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Voykit pocket guide · Philippines
San Antonio, Zambales
San Antonio
Go for 2 nights if you want the coves: base in Pundaquit, take a boat to Anawangin or Nagsasa, and skip the town centre itself.
San Antonio is a west-coast Zambales town on the Subic Peninsula whose draw is a chain of coves reached only by boat or on foot: Anawangin, Nagsasa, Talisayen, Silanguin, plus Capones and Camara islands offshore. The town centre is a market-and-tricycle place; almost everything a visitor wants sits in Pundaquit, the port barangay, or on a camping beach with no road access. Two nights is the working minimum for one cove plus one island; three if you want two coves or a hike up Mount Pundaquit.
- Country
- Philippines
- Local name
- San Antonio
- Best months
- Dec–May (dry season; calm sea for boat crossings)
- Avoid
- Jul–Sep (southwest monsoon: rough crossings, boats cancelled), Holy Week and weekends (coves crowded with Manila campers)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- PHP
- Money
- Philippine pesos (₱) in small notes for jeepneys, market stalls, tips and taxis; malls and hotels take cards.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₱1,200–2,000 excl. bed · Mid ₱2,000–3,500 excl. bed · High ₱3,500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Globe and Smart sell SIMs at airports; SIM registration with passport is required by law.
- Emergency
- National emergency 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B, C · 220 V · 60 Hz · US flat pins common; check your devices for 220 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10% if no service charge.; Grab / taxi: Round up.; Boat crew: ₱100–200 per tour.; Massage: ₱50–100.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; refill stations cheap.
- Toilets
- Called 'CR' (comfort room); bring tissue; many lack toilet seats.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or bottled water | ₱30–80 |
| Filipino rice meal in town | ₱120–250 |
| Halo-halo | ₱100–180 |
| Casa San Miguel entry | ₱125 adults, ₱75 minors |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CRK · Clark International
- About 2.5–3 h by road via Olongapo; the usual arrival for fly-in visitors
- MNL · Ninoy Aquino International (Manila)
- About 4–5 h by road; Victory Liner buses run from Manila to Iba and Santa Cruz past the town
Typical fares
- Boat, Pundaquit → Anawangin Cove
- ₱2,000–4,000 per boat return, about 30–45 min (check)
- Bus, San Antonio → Olongapo
- ₱100–180, about 1.5 h (check)
Get around
Tricycles link the barangays and the town centre; agree the fare before you board. There are no roads to the coves, so the last leg is a boat from Pundaquit port or a hike over the ridge. Boats are hired per trip, not per seat, and the price depends on the cove and the number of passengers.
See and do
Known for
- Anawangin Cove
- Nagsasa Cove
- Capones Island and its lighthouse
- Pundaquit boat port
- Casa San Miguel art centre
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Capones Island | Boat from Pundaquit port, about 30–45 min | About 1 h |
| Camara Island | Boat from Pundaquit, about 20–30 min | About 45 min |
| Nagsasa Cove | Boat from Pundaquit, about 1–1.5 h | About 2 h |
| Olongapo and Subic | Bus or van south on the Olongapo–Bugallon road | About 1.5–2 h |
| Iba (provincial capital) | Bus north on the highway | About 1 h |
| Magalawa Island | Road north to Palauig, then a short boat | About 2–2.5 h |
Sleep
- Pundaquit
- The port barangay: resorts, hostels and the boat launch for the coves. Stay here unless you are camping.
- San Miguel / San Nicolas (Poblacion)
- Town-side resorts near the market and Casa San Miguel; cheaper, but a tricycle ride from the boats.
- Anawangin and Nagsasa coves
- Camping only, no roads, no mains power; bring water, food and cash.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Salamatsa-LA-mat |
| How much is it? | Magkano?mag-KA-no |
| Where is the boat to the cove? | Nasaan ang bangka papuntang cove?na-sa-AN ang BANG-ka pa-pun-TANG kov |
| I want to rent a boat | Gusto kong umarkila ng bangkagus-TO kong u-mar-KI-la nang BANG-ka |
| It is too expensive | Ang mahal namanang ma-HAL na-man |
| Help! | Tulong!tu-LONG |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Smile, handshake; 'po' to elders; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Beckoning: Palm down, wave; avoid: Palm up (used for animals)
- Invitations: Accept food offered or decline politely; avoid: Refusing bluntly
- Time: Expect 'Filipino time' socially; avoid: Lateness for flights and boats
- Churches: Covered clothes; avoid: Loud tours during Mass
Scams and watch-outs
- Boat crossings to the farther coves are weather-dependent: the coast guard can suspend trips when the sea is rough.
- Coves are camping-only with no shops, no reliable phone signal and no ATMs: carry cash and water from Pundaquit.
- Weekend and holiday boat demand spikes; book a boat the day before, not the morning of.
- Bring out everything you bring in: rubbish disposal on the coves is limited.
The town itself is calm; the real risks are at sea and on the coves. Boat crossings get cancelled in the southwest monsoon, coves have no signal, no power and no medical help, and there are no lifeguards. Do not swim alone, and keep cash for the return boat.
One and two days
No timed day plan for San Antonio, Zambales yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Anawangin Cove
- Nagsasa Cove
- Capones Island and its lighthouse
- Pundaquit boat port
- Casa San Miguel art centre
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Casa San Miguel Art Center: casasanmiguel-artcenter.org/
- Department of Tourism — Philippines: philippines.travel/
- Wikivoyage: San Antonio (Zambales), revision 5325035 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5325035
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
San Antonio, ZambalesSan Antonio
Dito po, pakihatid
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- National emergency911
No embassies in San Antonio; the US and most others keep embassies in Manila and a consulate in Olongapo (check).
Boat fares are negotiated per trip, not per seat: agree the total and the return pickup time before you leave Pundaquit.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/san-antonio-zambales). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.