Zambales: Nagsasa Cove in San Antonio, Zambales

Who ever said Anawangin Cove is one of a kind? Well, it is! But Nagsasa Cove is most definitely in the same league! Just 20 minutes further down from Anawangin Cove, Nagsasa is one amazing beach! Just like Anawangin, it's perfect for camping and it doesn't get too many visitors. It's a beach that was created by the Mt. Pinatubo eruption when volcanic material found its way to Nagsasa.

At the same time, Nagsasa Cove is home to an Ayta community which relocated there. There are about four picnic tables but that's just about it. You might want to opt to share a meal with the Ayta community and request them to fish dinner for you.

It's the same jump-off point as Anawangin in Pundaquit, San Antonio, Zambales. Just tell the boatman to bring you to Nagsasa Cove.

Thanks to Ryan Guzman for the photos. He's organizing a group camping tour to Nagsasa from February 21 to 22. You can text him at (0928) 9067151 for details.

Here's information on Anawangin Cove and Capones Island. The jump-off point for all these wonderful places is in Pundaquit Beach.
Part 1: Hiking up Mt. Anawangin and down to the beach
Part 2: Anawangin Cove in San Antonio, Zambales
Part 3: Capones Island and its lighthouse

San Pablo's Seven Lakes tour
Here's another tour on February 21, an adventure day tour of the Seven Lakes of San Pablo, Laguna. Maximum of 14 participants. The PHP1,600 tour fee covers transportation and toll expenses, entrance fees, a lakeside lunch beside Sampaloc Lake, and some local delicacies as pasalubong. E-mail info@pinoymountaineer.com to book.

SEAIR announces special rate for Valentine's

Talk about being literal for Valentine's Day with SEAIR's P14,344 promo! With the "I love you very much" rate, you can get round-trip tickets from Manila to Boracay or Busuanga at "Buy 1, Take 2" or Manila to Batanes at "Buy 1, Take 1."

This great deal will be available only at the 16th Travel Tour Expo from February 6 to 8 at SEAIR Booths 85 & 95, SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia Complex. For inquiries and reservations, please call SEAIR at (632)8490100. For packages please call SEAIR Leisure Escape Packages at (632) 8437308.

Cavite: Corregidor's artillery batteries

Ever since my first visit to Corregidor Island, I've been fascinated by the island's many artillery batteries. The U.S. Army post on Corregidor was named Fort Mills. The surrounding islands also had artillery batteries as well as Grande Island, which was Fort Wint, in Subic Bay. On Caballo Island was Fort Hughes, El Fraile was Fort Drum, and on Carabao Island was Fort Frank.

During a day-trip to Corregidor, you only get to visit three of them as part of the island tour. But if you want to see more of them, you'll have to stay overnight on the island. It looks like documenting these Corregidor batteries will be another project. I heard however that many of the coastal batteries no longer have guns. They were stolen and sold for scrap some decades ago. It's really sad.

Here's a list of heavy seacoast batteries, and medium and light fixed and semi-fixed gun batteries on Corregidor Island (Fort Mills):

• Cheney
• Concepcion
  
• Crockett
• Cushing
• Geary
• Grubbs
• Hanna
  
• Hamilton
• Hearn
• James
• Kysor
• Levagood
  
• Martin
  
• Maxwell Keyes
  
• Monja
• Morrison
• Ordnance Point
  
• Ramsay
• R.J. 43
  
• Rock Point
  
• Smith
• Stockade
• Sunset
• Way
• Wheeler
  

Main article: Corregidor Island day trip via Sun Crusies