Subic is a seaside area on the west side of Luzon Island in Zambales Province in the Subic Bay region. Subic Bay is a former US naval base that was converted into a beach town in the greater proximity of Manila. The main industry is the free port and the airport which is used by transport companies.

Understand

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.

Get in

• 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.

Get around

• 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

See

• Le Mans Go Kart (Beside Bicentennial Park, Rizal Highway, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Zambales), ☏ +63 47 252-2272. 10AM-7PM. 
• Subic Bay Ocean Adventure. See dolphins and tropical fish. 

Do

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 Divers (At the free port). Run 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 Philippines. Runs 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: ₱275.
• Zoobic Safari. An 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. 

Buy

• American Hardware. Carries 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's (In Olongapo, not in Subic). Close at 11PM. A 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 Exchange. Similar 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 Bookstore. Books, magazines, and a cafe. Popular for school supplies. 
• Pure Gold (Across the intersection from the Royal Subic). Warehouse store with a large selection of goods. 
• Royal Subic. The 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 & Souvenirs (Next to the cinema). The majority of items have been selected from livelihood programs and sole artists. T-shirts as low as USD8. 
• Uncle Ed's. Close at 11PM. A 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 City. Has a lot of things that other stores don't: a lot of quick snacks, and an extensive supply of cat food. 
• SM City Olongapo (SM Olongapo), Magsaysay Drive cor Gordon Avenue, Olongapo City (by Bus: Saulog Transit (Terminal is beside the mall) , By Olongapo City Color-coded jeepneys: Yellow, Red and Orange, By Olongapo City color coded tricycles, (Orange), by Freeport Taxi or by Private Vehicle (Parking Space available on the upper mall floors)), ☏ +63 47 223 2078. 9AM-10PM. 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. (updated Sep 2016)
• Ayala Harbor Point Mall (Harbor Point or HP or Ayala Subic), Rizal Hway, CBD, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Olongapo City (from Manila by Bus (Victory Liner to Olongapo via SCTex) by Private Vehicle, by Public color coded Olongapo city jeepneys Yellow or Red), ☏ +63 47 250 8888. 11AM-9PM. 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. (updated Sep 2016)
• Royal Choices, Canal Rd, Subic Bay Freeport Zone (walking distance from Harbor Point Ayala Mall, go there by taxi, or private vehicle). 9AM-8PM. 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. (updated Sep 2016)
• Puregold Subic town, National Highway. 9AM-9PM. (updated Oct 2016)

Eat

• Blue Rock Resort. Good for Western food. Great prices, quantity and quality. 
• Texas Joe's House of Ribs, Waterfront Rd, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, ☏ +63 47 252 3189. 11AM-10PM. Smoked meats and ribs. Numerous barbecue sauces. Attentive service. 
• Xtremely Xpresso Cafe Restaurant, #1 Dewey Avenue,, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, ☏ +63 47 252 3681. 6AM-midnight. 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. ₱144-578. (updated Sep 2016)
• Cocolime Restaurant, Harbor point mall, Subic Bay Freeport Zone. 11AM-2PM and 5PM-10PM. 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. (updated Sep 2016)
• Sakura Japanese Restaurant, Lot 5 Time Square Bldg.Corner Sta.Rita Rd. Subic Bay Freefort Zone and a branch at Harbor Point Mall, ☏ +63 47 252-2666. 11AM-2:30PM and 5PM-10:30PM. Known by the locals as the authentic Japanese restaurant in Subic. They serve fresh sashimi and a variety of sushi choices. (updated Sep 2016)
• Magic Lagoon Restaurant, 716 Bincentenial Park, ☏ +63 47 252-1475. 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. (updated Sep 2016)

Drink

• Baguio Craft Brewery Subic, Riverwalk, Harbor Point Ayala Mall, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, ☏ +639177997072. 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. ₱289-433. (updated Sep 2016)
• Pier One Bar and Grill, Moonbay Marina, ☏ +63 47 252 7097-98. 9PM - 4AM. 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. (updated Sep 2016)

