Subic

This guide covers a wide area not limited to the area's epicenter, the Subic Freeport Zone. Olongapo, often associated with this area, is covered separately.
The area's history began as a shipbuilding facility by the Spaniards in 1885. After Spain handed over the Philippines to the United States at the aftermath of the Spanish-American War, Subic became a major naval outpost which existed until 1991. Volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Pinatubo also affected many buildings and facilities inside the naval facility while the American forces started to leave. Since the United States forces left, it was converted into a mixed-use area with industrial and retail zones.

• Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA) - The gateway to Subic Bay Freeport-, a modern, international airport with a 10,000-m² passenger terminal. It's capable of handling 700 passengers at any given time and meets international standards. There are few regular flights to Subic other than random flights by South East Asian Airlines.
• Olongapo City - Surrounding Subic Bay is the city of Olongapo. This small city contains many routes to other Philippines destinations. Regular bus services run to Manila, IPA, Bagio, Clark, and Angeles.
• Subic Bay Freeport (SBF) - 110 km north of Manila, facing the South China Sea and is surrounded by Olongapo City and the towns of Subic and Morong. It is northwest of the Bataan Peninsula and southwest of Zambales Province. It has long been recognized for its strategic location, being at the center of the fastest growing markets in the Philippines. It is the hub of the region, and all major cities in Asia are within easy reach either by sea or by air (3 to 4 days by sea, 2 to 3 hours by air). Aside from its strategic location, SBF has a deep water seaport that is capable of handling the largest ships.
• Subic Bay Seaport - A major alternative port for importers and exporters in northern and central Luzon to relieve the Manila International Container Terminal.

• Taxi - Taxis are available at the main SBMA/SFZ gates with Olongapo. They can also be booked by telephone for pickup anywhere inside Subic.
• Jeepneys - Jeepneys are not permitted to operate within Subic Freeport.
• Trikes - Trikes are not permitted to operate within Subic Freeport

• Le Mans Go Kart

  phone: +63 47 252-2272

• Subic Bay Ocean AdventureSee dolphins and tropical fish.

Scuba diving

The tourism office for the area calls Subic Bay the "Pearl of the Orient" and much like a pearl inside an oyster, its true value is hidden unless you know where to look.
Subic Bay offers some of the world's best shipwrecks, all within recreational diving depths, as well as tranquil coral and artificial reefs that explode with marine life. Unlike Coron, and other wreck diving locations, where you ride for hours to get to a wreck site, the majority of Subic Bay dive sites are a quick 15 minutes trip from the dive centres.
The bay is a unique "wreck heaven" because its sheltered waters allow calm year-round diving (except in the strongest typhoons), with short duration transits to the dive sites and a fantastic collection of exceptionally well-preserved historical wrecks.
Just how many wrecks are there in Subic Bay? That is a difficult question. Unlike Coron or Truk, whose wrecks occurred over a relatively short period, Subic’s World War II wrecks covered almost the entire war period. No fewer than 25 Japanese ships were reported sunk during the war years. Some of these may have been removed in the late 1950s as salvage operations were conducted to open up the bay for shipping. Additional ships were sunk after the war either as targets or victims of mother nature. It is widely believed that an additional ten large ships may lie within the bay. The area is not limited to World War II wrecks. At the entrance to the bay alongside Grande Island are the remains of the Spanish–American War wreck, San Quintin. Outside the bay in deep water lie the remains of a Spanish galleon as well as a 16th-century Chinese junk (beyond diving range).
The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 did an enormous amount of damage to Luzon and the Zambales/Subic Bay area was hard hit. A meter of ash covered the area, including homes and businesses. Within days, a typhoon entered the area, turning the ash into mud. Many homes and businesses collapsed under the weight. One resident stated that the river looked just like the cement coming out of a cement mixer. A large percentage of coral was killed lying under the ash.
When the navy occupied the naval base at Subic, many of the wrecks were closed to diving. However, divers had the advantage of diving in water that was crystal clear with 40 m or more of visibility on the wrecks that were open. The bay was the home of different varieties of sharks, dolphins, and turtles. While a few turtles still nest on the beaches, sharks and dolphins are no longer here. The visibility is returning slowly and the coral is recovering. Perhaps the turtles, sharks and dolphins will return in abundance also, but this is not likely. Populatios of turtle, rays and sharks just outside the bay seem to be on the rise.
There have been increasingly more common sightings of bull sharks around the deeper wreck sites, along with Eagle Ray around the USS New York, LST, and El Capitan, and black tip reef sharks around the outside of Grande Island.
Underwater photographers have been reporting success with macro critters, such as harlequin ghost pipe fish and many species of nudibranch.
There are more than ten full-time dive operators in the bay area. These dive operators serve a variety of scuba training agencies, including PADI, SSI, ANDI, PSAI, BSAC and DSAT. They provide a collection of entry-level and specialist scuba training courses, including (of course!) basic and advanced/technical wreck diver training.

