Cool Subic Hotel and Resort Guide

Baloy Beach

Baloy (Long) Beach is situated at the northern end of Barrio Barretto, about 200 metres past the last bar (Midnight Rambler), going north. Turn left just over the brow of the hill where the hotel signs signify the entrance to Baloy Beach. A little way down the beach road there is an entrance gate, where the owners of the beach collect entrance fees. They generally only charge filipinos, and don't ask other tourists to pay. If they do ask, just tell them you are going to one of the bars on the beach (Blue Rock). Best policy is to let them see you are a tourist, then drive/ride/walk right on thru the gate. Baloy Beach has a nice white sand beach with an easy slope into the sea. Being in Subic Bay, the water is generally calm with no strong rips or tides. It is popular with filipinos and tourists alike. It is particularly popular with filipino families during school holidays (March-May), Holy Week (Easter), and at weekends during the hot season (November to May). There are a few watchtowers built along the beach (not always manned). The cleanup of the flotsam that gets washed up on the beach is generally left to each business. The first 500 metres of the beach road are tarmac'd but after that it turns into a mud road. Generally, the accommodations are mid-range/high-end before the right-hand turn, and after that are where the budget rooms can be found. Budget rooms are generally provided by the few beach bars/restaurants. You can also rent from a number of local families who have built holiday rooms/bungalows for rent (usually by the month).

Barrio Barretto

Barrio Barretto is situated on the National Highway approximately halfway between Olongapo (to the south) and Subic (to the north). It was a major R 'n R location for the US Forces. Today, there has been some resurgence of economic activity in Barrio Barretto. Some new bars and hotels have sprung up. Barrio Barretto is well now served for hotels and there is also budget accommodation at some of the bars. It is the main center for accommodations for those wishing to partake of the nightlife in Subic.

Calapandayan

Subic itself is a thriving market town. The bars are not located directly in the center but just south in the area know as Calapandayan. So you should get off the jeepney before it gets into the center of town. It's obvious where to disembark because you'll see the bars on both sides of the street. There are probably only 2 reasonable hotels in Calapandayan, Miami and Players. Most of the rest are short-time hotels.

Olongapo

Olongapo is a thriving city adjacent to the SBMA. Most of the hotels and bars are along Magsaysay Drive/Rizal Ave strip between SBMA Main Gate to Olongapo town center. They are all basically budget, or bordering on mid-range, hotels, with choice of fan or air-con rooms.

SBMA (The Base)

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA for short) is running the old US Naval Base as an industrial freeport complex. There are still a number of hotels left over from the Naval Base days which now cater for businessmen/tourists. Many new hotels have sprung-up. This is the most comprehensive list of SBMA Hotels on the internet. (Listed in alphabetical order).

Zambales Other

Zambales is located at the western coast of Central Luzon near the provinces Pangasinan, Tarlac and Pampanga. On the west side is the China Sea and Bataan on the south. Tourist spots and interesting places abound. Snake Island and Capones Island are idyllic for aqua activities, while Silanguin Bay has been developed into a fish sanctuary. The best dive spots are around San Salvador Island. Other natural attractions are Balon Falls, Sto. Nino and Sagrada Familia Caves and Baloc-Baloc Spring. Another attraction is the journey up the Zambales mountains with beautiful beaches in front of them. As you travel further north from Olongapo, the the sand and water are cleaner and clearer.