute.

From other blogs/forums:

...the only thing that matters here are the so called "undercurrent". There are reports that many have been drowned in here due to the said undercurrent, thinking that the sea is peaceful since the waves looks moderate the undercurrent might force them to sink as there is an intersection of a river and waves of the sea.
Source: Travel and Ravel

Don’t dare to go far even if you are a professional swimmer because there is a strong undercurrent in Anawangin. When we got there, campers were talking about people who have drowned in Anawangin.
Source: Review Stream

Just swim close to the shore at waist deep high. Bless the soul of the person who drowned in Anawangin last Good Friday an hour after the commemoration of Christ death. The most probable cause is the strong under current in Anawangin.
Source: Our Awesome Planet

So...OMG! But I'm sure you know what to do.

The 15-minute climb. On the left side of Anawangin facing the sea, there's a hill that's very easy to climb. It is a favorite of many tourists who are not fans of long treks (like myself) as it only takes 10-15 minutes to summit.The view is breathtaking, of course.There are guides who can assist you in climbing the hill for P50/person but anyone can climb it without difficulty. Seriously. As long as you know the basic rules of climbing and safety, you're good. We took Sput there and she climbed the hill barefoot and with ease. Didn't grumble, didn't whine.

Sput with her purple travel buddy, Yam.

The crowd. Expect college orgs and rowdy teens. The camp's peaceful and quiet during daytime but when it gets dark and they start drinking and swapping jokes, the camp gets too noisy. Well, too noisy for me. Gosh, I'm getting old. I can't tolerate teen campers. LOL. But it's not that noisy that your kids can't sleep. The noise somehow gets drowned by the relaxing sound made by pine trees as they dance with the wind. We're lucky there were only few campers when we went there...less than ten tents in our section I think. I asked our guide if there were incidents of killing or fist fights or whatever kind of harm caused by a human being, he said fights rarely happen and not one caused any serious trouble. The worst fight he can remember was the one that happened a year ago. It was between two lovers and a guy friend. Love triangle. Kainis! The guy friend confessed his feelings to the girl and the boyfriend got jealous they started hitting each other and destroying each other's tents. The patrol sent them back to Pundaquit.

The creatures. 

There were no SNAKES during our 3-day stay. But, there might be on some months so you have to ask the caretakers and just be vigilant. If you're paranoid, just don't pitch your tent too far from the entrance. There were some red ANTS in Anawangin just like in any other Island so just make sure you keep food away from the tent. Each camper has one table to use. There were friendly BIRDS, BUTTERFLIES, CHICKENS, 2-3 guard DOGS, not too many MOSQUITOES.

The Flies. You know what creatures bugged me the most while in Anawangin? Yup. F.L.I.E.S.! I know this should be part of "the creatures" but the flies were so annoying I had to put them in the limelight. Okay, there are lots of flies in Anawangin. And I mean the really big, black ones that buzz like bees. But they only appear when something smells (good or bad). For our first lunch, we grilled tilapia, pork and chicken and the flies swarmed to our table like they're guests waiting to be served. Good thing we brought big ziploc bags. We put the grilled food in the bags the moment they're cooked. But there were still so many of them I almost cried. I decided that Sput and I eat inside the tent because that's the only place the flies can't go. I don't care if it's not too "campy" or outdoorsy. Safety is number one especially if you have a kid in tow.

TIP: Do not grill food that attract flies (bbq,meat,fish). After the flies attacked our food, we just cooked basic camping food like tuna, corned beef, eggs, eggplant salad. The flies didn't pay us another visit.Thank God!

Malaria. I haven't heard of cases of malaria in Anawangin. However, Nagsasa (one of the 3 islands that's usually included in the tour) is known for it. If you're paranoid, don't go. You can still enjoy the island life in Anawangin. But if you really want to explore Nagsasa, make sure you are protected from malaria-bearing mosquitoes.

