The Coffee Shop:Olongapo City's Most Famous Restaurant

Coffee Shop Restaurant is well known local landmark having been established in 1984.The Restaurant serves a variety of local and international cuisines at affordable prices but is best known for it's signature dish,The Jumbo Taco.It is a taco so large that it overflows a 9-inch plate.Recently The Coffee Shop did some re-modelling and expansion and is now please to offer a rooftop hotel.The hotel offers 14 rooms with five room types to choose from,all rooms are fully air-conditioned with cable television.Room service from the coffee shop is available 24 hours a day and free wifi access is available in the public areas.The restaurant and hotel are also great venues for parties and conference.The Coffee Shop Restaurant and rooftop hotel is nestled in the heart of barrio barretto near beaches and other entertainment establishiments.It is just 15 meters and across the street from the public Driftwood beach.It is easy to get to by public transportation on the city's blue jeepney line.It is also the route of Victory Liners from Manila and Olongapo going Iba,Zambales.


  (image source:google.com)
 By: Gabriel A. Madrid

Duty Free Shopping

Want to save money for your piggy bank ?
Then,here's the answer,DUTY FREE SHOPPING.
Want to know where duty free shops in Olongapo City's neighbor SBMA located ?

Read this article and you'll know where to find the top duty free shops at Subic.

Subic has become more popular for it's establishment that sell imported and local goods.

Royal Subic Mall - Royal Subic Mall is the largest Duty Free Shop in Subic Freeport and is owned and managed by Rustan's Corporation.This mall is a great choice for those who prefer luxury shopping as it boasts of the more popular brands such as Lacoste,Guess,Adidas and Havainas,The Royal Subic Mall is locate at Bldg.1109 Palm St. SBFZ for more infos. please call 252-3258/59

Puregold Dutyfree Subic Inc. -Subic visitors who are working on a budget will find great items here  at the Puregold Duty-Free Mall.Likende to Manils's Puregold Malls,items found in the mall may not be too luxurious but still feature established brand names such sa M&M's,Revlon and Mars,The Puregold Dutyfree Mall is located at Argonaut Highway Corner Rizal Highway,SBFZ
Tel No. 252-5558

Freeport Exchange Mart - The Freeport Exchange Mart offers affordable brand items that are easy on the pocket.Visitors flock to the mart for their export overruns of brand names such as Tommy Hilfiger,Ralph Raulen Old Navy,Banana Republic and Gap to name a few.The store's location is at Bldg.640 Samson Road and open from 9am to 9pm daily.

  By:Gabriel Madrid

Holy Land Subic:Construction on Going

Construction of the P250 million "Holy Land Subic" theme park is ongoing at the heart of 20 hectare project site near security plaza of SBMA's Tipo gate.Inspired by biblical events and carefully planned to fit the natural terrain of the area,The Holy Land Subic Theme Park and Sanctuary project is expected to make Subic and Olongapo a unique pilgrimage destination The park "will become the new Jerusalem in this part of the country"
    
    (image source: SBMA's traveller's blog  info editor and layouter: Gabriel Madrid)

Olongapo's Eco-Tourism

                                  ( Pamulaklakin Forest)

                                (2012 Subic Thriathlon)

                                (A view from sbma's kalaklan gate)

                                      (The Australian SVG sailing club visited SBMA last year)


 If you are into nature,appreciate the wilderness and beauty of protected forests and lush jungle areas,you have come to the right place in your quest.You won't be disappionted with Subic Bay for ecxeptional ecological and nature experiences.If you enjoyed birdwatching,remote stream fishing or simply want to be at one with nature,then this program offers you and your group some of most beautiful back-country areas of Subic.

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Tourism Department offer tours and wide variety of adventures in the deeply forested nature areas in and around Subic Bay.Trips to Baton Falls,Hidden Falls,El Kabayo Falls,Pamulaklakin Forest Trails and the Pamulaklakin River in binictican heights area are but the few of the wonders of nature waiting for your senses to absorb.

In Subic you can swim,dive,kayak,jet ski,sailboat,windsurf,parasail,yacht,fish,hike,horseback ride,target practice,bird-watch,bat-gaze,butterfly hunt,watch or learn auto racing,race-go carts,enjoy casino action,play tennis,golf,bike,bowling,basketball,play pool,shop,enjoy an amusement park,and,one of my favorite treats,indulge your pallet in a variety of interesting cuisine.For those who prefer a more relaxed lifestyle,you can find interesting bars and night spots along the romantic boardwalk featuring quality entertainment;test your vocal chords at lokal karaoke spots,or simply go to a local concert hall or cinema to catch the latest flick.

