MANILA, Philippines - After Subic was transformed from a US Naval Base into a free port two decades ago, I couldn’t keep track of the number of times I’ve visited there which is mostly for pleasure and occasionally business. I’ve spent birthdays, anniversaries, parties and even a couple of New Year countdowns in Subic. And why not? It’s the closest and most convenient to city dwellers like me for a fun getaway even on weekdays.
There are beaches, various water activities like jet skiing, sea cruises, golf, etc. Even a semi-exclusive yacht club for docking if you fashionably arrive in a boat or yacht. If you’re not into sun and sea, there are attractions like Ocean Adventure and Zoobic Safari that you can try. Ocean Adventure features dolphins, whales and sea lions performing tricks and feats and Zoobic Safari has crocodiles, serpents and other exotic animals. Highlight of the park is the interaction with live 400-pound tigers. Just a few years back, a typical trip from Manila to Subic would take three to four hours. Nowadays, it’s been cut to half with the Subic/Clark/Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) that connects seamlessly to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).
In the mid-’90s, there were only a handful of hotels in Subic and the best was Legenda Hotel which was owned and operated by the Genting Highlands people from Malaysia. They actually wanted to name it Legend Hotel but a Mandaluyong City hotel beat them to the name so they added an “a” to “legend” to utilize it. Initially, the hotel was housed in a three-storey converted US Navy building with a few rooms then expanded a few years later to occupy an entire block. Unfortunately, the hotel has been padlocked a few years back and the once glorious facade is now in a bad state of disrepair. I heard from the rumor mill though that communications and airline magnate Tony Boy Cojuangco is negotiating to purchase the hotel and revive it to its former glory.
As of 2012, Subic has over 20 hotels and rapidly expanding. Among my favorites are Lighthouse Marina Resort at the end of Waterfront road. Although it only has a few rooms and suites, the hotel is well-furnished with plush comforts including floating bath tubs, jacuzzi, high-tech gizmos and balconies facing the sea. It is the most expensive and always full on weekends. Hotel Venezia on Canal road is another favorite. It houses a casino and excellent Chinese restaurant named Feng Huang. This is where Air Supply, John Ford Coley and Rex Smith stayed when they performed at the convention center. I would stay at Courtyard Inn now renamed Court Meridian most of the time. Although the amenities are basic and austere when compared to other Subic hotels, the hotel’s friendly ambiance makes me feel at home. Besides, it’s so accessible to the beach, water activities and restaurants.
If you love Duty Free shopping, there’s lots of it in Subic. Royal Subic, Pure Gold, Freeport Exchange and specific outlet stores of Adidas, Guess and Nike, just to name a few. Opened recently by Ayala Malls is the three-storey Harbor Point Mall on main thoroughfare Rizal Ave. The mall features lots of shops, food outlets, cinemas and al fresco dining. Whenever in Subic, be sure to fill your gas tanks to the brim. Gas is approximately P4 cheaper per liter because there are no taxes.
Nighttime is fun in Subic. There are coffee shops and many restaurants to chill or dine in like Aresi (my personal favorite in Subic), Gerry’s Grill, Meat Plus Café, Tavola Italian Restaurant, Seafood by the Bay, Aristocrat and Barrio Fiesta. Most fastfood chains like Jollibee, Chowking, Pancake House, Yellow Cab and Brothers Burgers are also present. Live bands perform nightly at bars like Pier One. If you’re into gaming, there are two casinos in Subic open 24/7 within walking distance from each other. Oriental Casino on the waterfront has gaming tables and slot machines while Club Venezia on Canal road is strictly slots. Both casinos feature live entertainment.
Subic is full of activities and events the whole year round. There’s always something going on most specially at the boardwalk on weekends. The wiz behind most events and concerts in Subic is Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) deputy administrator Raul Marcelo. He seems unrelenting with the task of attracting local and international tourists to Subic. He was behind bringing world-class performers to Subic like Air Supply, The Cascades, Rex Smith, John Ford Coley and The Manila Sound Project which has frontmen and members of Hotdog, Hagibis, the Boyfriends and VST & Co. I’ve known Raul for six years and he seems to be on his toes 24/7 because I always meet with him during unholy hours or Sunday mornings when he is supposed to be off.
A word of caution if you’re driving into Subic: Their cops strictly enforce traffic rules like in California and people who try to bribe their way out of a traffic violation are rebuffed. I should know because my driver tried to.