Team Out of Town
Bucket List: 10 Best Places to Visit in Subic, Zambales, Philippines
Subic Bay is a popular summer destination in the Philippines and is known by divers as a site with one of the largest collections of shipwrecks. Besides wreck scuba diving, there are many best things to do in Subic Bay, from bird watching to water sports. Planing for a Subic Day Trip? If you want more things to do, check out our list of the top 10 best tourist spots in Subic Bay.
1. Zoobic Safari
For a family trip, especially with kids, visit the animal park Zoobic Safari. The Zoobic Safari is a 20-hectare animal park designed as a tropic jungle. It is a great place to see some amazing animals up close and personal such as tigers, zebras, and crocodiles.
Visitors can also trek on Zoobic Safari, 2 hectare forest to see other animals. A popular destination for school excursions, this is also one of the best places to visit in Olongapo for family or friends.
Address: Group 1 Ilanin Forest Forest Adventure Park Subic Bay Freeport Zone 2222 Olongapo, Philippines
Telephone: (047) 252 2272
Website: http://www.zoobic.com.ph/
Email: [email protected]
2. Inflatable Island
Bring your friends and family to the Inflatable Island if you are into water sports. Located at Olongapo, Inflatable Island is a water park featuring water slides, towers, bridges, and a beach lounge for relaxation. The facility is a popular tourist destination for its adventurous waterpark and colorful beach lounge setting, which is Instagram-worthy.
3. USS New York Sea Wreck
Subic Bay is a must-visit for divers featuring over 19 wreck diving sites. Constructed in 1891, the USS New York Sea Wreck is one of the most popular sites dating from World War I to II and was considered the fastest armored cruiser worldwide back then. Today, professional divers can visit the famous diving site as they go down 30 meters deep.
4. Ocean Adventure
Located at Ilanin Forest West, Ocean Adventure is a theme park featuring an up-close encounter with many sea mammals and creatures. The theme park offers an excellent experience for kids at heart with its animal encounter with sea lions, dolphins, turtles, jacks, and sharks. Visitors can also watch animal shows or go for a swim along with other sea animals.
5. El Kabayo Waterfalls
If you are looking for a place to cool off this summer, head to one of the natural gems of Subic Bay, the El Kabayo Waterfalls. This popular tourist destination is frequented by thrill-seekers and is best for friends or family outings. Apart from the beautiful two-tier cascading waterfalls, the El Kabayo Waterfalls is the best picnic destination and a cliff diving spot for its 15-foot cliff.
6. Funtastic Park
Funtastic Park is an educational amusement park in Ilanin Forest East, Subic Bay. If you are looking for an indoor place to spend with your kids, this is the best place to go. Funtastic Park features one-of-a-kind, interactive fun activities with its amenities, including the Mirror Maze, Trick Art, 3D Enchanted Forest Garden, Science Zone, Ames Room, and so much more. In addition, they also offer a picnic area, cafeteria, and a souvenir shop.
7. Pamulaklakin Forest Trail
For more of the beaten path and hiking adventure, visit the Pamulaklakin Forest Trail. The site is a wildlife refuge located at Binictican Height, offering guided hikes by native Aetas through the lush, secluded rainforest and beautiful stream.
They offer a 3-hour trail tour perfect for beginners, where native Aetas explain the flora and fauna while exploring through the deep forest and exhibit how to craft tools in their area.
8. Subic Bay Yacht Club
If you want to go on a fancy tour or take your loved ones on a romantic date, rent a yacht at Subic Bay Yacht Club. They offer yacht rental with an hourly rate of over P3,000 per head or an overnight booking. Yacht sailing is perfect if you want a more private tour with your family, friends, or loved ones.
9. Magaul Bird Park
Apart from being a famous diving spot, Subic Bay is also known as one of the country’s 13th-best bird-watching sites. For bird watching, visit the Magaul Bird Park located in JEST camp.
It is a great place to take your kids to learn and have fun as they showcase bird life through several bird shows.
10. JEST Camp
Another must-visit for thrill-seeker tourists is the Jungle Environment Survival Training (JEST) Camp. The camping site offers educational activities through fun survival training, games, and obstacle courses.
JEST Camp also provides survival certification programs through its highly trained instructors and is known as one of the country’s most challenging survival training sites.
References
- Valerie, (2021), 15 Best Things To Do In Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Philippines – Updated 2021, Trip 101
- 10 Best Subic Tourist Spots to Visit for a Fun-Filled Trip, Zen Rooms
- (2017), 15 Fun & Unique Things to Do in Subic, Traveloka
Where to Stay in Subic?
Subic Travel and Tour Packages
Searching for the best hotels, resorts, tour packages, and affordable flights in Subic and nearby cities? Check out our list of cheap Subic hotels and resorts via Agoda and Booking.
How to get to Subic Bay
Via Private Car
Subic Bay is just a two-hour drive from Manila. It is most accessible through land transportation.
If you are going by car, take the Northern Expressway to the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway(SCTEx), then exit a few kilometers past the Angeles toll booth. Take the SCTEx in the direction of Subic. The SCTex merges with the Tipo expressway and further into the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
Via Public Bus
Bus lines that ply the Olongapo-Manila routes are the Victory Liner and Saulog Transit. Victory Liner has terminals in Pasay City, Caloocan, Sampaloc, and Cubao. Saulog Transit is at Dr. Lopez Jaena Street, Cavite City. Saulog has daily trips from 2 A.M. to 2 P.M., with a one-hour interval. Victory Liner starts at 4 A.M., and each bus leaves the terminal hourly. The fare to Olongapo is a little over PhP200.00 for both bus lines.
From the Olongapo City bus terminal, a quick jeepney ride can be used to get to Subic Bay. The city’s jeeps and tricycles here are color-coded, representing specific routes. Yellow jeeps are from Sta. Rita/Pepsi to Main Gate; Red, Gordon Heights to Main Gate; Orange, Public Market to Pag-Asa; Brown, Cabalan to Public Market; Green, Mabayuan to Public Market; and blue, Public Market to Subic Town.
At the Main Gate is a terminal of buses that can take you to various points inside the freeport. Coasters and minibuses are also available anytime to ferry you to your accommodations. Taxi vans are another option but are more expensive than buses or coasters.
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