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The Village of Batad in the Philippines

A true off-the-beaten-path experience awaits the traveler in the Cordillera mountain region of Northern Luzon. Batad is a village near Banaue, a major town in the Ifugao province. For millennia, the indigenous Ifugao people here have carved giant steps into the mountainsides as a form of sustainable agriculture to produce rice. These rice paddies ’in the sky’ have made this area into a veritable feast for the eyes, with entire mountain ranges transformed into ‘stairways to heaven’ as they have often been described. It is no wonder that this man-made, yet natural-looking phenomenon has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.

There are several rice terrace clusters in the region and the Banaue-Batad cluster is one of the more accessible ones. Near the town center is Banaue’s major hotel perched on a hill with a view of the terraces that is the most universally recognized; it’s the view on the postcards and on the back of the Philippine thousand-peso bill. Several hostel-type lodgings are also available within the town center. For more serene surroundings and a sense of the traditional mountain village lifestyle, travelers opt for the Batad experience.

One can ride jeepneys-for-hire for a winding 45-minute drive from the Banaue town center to the Banga-an junction, the starting point for the trek to Batad. Be prepared for the uphill climb along a somewhat steep ridge; this first section may take anywhere from a half-hour to 45 minutes depending on what kind of shape you’re in. At the top of the ridge is a rest area and as you catch your breath, you spy the rest of the trail snaking around the mountainside towards the valley below. Relief, it’s all downhill from here! Another 40 minutes or so, again depending on your pace, and you arrive in Batad. Immediately, the breathtaking scenery grabs you.

At about 4,000 feet above sea level, the perfectly layered terraces here are carved directly from the solid rock and earth of the mountainsides surrounding the bowl-shaped valley, giving the Batad paddies the moniker, ‘Amphitheater Terraces’. The 360-degree panorama is simply majestic. Batad is surrounded on all sides by lush green mountains; the eye follows the stepped rice paddies down to the center of the valley where a small hamlet of traditional Ifugao huts is located.

Further on beyond the terrace lines is a gorge that leads to a rushing river. From Batad, it is about an hour’s hike through narrow edges of the terraces, down the steep incline to the riverbank and to the awesome Tapiya Waterfalls. If you make this somewhat strenuous trek, you will be more than ready to jump in for an invigorating swim and be in misty-waterfall-heaven here.

For the really adventurous, there are treks to other (even more remote) villages in proximity to Batad like Cambulo and Pula. These would extend the trip to at least an overnight stay in Batad. But beware; people who had initially planned a day-trip or overnighter have ended up extending their stay.

There are a few home stay type inns at Batad. Always choose the room with the view. You will marvel at the splendor of the mountain panorama outside your window and start to experience that feeling you never get living in the city – the feeling of timelessness.

Philippines: An Oasis in Baguio

There will be undoubtedly be comments about the Baguio City today about how it has lost its ‘mountain town’ charm because of overcrowding and pollution. While that may be true to a certain extent, there are still spots in the City of Pines the traveler can visit to find solace in the highlands.

One of them is found by heading out towards Quezon Hill on Naguilian Road. Here, the traveler will find the very quaint and picturesque Tam-Awan Village, a haven of tranquility in Baguio. The village was a creation of notable Philippine artist Bencab (Cabrera) and some partners. While the famous painter no longer runs it, Tam-Awan is in the able hands of like-minded folks who aim to preserve aspects of traditional mountain culture in the face of ‘lowlander’ commercial onslaught.

Several traditional Cordillera tribal huts have been transplanted here to lend a totally authentic experience. The village pays homage to the major tribal cultures of the highlands like Ifugao, Kalinga, Ibaloi, Itneg and others, collectively known as Igorot. These tribes were never conquered or subjugated by the Spanish during their 300 and some years of colonization of the Philippines.

They have kept their culture of thousands of years relatively intact, although incursions by outsiders since the beginning of the 20th century have eroded it somewhat. There is a resurgence of ethnic pride among tribal youth as they seek to regain vestiges of an ancient culture that was slowly being lost to modernity.