• Boardwalk DiversRun by George AngDyPay, an experienced TDI and PSAI technical rebreather instructor. Set up to cater to both recreational and technical divers it has quickly become the dive center of choice for most tech divers. Guiding is done by local staff members who are all trained as divemasters and technical wreck guides. Accommodation is at the nearby hotels, Herbie's Mansion, Boardwalk Inn, and Mango Valley.

• Scuba Tech PhilippinesRuns PADI and TecRec technical courses from a luxury dive boat based in Subic Freeport Zone. The instructor, Andy Davis, is a highly qualified and experienced UK-trained instructor with PADI, SSI, BSAC, and DSAT TecRec. Daily scuba diving trips are offered to the wrecks and reefs of Subic Bay. These trips can be tailored to fulfill diver requirements at any level. Accommodation can be booked at any hotel inside SFZ, with pick-up/drop-off included.

Area wrecks

• El Capitan - A 3,000-ton freighter, about 130-m long that sunk near the mouth of Ilanin Bay. 5m below the surface.
• Landing Craft Utility (LCU) - Triboa Bay. 5-20 m (25-60 ft).
• Landing Ship Tank (LST) - Between Grande Island and the southern tip of the runway. 32 m deep.
• Oryoku Maru- 400 m off Alava pier. 20 m (60ft) deep.
• Patrol Boat - In Triboa Bay at a depth of 20-25 m (60-75 ft).
• San Quentin - The oldest known wreck in Subic, a wooden gunboat scuttled by the Spanish in 1898.
• USS New York - A 120-m long hull. 27 m of water between Alava Pier and the northern end of Cubi Point runway.

Other

• Kamayan Beach - Adjacent to Ocean Adventure. Admission: .

• Zoobic SafariAn attraction you will find at Subic Bay Freeport's Forest Adventure Park. Embracing 25 hectares, guests can expect an astonishing sight of diverse exotic animals roaming and frolicking in their natural habitats. It features a wide range of habitats representing the major habitats of varied exotic animals.

• American HardwareCarries lots of useful things. All their products are imported from the US. They have lots of items that are very rare in the Philippines. American Hardware also runs the only car wash in Subic Bay.

• Bretto'sA meat shop. They sell good meats, such as steaks, chicken sausage, and ground beef. Many FedEx people go there, as it is one of the few places that has imported US meat.

• Freeport ExchangeSimilar to Royal Subic. However, they also carry some electronics (all 220 volt). Freeport also carries Subic's largest supply of candy (but it's a close competition with Royal Subic).

• National BookstoreBooks, magazines, and a cafe. Popular for school supplies.

• Pure GoldWarehouse store with a large selection of goods.

• Royal SubicThe biggest department store in Subic. They carry imported and local housewares, cooking items, snacks, and branded clothing. Most of are surplus so they're actually cheaper. Has an extensive selection of cigarettes and perfumes.

• Seahorse Tours & SouvenirsThe majority of items have been selected from livelihood programs and sole artists. T-shirts as low as USD8.

• Uncle Ed'sA small convenience store in Binictican (where most FedEx people live). They have a lots of basic things and are useful if you suddenly run out of cold soft drinks, milk, or some other must-have item. Lot of good sweets and candies, such as M&Ms, Dr Pepper, Tootsie Rolls, and lots of other American treats.

• Value CityHas a lot of things that other stores don't: a lot of quick snacks, and an extensive supply of cat food.

• SM City Olongapo

  phone: +63 47 223 2078
  address: Magsaysay Drive cor Gordon Avenue, Olongapo City
  Formerly known as 'Olongapo City Mall', the SM City Olongapo is a mid-sized flagship shopping mall by SM Supermalls in Olongapo City and Greater Subic Bay Area. It houses anchor stores such as SM Hypermarket, SM Store, SM Appliance Center, Ace Hardware and 3 cinemas. A myriad of shops for clothing, electronics, cosmetics and specialty stores abound. There is also a wide variety of dining establishments offering local and international cuisine. The mall is also known for holding various community activities like talent shows and exhibitions. It also features weekend and holiday sales, usually extending mall hours until midnight.

