LakbayLoyd Lighthouse Series 09: EL FARO DE PUNTA CAPONES, Capones Island, San Antonio, Zambales

Located on top of the hill of Capones Island is the El Faro De Punta Capones, or commonly known as the Capones Lighthouse. The Capones Island tour, along with the Anawangin and Nagsasa coves and Camara Island tour in Pundaquit, San Antonio, Zambales, is included in the island-hopping package.

 

The lighthouse is one of the 27 major lighthouses built during the Spanish colonial times and it was first lighted in August 1, 1890. This is the first of its kind that I came upon. I’ve seen round towers (Bolinao, Batanes, Pasig) and octagonal towers (Bojeador, Engano, Corregidor) but this one is a square brick tower, the design was built similar to Isla de Cabra in Mindoro, which is one of my immediate future destinations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once you are in Capones Island, reaching the lighthouse can be short or long depending on how adventurous you are. One is the long cut, a hike up the hill which will take 40min to 1hr from the east side. The other is the shorter but more exciting trail from the west side which will take only 10-15 climb up the hill. The stones are slippery and the waves are somehow violent, and it was not a walk in the park – the steps are steep, at some point we have to rappel or hold the next available tree’s roots or branches. But it’s worth the sweat and struggle.

 

The view from the top of the hill is magnificently overlooking the vast South China Sea. We climb the shaky spiral rusty staircase to the top of the light tower and the view is even more breathtaking. According to our boatman, the lamps no longer work though the original lamps were replaced with modern solar-powered lights and the tower newly renovated. Nevertheless, this historic landmark is still worth visiting.

Special thanks to my (now) constant companion, Tess Nanez, who is religiously on the lookout of my daily activity and calendar entries. She swore I won't be able to go on with my traveltrail without her.