Subic has always been our go-to place ever since I was a kid. I’ve been here more times than most people have. Truth is, I’ve been here so many times that I’ve just given up on finding new places to see and to do. The initial plan was to go out of the country to such places like Japan or Korea (which I haven’t been to). However, it didn’t push through. So at the very last minute, my family decided to go out of town instead.
For the one’s who have not been here, here’s a quick run down of things you can do in Subic. Of course, I have done this all and even more than once for some.
1) Zoobic Safari (www.zoobic.com.ph)
2) Ocean Adventure (www.oceanadventure.com.ph)
3) JEST – Jungle Environment Survival Training (www.jestcamp.com)
4) Subic Tree Top Adventure (http://treetopadventurephils.com/subic/subic-home.html)
5) Outlet Stores (Nike, Adidas, etc)
6) Duty Free / Royal / Pure Gold
7) Beaches (Camayan, All Hands, Dungaree, etc)
8) Boardwalk (The Lighthouse)
9) Casino
10) Food (Xtremely Xpresso and Meat Plus)
I would also like to add the Le Man’s Go-Kart Race Track along the main road but this has already closed. I’m not sure whether they’re gone for good or they just relocated elsewhere. There was also this glow-in-the-dark Bowling Alley back then but has since closed. Aside from that, you can also visit the fairly new Harbour Point Mall by Ayala.
The Hotel
We’ve never stayed in any other place in Subic aside from the Subic International Hotel. (http://subichotel.com/) The hotel consists of different buildings based on the different room rates. For this occasion, we were fortunate enough to stay at the Delta Building. The Delta wing is the newest of all the buildings which include Alpha and Bravo. Charlie is more of a commercial space, I think. By newest, I mean the latest among the three but already outdated by normal standards.
The rooms we stayed include the one pictured above and another room which had two double beds spacious enough to fit 4 people. On a positive note, old designed rooms feature larger bed spaces than most modern ones.
For dining, I’d recommend that you don’t miss their breakfast. I’ve always enjoyed their good breakfast which include a healthy bread basket. I suggest that you dine-in at Cafe Subic located in the Bravo building as they offer more food in their menu. Also, this restaurant is open 24-hours.
There’s also your typical hotel pool located at the Delta wing. They also offer a 24-hour spa service which you can just call from your room. Services include body massage, foot reflex, manicure and pedicure. Other than that, the hotel is more of a place to stay after a day of going around. There’s nothing much to do here. Even their wi-fi is not free-of-charge and they will charge daily or by the hour for it.
Aside from the ones mentioned above (which is a must try!), you have many choices to dine at. Subic is quite commercialized and you won’t have any problems finding places such as Aristocrat, Pancake House or Yellowcab right around the corner. Of course, these are the establishments that we try to avoid since we already have those in Metro Manila.
Since it was the Holiday season, we pigged out (and splurged a bit) trying these places in Subic:
(Address: Sampson Road, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Olongapo)
Yes, I’ve been here several times already. I even ate here twice during one stay. Meat Plus has always been a staple for us when we visit Subic. We always enjoy choosing our meat cuts in their freezer which they will readily cook to the doneness that you like. Don’t forget to order their side-dish The Bomb and their Classic Apple Pie!
(Address: Next to Spanish Gate, Sampson Road, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, 2222 Zambales)
This restaurant is easy to locate as it’s situated right beside the historial Spanish Gate. We were curious to try this place as we always pass by their location. Food is French-European fine-dining so the price is also what you expect – expensive. Food was okay for me. Cooked and executed well but nothing to rave about. I was in it more for the experience as this is where we celebrated our New Year’s Eve dinner.
(Address: corner McKinley St, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Waterfront Road, Olongapo, Zambales)
Our last dinner during our final night was at Texas Joe’s. Quite a popular place among tourists and local travelers as the place gets jam packed during dinner time. You should try their Baby Back Ribs as well as their Cornbread. Unfortunately, I was not able to take a picture of their food.
(Address: Waterfront Road Subic, Olongapo City, Zambales)
Alas! The ramen craze has hit Subic! Apart from the traditional Japanese and Korean establishments, I think that this is the only place that specializes in ramen. I am not really a fan of ramen even though my favorite is Japanese cuisine. You should try it though as their ramen is quite good and very affordable. This was our last meal before heading back to Metro Manila.
Stay tuned for Part II as this feature several beaches that we visited in Olangapo.
– The Tourist Pao
WHERESPAO 