Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Ocean Adventure
Camayan Wharf, Ilanin Rd, West Ilanin Forest Area • Daily 9am-6pm • P550; children under 12 P440; swim with dolphins (45min) P3700;
beach encounter with dolphins (30min) P2400; dive with dolphins (30min) P4250 •
T
047 252 9000,
W
oceanadventure.com.ph • Free
shuttle from the CBD 10.45am & 1.15pm (bus & taxi terminal on Aguinaldo St)
Next to Camayan Beach (see box, p.125),
Ocean Adventure
is one of Subic's major
tourist draws, comprising a small aquarium and arena for dolphin and sea lion shows.
You can also swim, dive (includes dive gear, but bring your certification), or have a
brief encounter on the beach with the park's friendly dolphins.
2
Zoobic Safari
Ilanin Rd, West Ilanin Forest Area • Daily 8am-4pm • P495, children under 1.2m P395 •
T
047 252 2272,
W
zoobic.com.ph • Taxis from
the CBD are P400
Subic Bay has its own zoo experience, the
Zoobic Safari
, popular with Manileños, but
though the animals are well treated if you don't like zoos you really won't like this.
Attractions include a tiger safari via jeep (where the guides feed chicken to the “wild”
tigers); a serpentarium with iguanas, snakes and lizards; and “croco loco”, where
crocodiles leap for dangling chickens.
Bat Kingdom
Zambales Hwy, Crown Peak, Cubi • Most hotels can arrange
tours
with guides for around P2000 (including other sights)
Other than a few groups of monkeys, the most visible wildlife in the hills around Subic
is a colony of around ten thousand bamboo bats, golden-crowned flying foxes and fruit
bats - the so-called
Bat Kingdom
. The colony tends to move around within the Cubi,
Crown Peak area, so just ask a local where they are; during the day bats hang from trees
asleep (when most of the tours visit), but at dusk thousands of these giant, harmless
creatures take to the air to look for food.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
SUBIC BAY
By bus
Most buses (see p.81) arrive in Olongapo City
at either the Saulog Transit terminal just across the
drainage channel from the main gate, or at the Victory
Liner (
W
victoryliner.com) terminal further north at 27
Anonas St at W 18th St (just off Rizal Ave;
T
047 222 2241).
Destinations
Angeles City/Dau (frequent; 1hr, via SCTEX);
Baguio (hourly; 8hr); Manila Cubao (every 30min; 3am-
9pm; 2hr 30min-3hr 30min).
INFORMATION
Tourist information
The Subic Bay Tourism Department
(daily 8am-5pm;
T
047 252 4194,
W
greatersubic.com or
W
mysubicbay.com.ph) is next to the Subic Bay Exhibition &
Convention Center at 18 E
ciency Ave, just off the main high-
way to Manila at the edge of the Zone. Staff here can help
book tours, hotels and provide the latest on what's happening;
you'll also need to arrange hikes here (see box, p.129).
Internet access
Major hotels in Subic have wi-fi or
business centres where you can access the internet,
but they charge more than the many hole-in-the-wall
internet cafés in Olongapo, most of them along Rizal Ave
and Magsaysay Ave. In Barrio Barretto, popular resorts
and restaurants such as
Mango's
and
Johansson's
have
reliable internet.
GETTING AROUND
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT ZONE
By taxi
Jeepneys and tricycles are banned within Subic
Bay Freeport Zone, so transport is provided by Megatsai
taxis (24hr;
T
047 252 8102) and Winstar Transport buses;
both have their terminals in the CBD in a car park (known
as “park and shop”) off the Rizal Highway, close to the Main
Gate and a short walk from the Saulog Transit terminal
over in Olongapo. Taxis charge fixed rates from here, with
most fares P50 within the CBD. Elsewhere it's P200 to
Pamulaklakin (see box, p.129) and Cubi, P300 to most
beaches, and P400 to Zoobic Safari and Ocean Adventure.
By bus
Buses run every 30min but are not that useful;
they charge P9 within the CBD, P13 for the Binictican area
(Pamulaklakin) and P15 to Cubi.
OLONGAPO
By jeepney
In Olongapo all jeepneys are colour-coded;
from just outside the Victory Liner bus terminal you can
take frequent blue jeepneys (direction “Castillejos”) to
Barrio Barretto and Baloy (P15).
By taxi and tricycle
Taxis will charge at least P500
(tricycles around P150). To travel between Olongapo and