Tam-Awan Village sprawls across a hillside, composed of several native huts for dwelling and some ritual and ceremonial spaces. A winding trail goes up to the hilltop for panoramic views of the surrounding valley. On a clear day, you can just about see the South China Sea. From a backpacker’s perspective, the huts are sturdy and comfortable; beddings – a mattress, blanket and sheets – are provided.

Travelers can stay here for less than $10 a night. The café has inexpensive home-cooked food and it is decent. Try their strong locally grown mountain coffee or herbal mountain tea. Strawberries are grown seasonally in nearby Trinidad valley and so there is no shortage of these most of the time.

Oh, and the crepes are very good at a couple of dollars an order. One of the Tam-Awan huts is dedicated to exhibitions of native art. There is always something interesting to see as creations of local artists go on rotation at the Tam-Awan gallery.

The overall atmosphere at Tam-Awan is one of serenity, conducive to reflection, to communing with nature and ancestral spirits, which according to locals, are never far away and always lurking about, available for guidance and channeling. Of course, one must not forget the preliminary requirements of these spirits; hence, the rituals of divination and appeasement that are part and parcel of everyday life of tribal natives who are still living traditionally.

If you stay at Tam-Awan while you are in Baguio, it will take a little longer to get to the city’s other points of interest. But it will be well worth it because Tam-Awan itself is one of Baguio’s more interesting spots. In this case, the stay itself is the reward.

Philippines-BANTAYAN Island

Off the tip of Northern Cebu lies the island called Bantayan, which means ‘sentinel’. Only a few Cebu locals, some intrepid foreigners and even fewer Manila folks knew about Bantayan some years back. It was definitely off the beaten path of most fun-in-the-sun worshippers, who headed for more popular destinations like Boracay. But as word got out, people got a glimpse of this unique and laid-back vacation destination. With its white beaches, turquoise waters, subterranean caves, old Spanish forts, friendly islanders and unique cuisine, Bantayan has piqued the interest of travelers seeking less crowded, more pristine spots.

One comes to Bantayan to slow down, to decompress from Manila and from Cebu City. After a sea crossing from Hagnaya pier in Northern Cebu, one arrives in Bantayan and immediately appreciates its rustic charm. Life here is unhurried and there is no need to rush anywhere, anytime. The cycles of nature dictate the movement of time and the peaceful and hospitable islanders are just fine with that. The islanders are very welcoming and friendly. Their main skills and livelihoods have to do with the sea, and the land.

Before the arrival of the Spanish conquerors, Bantayan was already a trading center with locals, Chinese and Malays engaged in a thriving commerce. Bantayan is the undisputed Egg Basket of the Visayas. In the center of the island, we visited a farm with 18,000 hens laying an egg or two per day…and this is just one of the smaller farms in Bantayan! In the main town of Bantayan, we discovered the oldest church in the Visayas and Mindanao. The Church of St Peter and Paul was founded in 1580 and is even older than the Basilica in Cebu City. The original nipa (thatched palm)and bamboo church did not survive marauding pirates and the present church was built by 1863.

On the coast facing Cebu is the town of Sta. Fe, known for its white-sand beaches. Near the site of its parish church and beside the Kota Beach Resort, stand the ruins of a Spanish fort. Built around the end of the 18th century, the seaward wall and parts of the side walls still stand. The main entrance of the fort is through a narrow arched doorway that faces the sea. Several beach resorts may be found at Sta. Fe; two popular ones are Kota & Budyong. A beautifully designed resort with a most unique attraction is the Ogtong Cave Resort.

We marveled at the subterranean cave in the middle of the property. There is a natural seawater pool inside the cave and people can even go night swimming in there! The resort’s varied accommodations are all tailored to suit the traveler’s needs for cozy and comfortable lodgings amidst quiet surroundings. The landscaped garden and grounds of Ogtong are a welcome and refreshing sight, with the natural contours of the land and the environment preserved and blended around the structures.