Sleep

• All Hands Beach Subic, All Hands Beach, San Bernardino Rd, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, ☏ +63 47 250-2270. Air-conditioned beachfront rooms and cottages. Bamboo huts, function rooms and pavilions are also available for family, business or special events. ₱3500. 
• Arizona International Hotel, 47 National Hwy, ☏ +63 47 224 4557. Minutes away from Subic. From ₱1562.50. 
• Asiana Hotel, No. 48 Gordon Ave, Barangay Asinan, Olongapo City. The hotel has a touch of Asian architecture and delicacies. ₱1200. 
• Bayfront Hotel, Blk. 19 Lot 1 Moonbay, Marina Waterfront Road, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, ☏ +63 47 252-3148-49, fax: +63 47 252-2591, bayfront@subictel.com. Mediterranean-inspired hotel with villa set-up. Clean, comfortable accommodations. From USD51. 
• Casablanca Hotel Subic, 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. ₱2100. 
• City View Hotel, Magsaysay Dr, New Asinan, Olongapo City, ☏ +63 47 2529978. ₱1800. 
• Court Meridian Hotel, Waterfront Road, SBMA, ☏ +63 47 252-2366. Air-con rooms equipped with cable TV, private toilet and bath with hot and cold running water. Business center, jet ski, bar, and restaurant. From USD72. 
• Elmolina Beach Resort, 135 National Hwy, Barrio Barretto. Budget beachfront accommodation. Kayaking, banana boating, snorkeling, and jet skiing. ₱2100. 
• Grand Hoyah Hotel, Lot Nos 5B and 6, Block B, Manila Ave, Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. In the central business district of Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Deluxe accommodation. 
• Hotel Interpark, Bldg 663 Dewey Ave Corner Santa Rita Rd, Subic Bay Freeport Zone (1 block from Waterfront Rd and Oriental Paradise Casino). Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. ₱2500. 
• Lighthouse Marina Resort, Moonbay Marina Complex Waterfront Rd, CBD Subic Bay Freeport Zone, ☏ +63 47 252-9978. Three-floor, 34-room boutique hotel capped by a lighthouse. 
• Ocean View Beach Resort, Lower Kalaklan, Olongapo City. Check-in: 2OM, check-out: noon. 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. ₱2500. 
• Olongapo Travel Lodge, Magsaysay Drive, Olongapo City. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 1PM. Olongapo Travel Lodge offers modern rooms in a budget-friendly hotel. ₱1600. 
• Palm Coast Inn, Baloy Long Beach, Bo. Barretto. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. Standard rooms overlooking the beach and mountains of Subic. ₱1199. 
• Palm Tree Resort, 116 National Hwy, Barrio Barretto, Olongapo City. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. Sea view rooms and suites overlooking the mountains. Also has an in house restaurant that serves Filipino and English cuisines. ₱2200. 
• The Pub Hotel Subic, National Hwy, Barrio Barretto. Check-in: 1PM, check-out: 11AM. Amid the nightlife district of Barretto. Seconds walk away from beachfront restaurants and bars as well as the famous go-go bars of Subic. ₱1080. 
• RK Hotel, SBIP Phase 1 Commercial Complex, Subic Bay Gateway Park Rizal Hwy. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. 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. ₱2500. 
• Sanjaha Inn, 64 Gordon Ave, New Asinan Olongapo City. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. ₱1500. 
• Subic Grand Seas Resort, 83 National Hwy, Barrio Barretto, Olongapo City, ☏ +63 47 222-8541. 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. From ₱2500. 
• Subic International Hotel, ☏ +63 47 252-22-22, fax: +63 47 894-55-79. Labitan and Sta Rita Roads, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, This hotel used to be naval barracks. From ₱2000. 
• Subic Oceanview Hotel, 202 Purok 6, National Hwy, Calapandayan. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. All the guest rooms are equipped with a work area. ₱1800. 
• Subic Park Hotel, Moonbay Marina, Waterfront Road, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, ☏ +63 47 252-2092, +63 47 252-2093, +63 47 250-2039. 30 comfortable rooms offer views of the bay and the forested mountains surrounding it. From USD33. 
• Terrace Hotel, Blk 1 Lot 2 & 3 Moonbay Marina, Waterfront Road, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, ☏ +63 47 250-2730, fax: +63 47 252-2733. 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, Waterfront Road, Block 3 Lot 2, Moonbay Marina Area, Subic Bay Freeport Zone. A Mediterranean-inspired hotel on the beach. 
• Win Hotel Olongapo, #27 18th St, Olongapo City (At Victory Liner Terminal). Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. Rooms are cozy with warm lighting fitted with wooden furniture and modern decor. ₱1600. 

Go next

• Manila
• Banaue
• Angeles
• La Union
• Anilao