• Ayala Harbor Point Mall

  phone: +63 47 250 8888
  address: Rizal Hway, CBD, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Olongapo City
  Ayala Harbor Point Mall is a regional-sized shopping, dining and entertainment center that services Subic Bay Freeport, Olongapo City and other outlying areas. It's the first Ayala Mall development in the province of Zambales. This sprawling mall offers a wide variety of shopping, dining and entertainment choices. It also has its anchor stores such as Puregold Supermarket, Timezone (gaming arcade), Abenson Appliances, and four Ayala Cinemas. VIP lounges are available to special members so they could take a quick rest in the middle of their shopping or while they wait for their movie schedules. The Riverwalk area is a green park concept where people could enjoy the riverside park along with a dancing fountain. Shops and restaurants also dot this area. The mall has both indoor and outdoor activity areas where special exhibitions, shows, and bazaars are held. The mall also offers weekend and holiday sales usually extending up to the wee hours of the night.

• Royal Choices

  address: Canal Rd, Subic Bay Freeport Zone
  A mini version of Royal Duty Free which is a stone's throw away from Harbor Point, this store offers duty free grocery items, clothing/apparel and other imported goods.

• Puregold Subic town

  address: National Highway

• Blue Rock ResortGood for Western food. Great prices, quantity and quality.

• Texas Joe's House of Ribs

  phone: +63 47 252 3189
  address: Waterfront Rd, Subic Bay Freeport Zone
  Smoked meats and ribs. Numerous barbecue sauces. Attentive service.

• Xtremely Xpresso Cafe Restaurant

  phone: +63 47 252 3681
  address: #1 Dewey Avenue,, Subic Bay Freeport Zone
  A casual bistro style restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner The cafe is known to serve Italy's no. 1 coffee, Lavazza, and is famous for its unique collection of Italian menu.

• Cocolime Restaurant

  address: Harbor point mall, Subic Bay Freeport Zone
  Subic Bay's beloved restaurant that offers a variety of Filipino and international dishes. Famous for its Pineapple Rice. The place is always full so always be ready to go there early to save a seat.

• Sakura Japanese Restaurant

  phone: +63 47 252-2666
  address: Lot 5 Time Square Bldg.Corner Sta.Rita Rd. Subic Bay Freefort Zone and a branch at Harbor Point Mall
  Known by the locals as the authentic Japanese restaurant in Subic. They serve fresh sashimi and a variety of sushi choices.

• Magic Lagoon Restaurant

  phone: +63 47 252-1475
  address: 716 Bincentenial Park
  Magic Lagoon Restaurant is near a man-made lagoon where you can catch your own fish and ask the staff to cook it for you. An ideal place for family outings and group activities.

• Baguio Craft Brewery Subic

  phone: +639177997072
  address: Riverwalk, Harbor Point Ayala Mall, Subic Bay Freeport Zone
  Offers draft beer and beer on tap (Stella Artois or Heineken). This concept originated in the northern city of Baguio and features local beer brews and international selections.

• Pier One Bar and Grill

  phone: +63 47 252 7097-98
  address: Moonbay Marina
  Entertainment and dining. They have live bands, a dance floor and sports bar. They also offer a wide variety of dishes and beer food. Order beers by the bucket or try and get those beer towers. Located in the waterfront, sea breezes keep the place cool and airy.

• All Hands Beach Subic

  phone: +63 47 250-2270
  address: All Hands Beach, San Bernardino Rd, Subic Bay Freeport Zone
  Air-conditioned beachfront rooms and cottages. Bamboo huts, function rooms and pavilions are also available for family, business or special events.

• Arizona International Hotel

  phone: +63 47 224 4557
  address: 47 National Hwy
  Minutes away from Subic.

• Asiana Hotel

  address: No. 48 Gordon Ave, Barangay Asinan, Olongapo City
  The hotel has a touch of Asian architecture and delicacies.

• Bayfront Hotel

  phone: +63 47 252-3148-49
  address: Blk. 19 Lot 1 Moonbay, Marina Waterfront Road, Subic Bay Freeport Zone
  Mediterranean-inspired hotel with villa set-up. Clean, comfortable accommodations.