We found more resorts in the Sta. Fe area that cater to those who seek idyllic getaways. The quaint St. Bernard Resort is a beach hideaway with round cottages that resemble medieval huts. Set amidst a grove of palm trees on a white-sand beach, St Bernard’s has something else to be proud of – its very fresh seafood fare. Indeed, this was a seaside haven that soothed and calmed our restless urban spirits, a perfect place to unwind.

Philippines-Coron

Coron is a town in Busuanga, which is the largest island in the Northern Palawan area and is in itself a mini-archipelago. Coron is also the name of the island across the channel from the town, an island with prehistoric vibes. Only small, light turbo-prop planes can land on the airstrip in a small valley located in the middle of Busuanga.

One lands, it appears, in the middle of a cattle ranch, apparently the biggest in this part of the country as I was told. Our adventure began immediately after we stepped out of the “terminal”, basically a modest little shelter from the elements. Riding a jeepney to the harbor town of Coron, we passed tropical jungle scenery along a winding road through hilly terrain.

After about an hour of rustic views along the undulating unpaved road, we reached Coron. Towns like this are always quaint to us city-dwellers, meaning that it is small enough to not have traffic snarls. The smell of fish and the sea permeated the air and the ubiquitous Styrofoam containers of freshly caught and iced marine creatures were everywhere as we headed for the pier – being loaded into vans, on the back of small trucks, carried by lean sinewy men and being stuffed into passenger tricycles (a 2-3 person transport carriage with a small motorcycle attached to it). While in-town accommodations were definitely more budget-friendly, our companions opted for a less ‘fishy’ option.

Our resort accommodation was in offshore Uson Island, a mere 5 minutes away by boat from the Coron pier. We were pleased with our island lodgings on Uson for the next 3 days – no phones, no TV, no chattering radio, no karaoke (heaven!). As we put our cellphones away into the deep recesses of our bags, we were informed that the wireless Internet room was available for email. Well, not quite Robinson Crusoe… but close enough.

Our agenda was simple and straightforward – hop as many islands as we could (we were told there were more 4 dozen in the vicinity, most with white-sand beaches), see Culion, the former island leper colony now a museum and historical landmark, see the World War II battleship wrecks, snorkel the fabulous coral gardens, soak in the very relaxing hot springs of Maquinit and see the Jurassic-looking island of Coron (across the channel from Coron town) with its majestic limestone spires, ancient Kayangan Lake and its Twin Lagoons.

After a filling seafood lunch, we headed for Coron Island’s Kayangan Lake. As we approached the opening to the inner lagoon with its towering limestone cliffs, everyone was quiet and obviously dumbstruck at the prehistoric-looking scenery. From the lagoon, we could see the trail leading up the side of a cliff to the lake about 400 feet above us.

Halfway up the trail is a ledge where you can rest and marvel at the awesome view of the turquoise lagoon below and the limestone skyscrapers surrounding it with glimpses of Busuanga across the channel. Kayangan Lake is clear and totally swimmable at just the right temperature. If you swim out a few hundred yards past the first bend, it gets a little eerie as it is very quiet and primordial; you almost expect to see pterodactyls swooping down from the cliffs above.

Coron Island’s west side is one giant limestone wall about 10 miles long facing the open sea. Cruising along it on the outrigger, I got the sense of the remoteness and the solitude of this place. About 20 minutes of cruising and we hit Banol Beach, a small cove with creamy white sand – a cool spot perfect for a dip. Afterwards, we cruised for only about 15 minutes to reach Skeleton Beach.

Here, we put on or snorkels to marvel at the sight of a sunken Japanese battleship lying in the shallow waters. There were other beautiful underwater sights as well – a coral garden teeming with marine life. The afternoon wore on and we had to head back to Coron town for our sunset hour soak at Maquinit Hot Springs. We were told that it was just too hot to go there any other time of the day.