From other blogs/forums:

sa mga pupunta ng nagsasa, umiwas po muna sana tayo sa lugar..may 2 reports na ng malaria dito sa lugar na ito ngayun rainy season.
Source: Pinoy Mountaineer, 2010

John passed away. He was taken by malaria. A disease he may have caught from a trip to Nagsasa Cove.
Source: Pinay Travel Junkie

SAFETY TIPS:
Mosquito Repellent
Don't Grill/ BBQ
Keep food away from tent
Bring Pepper Spray just in case
Army Knife
Emergency Kit
Swim near the shore
Camp responsibly
Be vigilant
Don't get too drunk
Be patient
Ask your guide safety questions

Anawangin with a Kid: Hike to Capones Lighthouse

So after our 4-hour commute and our 4-hour sleep in the hostel, we were so ready to explore the islands. Our tour guides fetched us at the hostel and we rode a tricycle going to the Pundaquit boat station. We rented a big boat  which costs P2,000 inclusive of tour guides and island hopping to Camara and Capones. They offered a smaller boat which only cost P900 but with a 4-year-old girl in tow, I'd rather pay an extra 1K than worry like crazy.

The first island we visited was Camara. There's nothing there worth exploring - just another limestone-y island with trees and sand and pebbles. If you've been to a lot of beaches and islands before, skip this. The boatmen said people only go there to take pictures. Nice. We decided to head to Capones right away.

After fifteen minutes or so, we were face to face with Capones. It's just like Camara except that it's bigger and you can see some people on the shoreline. And unlike Camara, this island has something exciting to offer: the Faro Punta de Capones aka Capones Lighthouse.

The first things we did when we got off our boat was climb this magnificent rock. These huge rocks simply command attention. It's an easy climb even for kids. It only took Sput 30 seconds or less to get to this spot. I assisted her every step of the way, of course, because aside from the obvious reason (safety), the rock has a sandpaper-like texture.

After cam whoring with the rocks for a good 5 minutes, we decided it's time we start our hike to the Capones Lighthouse before the sun gets too intense and turn us into sun-dried raisins. When the tide is high, it only takes 10 minutes to reach the lighthouse but when the tide is low, it takes 45 min to one hour.  The tide was low when we got there so we had to take a longer, more complicated route. I suggest you consider the tides if you plan to hike to the Capones Lighthouse with your kids. It's too much for toddlers. Sput was throwing tantrums on our way back.

First, we climbed a small hill. So easy to climb. Sput was still so giddy and noisy at that time. We instantly saw this unfinished barracks for the Philippine Navy. There was a family having brunch inside and we said hi. They said hi.

We turned left and saw what seemed like an endless path filled with rocks of different shapes and sizes. I took off my slippers, and started walking with Sput. Oh.So.Carefully. 

When I began to get the hang of it, we walked a bit faster...and faster and faster. When I got tired, Hugo took charge. When Sput got tired, we carried her. IT.WAS.NOT.EASY. Maybe because it was our first time or maybe because it really wasn't easy. I can't tell yet. I'll find out once we have another hike.

Good thing I brought this long piece of cloth (I don't know what it's called). It makes piggy-back much easier.

Rest time after 20 minutes of hiking.

Here's the rocky way up to the Capones Light House. We decided to let her climb on her own for 5 minutes since it looks pretty safe. Hopefully, this will teach her independence and quick thinking.

Finally reached the lighthouse. I think Sput was checking her fingernails in this picture. So maarte!

Rusty Spiral staircase of the Capones lighthouse. Do not let your kids touch them. Bring alcohol. 

Father and daughter checking the view from the top

View from the top of Capones Lighthouse

Nicer view from the top of Capones Lighthouse

Sput was asleep on our way back. Poor baby :-(

After the one hour hike, we discovered cuts on her left leg. Just a minor one. 

Knocked down

Tired kid and tired parents. But we were all beaming with happiness when we got on our boat. I recommend this to any parent who wants to introduce their kids to the outdoors. It's a pretty easy hike for beginners.
_________________________________________________________________
SUMMARY OF CAPONES HIKE:
Fun Meter- 4/5
Difficulty Meter - 2/5
What to bring: Water, sunblock, sling cloth to carry the kid, alcohol,biscuits
Challenges: huge rocks, rusty lighthouse
Worth visiting? Definitely!