In Paradise City, where all is green and scenic pretty…make it HOME.
Paradise up north has blessings of everything. Smart Business. Great Shopping. Ocean Adventure. Water Sports. Wreck Diving. Safari Treks and Jungle Survival Lessons. Even Sailordude R&R. No other local destination is suited for both making a living and living the dream.
THE BOONDOCKS! Literally too—a natural harbor shielded by mountains and rarely affected by storms that harass the rest of the country. Olongapo is that sleepy town up north that used to be the port of call for the mighty U.S. 7th Fleet. In the Freeport—the ultra modern harbor area has a total of 15 operational piers and wharves capable of servicing all kinds of sea vessels including yachts. There are seaside hotels that offer watersports & wreck-diving adventure as well as a rollicking holiday stay in the BOONDOCKS.
"Subic Bay Yacht Club" by RioHondo CC BY-SA 3.0 Wikimedia Commons
A newly opened freeway connects Angeles City to Subic, and there is another fully modern international airport similar to Clark’s that easily handles international flights to the country. Regular bus services run to Manila, IPA, Baguio, Clark and Angeles. Travel between Clark and Subic now runs to just under 2 hours with the new freeway.
Subic International Airport, the Philippines 3rd Gatewayaside from Manila and Clark
Not a Gamble or a Game, Make a Fortune!
Surprisingly, Subic Bay Free Port has quietly become the holiday spot of choice for locals and even local corporate team building planners who know its beaches and facilities as the best value for some re-energizing and creative downtime.
Smarter businessmen based in Subic take advantage of the freeport and access to international trading, as well as relatively quiet yet flourishing holiday travel from Manila. There are continuing real estate projects for attracting retirement tourism for expats. You can strike gold either doing local biz (based in Olongapo only) or bringing in the goods for trade to Manila and everywhere in the Philippines, or even hauling goods from a local workshop or factory to the free port for export. Just like in Angeles City.
Take it to the End of the Line
The locals who quit Manila and the rat race for a weekend or so enjoy a nice respite in the quiet beaches of Subic and get a taste of assorted culinary treats and premium shopping in Olongapo. Foreign visitors check out retirement opportunities in the area and the nearby expat communities. There’s something for everybody in Subic and Olongapo.
Shopping Ain’t No Capital Crime
Expect to find lots of good stuff for pasalubong in Subic, the shopping mecca of the north. Subic Bay Freeport shoppers have a bonanza of duty free shopping but one will need a vehicle to bring back your booty to Manila or the nearby Luzon areas. Shop ‘til you drop.
Royal Subic is the Biggest Duty Free Mall in Subic Freeport and is managed by Rustan’s Corporation. They sell mostly upmarket merchandise like Guess, Havaianas and Lacoste. Best picks are shirts, flip flops, chinois, chocolates, perfumeries, watches and imported food items. And it is the most well stocked of all duty free malls here in Subic Freeport.
Freeport Exchange: Don’t want to rummage through an ukay-ukay dump? Go here for export overruns (branded items that have been rejected for minor quality defects). Brands to grab are Chaps and Polo (Ralph Lauren); Gap, Old Navy, Tommy Hilfiger, Banana Republic and more for less. Freeport also carries Subic's largest supply of candy. Freeport Exchange Mart is In Between Pure-Gold Duty Free (budget shopping) and Royal Subic Duty Free (upmarket shopping).
Nature Trails, Diving inside Sunken Ships or Swim with Dolphins
Zoobic Safari
The Zoobic Safari Forest Adventure Park is 25 hectares of natural forest where diverse exotic animals roam and preen in their natural habitat. Like a walkthrough tropical jungle where you can have a close encounter with frisky Siberian and Bengali tigers in the Tiger Safari. The highlight will be Survival Sessions, a guided tour through an Aeta Village (Aetas are tribal nomadic Filipinos) for jungle survival lessons with expert hunters!
Zoobic Safari Feature on You Tube All rights reserved to Zoomanity Group
Subic Bay Ocean Adventure
Both a performance show of trained sea animals at a posh enclosed area. Enjoy watching the dolphins perform stunts, gaze at tropical fish in huge wall to wall aquariums, or feed a fat, whiskered sea-lion or two. Entrance fee at Subic Bay Ocean Adventure is around P275
Swim with Dolphins You Tube video All Rights Reserved Ocean Adventure Subic Bay
Ocean Park Adventure by Nei Sta Elena CC BY-SA 3.0
Wreck Diving
Subic Bay offers some of the world's best shipwreck diving, its sheltered waters allow calm year-round undersea exploration. Boardwalk Dive Center is where you should hire a guide to explore the haunting undersea remains of war era ships and older wrecks. Unlike most wreck diving locations, the majority of Subic Bay dive sites are a quick 15 minutes boat trip from the dive centers. Visit some of the Japanese ships sunk during the war years. The entrance to the bay alongside Grande Island, is a marker for the remains of the Spanish American war wreck San Quintin.
Olongapo City and Subic Bay like its cousin, Angeles City may not seem to be the places to visit or invest in for the prude, nor those not shrewd enough to realize that where the best international freeport and third international airport in the country are located—the amazing BOONDOCKS of rock city and seaside resorts far off most tourist traps; you will never go wrong putting together, either a good business opportunity or a truly relaxing holiday trip.