Philippines-Malate

Travelers to the Philippines invariably have to spend a night or two in Manila on their way to and from the outer islands, the tourist destinations and the eco-adventure destinations within the archipelago. Most globe trekkers and lonely planetoids spend this layover time in Malate.

Malate is a bayside district of Manila with a reputation of being a Bohemian enclave. In the 60’s at Los Indios Bravos, a café-cum-art gallery-cum-music venue, poets, painters, film people, musicians, writers and moonlight philosophers would gather regularly. Los Indios, located at the heart of Malate, was where the avant-garde set of Manila would hang out. Nearly half a century later, Malate is still the place where the fringe and artsy milieu like to congregate. One finds budget-friendly hostels and B&B’s in Malate; everything worth seeing or doing here is within walking distance from the accommodations.

The bayside promenade called Baywalk stretches from Rizal Park to the north all the way to the Cultural Center/Folk Arts Complex. This is a great spot to catch the world-famous Manila Bay sunset. Grabbing a bite to eat and/or a cold San Miguel beer is no problem in Malate-cruising along Adriatico, Nakpil, Mabini or Remedios Streets, one finds an array of bars, bistros, clubs, al fresco eateries & rectos. In the mood for Korean, Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Continental, American, Filipino and, yes, even Cuban fare? You will find it within a 4-square block area within the heart of Malate at the streets mentioned above. Of note, on the corner of Remedios and Adriatico, is Café Havana, a cigar bar bistro with excellent Cuban fusion cuisine and live Latin music – oh, and a cigar bar with, yes, real Cohibas and other fine cigars from Cuba. And they serve the best mojitos in town.

Across the street is Bistro Adriatico, with its elegant 19th-century ambience and its fine Filipino/Spanish/European cuisine, and a creamy, thick old-style hot chocolate to die for. Around the corner on Mabini St., is the Hobbit House – a live music bar that has dwarfs for servers, a rather endearing touch. The Hobbit has live blues, rock or folk music, depending on the day of the week. Beware the karaoke bars and Top 40 clubs that have started to proliferate in Malate, unless of course you’re into that sort of thing.

A Malate institution is the Penguin Café and Gallery. Although it has changed its name a few times over the decades, people will always call it Penguin. On any given night, one may find an eclectic mix of Manila’s artists, intelligentsia, filmmakers, culture vultures, neo-tribal’s and whatnot hanging out and slamming down Penguin’s notorious lambanog(coconut liquor)/Red Horse(strong beer) concoction. There is always live music at least a few nights a week – jazz, world, blues, tribal, fusion etc. – and there are always interesting photographs or works of art on exhibit. While the ultra-cool Malate hangs of the 90’s – Blue Café, Iguana, Caribana, Insomnia et al – are now a fond hazy memory, Penguin continues to survive well into the new millennium against the odds.

It is a Malate tradition (on weekends anyway, but sometimes weekdays too) to party till the sun comes up. One can witness al fresco tables full of raucous revelers at 7 am, all ready for breakfast. And sometimes, some of them head half-a-block towards the sea, right to the 400-year-old church, Our Lady of Remedies, before plunging into bed.

Philippines-Northern Samar

Separated from Luzon Island by the San Bernardino Strait, Samar is way off the beaten path. While Palawan is touted as the ‘last frontier’ in Philippine tourism, Samar, especially Northern Samar, may very well be ‘beyond the last frontier’.

Travelers may fly to Northern Samar’s main town, Catarman, by jet from Manila – the flight takes approximately an hour. An overland trip by bus is possible (and much cheaper); however, the trip takes 12 to 14 hours and the last section is by ferry from the southern tip of Luzon in Bicol to Northern Samar. By whatever means travelers take to get here, they will be amply rewarded by some of the most picturesque and seldom seen places this side of Paradise.