For 94 years,this former pride of the U.S Navy,with it's long status as the largest naval installation outside th United Sates is now a recreational,entertainment and food wonderland.In Subic,you can't help but appreciate the wild orchids and ferns along wonderfully tree-lined streets.You'll also be surprised to see kingfishers,orioles,wild ducks and sae eagles in the Triboa Bay area.Many people take pleasure in the marvelous pristine beaches and ocean-resort areas.If you are into diving,then there ii probably no place to experience old shipwrecks than in the waters around Subic with over 20 historic vessels sunk in the bay.

 (Image Source:google.com info and layout: gabriel madrid)

Olongapo City stated as The "Theme Park Capital of The Phillipines"

Before I start i just want to share the top tourist spot here at olongapo city/sbma areas and let me explore you to the most beautiful nature themed tourist spots here at Olongapo City.

        1-OCEAN ADVENTURE - Join us here on the edge of the rain forest at Ilanin Bay in the sun-kissed Philippines.Ocean Adventure is Southeast Asia's only open water marine park.Here our animals live and play in a natural setting of clear water teeming with marine life,coral reefs an d a lovely white sand beach.Experience the dolphins,sea lions,rescued forest animals and a host of fish and sea creatures in a variety of exciting and intimate ways! The covered walkways,sheltered stadiums and indoor facilities ensure that you'll have a comfortable experience,rain or shine.

          2-ZOOBIC SAFARI- Zoobic Safari is one tourist attraction you will find at Subic Bay Freeport's Forest Adventure.Embracing twenty-five hectare land,local and foreign guest can expect an astonishing sight of diverse exotic animals roaming and frolicking in their simulated natural habitat.It features a wide range of habitats present in the forest due to the terrain,presence of streams and fringing grasslands.These represents the major habitats for varied exotic animals featured in Zoobic Safari Adventure Park.

                              

 3-TREETOP ADVENTURE PARK-Is patterned after the canopy tour or zip-line tour originally developed in Costa Rica.Situated in the incredible Upper Cubi,deeply-forested jungle area of Subic is Treetop Adventure;a facility delivering some of the most exciting experiences available in the entire Philippines.This is nature's sanctuary,enveloped in the realm of over grown trees and jungle-foliage of various types.Subic Bay's  tropical rainforest is home to 3,000 types of trees and 10,000 varities of plants as well as over one-thousand animal species,including bats,monkeys and wild pigs.Embark on the adventure tourism 100 feet abova the ground,as expansives vistas entrench and bathe you in the lush wonder of the Subic Rainforest.
                                   (image source: googlle.com info updater and layout by Gabriel Madrid)     

Memories of Olongapo City on the past years

 Give a time to watch this mini clip from youtube and see how Olongapo city develops itself from a simple city to a higly urbanized city. (source of video:Youtube.com)

Building Stairway Through Accomplishments .. Olongapo city before compared to present

                                                         (c) Mr.Rodler Streetenham

    Way back on the past years Olongapo City was a part of Subic, a part of the province of    Zambales then on the year 1940's Olongapo City was separated in Subic because of the population growth making it an urbanized city with the help of Americans during the saga of Subic Naval Base where American navy made Subic bay a naval base for their mens and ships and leave it after the explosion of mount Pinatubo in 1991.

                                                              (c) Mr.Elmer

At present time Olongapo City is a highly urbanized city by the help of the developments of olongapo city mayor Mr.James "Bong" Gordon Jr.

                                                       (c) Sm Prime (c) Arnold Almacen

 There is one more thing that a city can be claimed that it is a highly urbanized city,adding up  supermalls, So the Sm prime holdings invest for a 47,000 sq. m land to build a supermall near olongapo public hospital located at cor. Magsaysay Drive,Olongapo City and officially opened it to public last Febraury this year. Ayala land signed last October 2009 an agreement with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority for the developement of a 7.5 hectare property along Rizal highway within the Subic Bay Freeport Zone and officially opened it to the public last April this year.
 (info source about supermalls: google.com) (c) Gabriel A. Madrid