• Casablanca Hotel Subic

  address: Lot 14 Agronaut Hwy, Subic Bay Freeport Zone
  Fully furnished condo-hotel that has a pool side bar, Jacuzzi, and restaurant that serves international cuisine.

• City View Hotel

  phone: +63 47 2529978
  address: Magsaysay Dr, New Asinan, Olongapo City

• Court Meridian Hotel

  phone: +63 47 252-2366
  address: Waterfront Road, SBMA
  Air-con rooms equipped with cable TV, private toilet and bath with hot and cold running water. Business center, jet ski, bar, and restaurant.

• Elmolina Beach Resort

  address: 135 National Hwy, Barrio Barretto
  Budget beachfront accommodation. Kayaking, banana boating, snorkeling, and jet skiing.

• Grand Hoyah Hotel

  address: Lot Nos 5B and 6, Block B, Manila Ave, Subic Bay Freeport Zone
  In the central business district of Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Deluxe accommodation.

• Hotel Interpark

  address: Bldg 663 Dewey Ave Corner Santa Rita Rd, Subic Bay Freeport Zone

• Lighthouse Marina Resort

  phone: +63 47 252-9978
  address: Moonbay Marina Complex Waterfront Rd, CBD Subic Bay Freeport Zone
  Three-floor, 34-room boutique hotel capped by a lighthouse.

• Ocean View Beach Resort

  address: Lower Kalaklan, Olongapo City
  It has 40 renovated rooms and a spacious conference facility. The beach is safe for swimming and water sport activities like aqua bikes, jet skiing, and banana boat all at an affordable price.

• Olongapo Travel Lodge

  address: Magsaysay Drive, Olongapo City
  Olongapo Travel Lodge offers modern rooms in a budget-friendly hotel.

• Palm Coast Inn

  address: Baloy Long Beach, Bo. Barretto
  Standard rooms overlooking the beach and mountains of Subic.

• Palm Tree Resort

  address: 116 National Hwy, Barrio Barretto, Olongapo City
  Sea view rooms and suites overlooking the mountains. Also has an in house restaurant that serves Filipino and English cuisines.

• The Pub Hotel Subic

  address: National Hwy, Barrio Barretto
  Amid the nightlife district of Barretto. Seconds walk away from beachfront restaurants and bars as well as the famous go-go bars of Subic.

• RK Hotel

  address: SBIP Phase 1 Commercial Complex, Subic Bay Gateway Park Rizal Hwy
  The hotel has 64 well-appointed rooms, private KTV rooms, a sports bar, swimming pool, conference and meeting facilities and its own Oriental spa. The hotel is near duty free shops, spas, and restaurants that serve international cuisine.

• Sanjaha Inn

  address: 64 Gordon Ave, New Asinan Olongapo City

• Subic Grand Seas Resort

  phone: +63 47 222-8541
  address: 83 National Hwy, Barrio Barretto, Olongapo City
  22 Deluxe rooms, all of which have an air-conditioning, an LCD television with cable connection, and a telephone with NDD and IDD access. Some of its amenities include an infinity and kiddie pools, and a massage service.

• Subic International Hotel

  phone: +63 47 252-22-22
  Labitan and Sta Rita Roads, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, This hotel used to be naval barracks.

• Subic Oceanview Hotel

  address: 202 Purok 6, National Hwy, Calapandayan
  All the guest rooms are equipped with a work area.

• Subic Park Hotel

  phone: +63 47 252-2092, +63 47 252-2093, +63 47 250-2039
  address: Moonbay Marina, Waterfront Road, Subic Bay Freeport Zone
  30 comfortable rooms offer views of the bay and the forested mountains surrounding it.

• Terrace Hotel

  phone: +63 47 250-2730
  address: Blk 1 Lot 2 & 3 Moonbay Marina, Waterfront Road, Subic Bay Freeport Zone
  Rooms equipped with TV with cable channels, coffee/tea maker and mini-bar. It also has a business center, rooftop patio, and swimming pool.

• Vista Marina Hotel and Resort Subic

  address: Waterfront Road, Block 3 Lot 2, Moonbay Marina Area, Subic Bay Freeport Zone
  A Mediterranean-inspired hotel on the beach.

• Win Hotel Olongapo

  address: #27 18th St, Olongapo City
  Rooms are cozy with warm lighting fitted with wooden furniture and modern decor.

• Manila
• Banaue
• Angeles
• La Union
• Anilao