Biri Island is a short boat ride away from Catarman. It is the site of awesome rock formations, huge honey-comb like steps and cavernous natural amphitheaters, arches and caves that have been carved into the rocks by unrelenting winds and pounding surf through the centuries. The Pacific Ocean’s natural tools have created an incredible array of giant sculptures along Biri’s northern shore in a spot called Magasang.

Nearby is Bel-ot, reputedly the best natural saltwater pool in the Philippines. Expectedly, Biri also has great surfing for those adventurous enough – there are no crowds here at all. When we visited, it was so quiet as we were all speaking in hushed voices, dumbstruck by the amazing rock formations. Only the sea birds were heard above the pounding surf.

Northern Samar is composed of small, quiet villages and full of pristine nature. Besides Biri, there are several offshore islands which merit exploration; most are a short banca (outrigger) ride away. One of these is Capul Island, a history-laden place with its own exotic language.

In the days of the Galleon crossings, Samar was the first landfall Spanish ships would encounter after the perilous months-long journey from their port in Acapulco, Mexico en route to Manila. The galleons would dock in Capul’s sheltered shores, bay and coves for repairs and respite from the mighty Pacific and then continue on northward to Manila. The island’s name itself is an abbreviation of ‘Acapulco’, supposedly derived from the natives’ inability to pronounce the full name of the Mexican port.

From the municipality of Las Navas, travelers can go upriver on the Catubig River and meander several kilometers along incredible tropical scenery, ending up at the gorgeous multi-layered cascades of Pinipisakan Falls. There is also a subterranean natural pool in the area along with the Ginagatusan Caves, definitely worth a look.

Another offshore island near Catarman is Dalupiri (sometimes called San Antonio) Island. There’s not much to do here except swim and snorkel in pristine waters off the nearly white-sand beaches and laze around underneath the coconut trees. One may also trek along the coastal trail for several kilometers along the shore of this very peaceful island. The Haven of Fun Beach resort has beach cottages for around $10 a night or $20 with air-conditioning, but who wants noisy cold air when you’re on a beach with tropical breezes and lapping waves? At night, over bottles of San Miguel beer, we were regaled with wide-eyed stories of “kabogs” or flying foxes (fruit bats) and “sea monsters” (presumably whales).

Speaking of mysterious creatures, the locals of Northern Samar
enchanted us with tale after tale of forest ‘entities’ who would spirit away children and deposit them back after a few hours or days dazed and confused, of a good-sized meteor that once fell into the earth behind the town of Victoria affecting the soil so that decomposition of matter (including buried corpses) was measurably delayed, of mysterious lights up in the hills that would disappear and re-appear even in the daytime, and so forth and so on.

But what really enchanted us, everywhere we visited in Northern Samar, was the rugged and savage beauty of this untrammeled corner of the archipelago.

Philippines- Siquijor, Island of Fire

An enchanting and, as legend has it, enchanted island in the Visayan region of the Philippine archipelago, Siquijor has a charm all its own. From pristine white-sand beaches to centuries-old relics, this island is a must-see for the intrepid and adventurous traveler.

Its moniker came from the observation of early Spanish explorers that the island at night had an eerie and surreal glow; hence, they called it the ‘Island of Fire’. There was a simple explanation to this otherwise mysterious phenomenon – the glow came from the swarms of fireflies that hovered around the trees along Siquijor’s shoreline.

Scuba diving and snorkeling along the vast coral reefs surrounding the island are a popular activity. Underwater vistas teeming with colorful varieties of fish and submarine gardens are found in Siquijor’s Marine Preserve. Over a hundred kilometers of coastline yield over a dozen fine beaches, all white-sand.

Salagdoong is a twin beach and cove separated by a rocky outcropping from where one may dive 30 feet into the clear turquoise waters below. Just down the road from here, we discovered a deserted beach in the town of Maria where we frolicked in the sand and surf and then had a picnic in the shade of the massive rocks on the shore. Some nice beach resorts around the island are Islander Paradise, Kiwi, Casa de la Playa, Royal Cliff, Danish Lagoon and Coco Grove.

