Olongapo City / Subic Bay

Olongapo City / Subic Bay is one of the most complete tourist destinations close to Metro Manila. Less then three hours North from the Swagman Hotel Manila, Olongapo City / Subic Bay offer the possibility of enjoying water sports (sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, scuba diving, swimming, jet skiing, game fishing, bay cruises) plus golf, tennis, go-kart racing, hiking and birdwatching. On top of this Olongapo City and Subic Bay are steeped in history that spans the era of the Philippine War of Independence (1897-1898) to the departure of U.S. Forces from the Philippines in 1992.

Olongapo City / Subic Bay History

Olongapo City and nearby Subic Bay town were once sleepy fishing villages, until 1885. In 1885 the Spanish built a Naval Arsenal at Olongapo City, to protect Manila from invasion from the North. Unfortunately, the protection did not take into account the passions of the local people who, having resented Spanish rule for centuries, thought they had found an allay in America and conspired to allow the American fleet to enter Subic Bay unopposed in 1898. From 1898 to 1992 (except for a short period during World War II, 1942-1945) the U.S. Navy built up the facilities & defenses of what is today Subic Bay Freeport Zone and the adjacent Olongapo City. In 1992, the U.S. Navy relinquished Subic Bay to the Philippine Government.

Olongapo City and nearby Barrio Barreto / Baloy Beach were the playground for U.S. Forces stationed in Subic Bay and today you can still find romantic reminders of the bars and restaurants that entertained the thousands of U.S. Forces personnel that passed through Subic Bay during the Vietnam War era. During the Vietnam War era, Subic Bay was the favourite R&R (Rest & Relaxation) destination, and Olongapo City and Barrio Barreto / Baloy Beach provided the off-base nightlife, entertainments and beaches.

Since 1992, initially under the stewardship of Senator Richard Gordon, Subic Bay Freeport Zone and Olongapo City have grown into one of the best examples of the coexistence of commerce and tourism throughout the whole of the Philippines. With the completion of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac-Expressway (SCTEx) in 2008, connecting Subic Bay Freeport directly to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx), Subic Bay and Olongapo City are now less than three hours drive from anywhere in Metro Manila.

Olongapo City / Subic Bay Hotel & Beach Resort Bookings

Olongapo City / Subic Bay offer hotel and beach resort accommodation to satisfy almost every budget, from backpacker accommodation to the international 4-star luxury beach resort hotel. Hotel bookings and beach resort bookings in Olongapo City, Subic Bay and Barrio Barreto are easy if you contact Swagman Travel Service.

Things To Do In Olongapo City / Subic Bay

Olongapo City itself offers few things to do except for the historian but the city provides the workforce and the resources that offer so many things to do within the Subic Bay Freeport Zone and in Barrio Barreto / Baloy Beach. In or near Olongapo City/ Subic Bay there is a comprehensive range of exciting things to do including, sports and water sports (sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, scuba diving, swimming, jet skiing, game fishing and bay cruises plus golf, tennis, go-kart racing, hiking and birdwatching, and don't forget to see the fruit bats). In addition, Subic Bay is home to Ocean Adventure (marine park), Zoobic Safari (tiger park), the JEST Camp (jungle environment survival training/experience) and the Subic Bay Maritime Museum.

Visit Olongapo City / Subic Bay also for historical things to do: monuments to World War II victories and atrocities, on land and in the bay. For example: you can go scuba diving on the wreck of the USS New York (U.S. Navy battle cruiser) and the Oryoko Maru (Hell Ship), and scores of other U.S. Navy vessels sunk deliberately or by storms around Subic Bay; walk the ZigZag Pass, where Japanese Forces held out to the last man against returning U.S. Forces in 1945 - some say the Japanese Forces were protecting Yamashita's Gold, others say Yamashita's Gold may still lay undiscovered in the maze of booby-trapped tunnels dotted across the Zambales hillsides overlooking Olongapo City.

Things to do entertainment & nightlife: entertainment in Olongapo City and Subic Bay has started to blossom again, since the opening of the SCTEx. The hotels and beach resorts of Subic Bay Freeport Zone and Barrio Barreto / Baloy Beach are now regular destinations for local and international tourists traveling from Angeles City / Clark and Metro Manila. Barrio Barreto / Baloy Beach offers nightlife and entertainment to satisfy every taste and whim. Rummage through the pubs and bars of Barrio Barreto / Baloy Beach and you may chance upon General Mac Arthur's jeep and a score or more of war stories from the veterans who have returned to Olongapo City / Subic Bay to live out their retirement amongst nightlife revelry and the memorabilia of wartime exploits.

You could also go to Subic Bay for Duty Free shopping but in truth the prices are not so special, although it is possible to buy some branded goods in Subic Bay Freeport Zone that are difficult to find elsewhere in the Philippines.

Two totally unique things to do in Olongapo City / Subic Bay are: charter the Subic Seaplane to fly around Mount Pinatubo; and, take a jungle environment survival training/experience at the JEST Camp.

How To Get To Olongapo City / Subic Bay

To get to Olongapo City / Subic Bay, Fly The Bus from the Swagman Hotel Manila or direct from Angeles City / Clark.

Fly The Bus Olongapo City / Subic Bay - Angeles City

Olongapo City / Subic Bay Webcam Links

For Swagman Manila Hotel Rates & Bookings go to Hotel Bookings and Inquiries