The island’s hilly interior with its awesome rock formations and cave systems is great for caving and spelunking. Cantabon Cave has mini-waterfalls and pools in its stalactite/stalagmite-filled cavern. Other caves suitable for exploration are Cambasia, Tagmanocan, Canghunog-hunog and Boljo.

The hills of Siquijor are also known for its annual gathering of herbalists and healers who use nature’s pharmacopeia. This event, perceived by some as a sort of coven reunion, has given the island a bit of unwarranted notoriety that has resulted in its other nickname – ‘Voodoo Isle’. This has added to the mystique and charm of Siquijor.

Kambuhagay Falls is, quite literally, a sight for sore travel-weary eyes. One hikes down a steep winding path from the road and is rewarded with a vision of tropical nirvana – multi-tiered waterfalls cascading down into sparkling emerald pools of varying sizes. Go on a weekday because this gem of a spot gets way too crowded on weekends.

History buffs will appreciate the St. Isidore Labrador church and convent in the town of Lazi. Built in colonial times, these two edifices stand facing each other in a quiet plaza amidst stately acacia trees. The convent was once the biggest in all of Asia.

Other places of interest on the island include the 400-year-old immense balete tree near Lazi, the Bandilaan Butterfly Park, Bulalakaw and Salagdoong Forests, Tupalos Tree House and Fish Sanctuary and the Cang-Isok house, a local treasure, as it is made from purely indigenous native materials and has withstood storms and the ravages of nature for over a century.

A great way to see portions of the island is by renting a small motorbike or scooter. We explored many cool off-the-beaten-path spots this way while staying at Coco Grove on the west side of the island. Incidentally, while staying here, I got the best massage I’ve ever had.

It was from an elder lady with strong hands who used a salve she concocted herself made from organic coconut oil and dozens of herbs, roots and bark she had collected from the forests in the interior – turns out she was one of the “healers from the hills”.

Philippines-Typhoon Islands

The Philippine Islands lie in the path of the typhoons that originate in the Pacific Ocean. There are around 20 of these typhoons that blow through the Philippines every year during the monsoon season. The islands are the first hit by these weather monsters before wreaking more havoc in Southeast Asia.

Last week, what was dubbed as the Philippine ‘Katrina’ slammed into the capital, Metro Manila, and its environs. A month’s worth of rain fell in just 12 hours; the result, the worst floods in over four decades. It was Katrina times 5. The death toll, still being tabulated, is so far in the hundreds. Many more are still missing. Thousands of families have either lost their homes entirely or have had all their belongings ruined by the floods. People were stranded on rooftops as the raging floodwaters rose to overhead levels. Rivers overflowed, dams spilled over, streets turned into surging canals, malls into refugee centers. Over two and a half million people were severely affected by this typhoon named “Ondoy”.

Sadly, the government was unprepared for a calamity of this magnitude. It was a case of too little, too late. The real heroes were the regular folks who stepped up and, utilizing social media networks, organized community rescue brigades and voluntarily improvised food and shelter services for the flood victims. After the storm, the country is reeling….and weeping.

Philippines- Palawan

The Last Frontier

Within the Philippine archipelago is a group of islands collectively known as Palawan.
This mini-archipelago is alternatively called the “Last Frontier” or the “Wild Country”.
Northern Palawan’s main island is Busuanga where the intrepid traveler will find enough adventures in remote and wild locales.

Like white-laced emeralds shimmering in the deep blue sea, Busuanga’s offshore islands dot the horizon as far as the eye can see. One of these is the island of Calauit, where an exotic mélange of African and endemic animals in the wild can be found. Over thirty years ago, a wildlife sanctuary was created in Calauit that would be home to hundreds of imported African animals and rare, endangered Philippine species.

From the savannah grasslands to the gently rolling hills, from the mangrove swamps to the inland lagoons, the panorama is best viewed from Balatbat Hill, rising some 200 meters above sea level. From here, the neighboring Turtle Island also comes into view – a migratory breeding ground for endangered marine turtles.

Visitors can observe the very timid mouse deer, an endangered species. These frisky rodent-like animals eat the fruit of the ‘tibig’ or fig trees. The local porcupines here are even shyer than the mouse deer. Cute and cuddly, the Palawan bearcat is arguably the friendliest creature on the island.

There are giraffes too, descendants of the originals from Kenya. The graceful long-necked mammals have adapted well to their Calauit habitat. While the average lifespan of giraffes is 25 years, they have reached up to 29 years old on the island, which may say something about the lack of stress or poachers here. Also descended from the originals are dozens of zebras scampering about the island

Spiral-horned eland can be seen bounding over the savannah, sometimes leaping over 10 feet in the air! Calauit is also home to migratory bird species that lay their eggs here and then fly back to Indonesia. The indigenous Calamian deer are also faring quite well here, expanding their numbers from 30 to a thousand thereby taking them off the endangered species list. Impala, wild jungle fowl, monitor lizards and even squirrels, all are at home in Calauit, a little piece of Africa in the remote wilds of Northern Palawan.

Calauit is accessible by outrigger boat from Dimakya Island, home to the aptly named Club Paradise Resort. Picture a nearly kilometer-long white beach with soft powdery sand, turquoise waters with picnic-ready sandbars, an array of unique flora and fauna – in other words, tropical bliss ala Robinson Crusoe with creature comforts. Club Paradise is one of our favorites, a perfect hideaway for those weary city-bound souls.

Philippines-Zambales

Zambales, whose entire western stretch is rimmed by the crystal-clear waters of the South China Sea, is off-the-beaten path of Philippine travel destinations. Its land area was separate from the mainland in prehistoric times. Violent tectonic and volcanic upheavals joined it with the main island of Luzon. The resulting topography- undulating mountain ranges, coastal plains and valleys, and lush virgin forests – makes Zambales one of the more panoramic provinces on Luzon.

The outflow of lahar from Mt. Pinatubo’s eruption in the 90’s cut a wide swath through central Zambales giving this area a stark and surreal beauty. The eruption forced the aboriginal Aetas to abandon their mountain domain and seek refuge in the lowlands.

Perhaps Zambales’ most well known attraction is the former US naval base in Subic Bay, now an all-in-one tourism destination. Water sports, wreck diving, surfing, bay cruises, wildlife adventures, jungle trekking and other eco-adventures await the Subic visitor. Here you can see tigers in the wild and a marine show with whales, dolphins and seals; wild monkeys often scamper out of the tropical rainforest cover and hang out by the side of the road. You can go deep into the jungle and learn survival techniques from the Aetas who trained the Green Berets during the Vietnam era.

For the more urbane, there are duty-free shops, fine dining restaurants featuring global cuisine, classy casinos and Vegas-style shows. Those who prefer their nightlife on the raunchy and rowdy side can cross Subic’s gates over to Olongapo town, where there are bars, bars and more bars featuring live cover bands that sound just like the originals. Other nocturnal delights await party animals in Olongapo, a 24/7 kind of place.

From the northern tip to its southernmost end, the coast of Zambales is virtually one long beach. Some of the finer public swimming beaches are in the Iba area. Along the way to Iba, one passes orchards of mango trees heavy with fruit. Zambales mangoes are famous for their sweetness and succulence. North of Subic is one long coastal stretch with many surfing spots. San Miguel and San Antonio towns have several breaks along its beaches. Nearby Pundaquit has a little bay with great waves when it gets too big on the outside reefs.

A wonderful day trip is an outrigger cruise to the Capones Islands, just a couple of kilometers offshore from Pundaquit. These are two completely uninhabited islands with absolutely no facilities. All you get is its pristine little coves and beaches and the surrounding coral reef.

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