Destination.... SUBIC BAY, Zambales ..... Sunset Cruise aboard SHIBUMI....

" Glittering sun, stretches of aqua-blue waters and a magnificent sunset ....."  a combination that is awe inspiring and mind boggling!!!

 I woke up early just to check what the weather was like... I was happy that the weather was still cooperating ... bright sunny day and the water was calm... THIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT DAY!!!! I started to prepare .... packed my camera, tripod and an extra lens ( just in case I might be needing it )...

... today is the day I was waiting for..... SUNSET CRUISE on Subic Bay!!!!

To tell you frankly, THIS is the first time I was going to ride a sailboat... I have taken cruises when I travel abroad... but... never on a sailboat !!! I was so excited and anxious at the same time.. I did not know what to expect... all I had in my mind was.... to take a photo of the SUBIC SUNSET...

We were at the Subic Yatch Club at our scheduled departure time which was at 3:30 pm... I thought it was quite early to sail for a sunset cruise... but after talking to our skipper, Jeremy Simpson, the reason for this was it would take at least another half hour to get out there in the Bay itself. Jeremy, who is an Englishman, was an ex-Royal Navy officer. He is a passionate environmentalist and sailing enthusiast. He has joined a lot of boat races here in the Philippines and have organized some of these boat races in Subic Bay.

We met his crew ( actually they were his friends who are sea lovers like him)... He introduced BOB --- who I found out later.... crossed the Atlantic 8 times .. ON A SAILBOAT which took him a month each time ...  and his first time to do his amazing adventure--- he was only 18 years old!!... I was IMPRESSED !!

 Iggy tried helping in putting up the sails...

Jeremy gave us some instructions..... like where we could sit to be able to get the photos we wanted, how to keep out of the way when the sails go up, what to do when someone falls overboard and lastly when the boat tips into a 45 degree angle.. which actually happened when we took off....   I had my hands on my camera trying to get a shot ...  while balancing myself !!!

Somewhere out in the Bay... the wind did its job... it was smooth sailing all throughout ...  "Nice breezy day ..." I said to myself...  We had time to enjoy some drinks, take more shots and patiently waited for the sunset.

little Una trying to help out too... she seemed to enjoy the whole experience...

Finally the time has come... SUNSET!!!!!!! Iggy and I immediately positioned ourselves on the boat so we can take photos.. Iggy was going to take a video of the sunset while I was going to try and take the sunset with my camera.

                                            

                             

here are some photos of what I took...

                           

                           

All of a sudden..... I saw.... IT WAS FULL MOON TOO!!!! WOW!!! I turned around and tried taking the full moon too....... I had the sunset and full moon at the same time !!! I learned later what I thought was the full moon was actually the BLUE MOON.... which means there are two full moons in a month. It was  mind boggling !!!!!

Jeremy's boat, SHIBUMI, can be chartered for 8000 PHP for 2 hours and a maximum of 14,000 PHP for 8 hours. He also charges 500 PHP for each person.... and also provides drinks ( like wine, soda and beer ) and chips too.. That is why he called it the SUNSET BOOZE CRUISE.... The maximum number of persons that can fit on his boat is 10 persons.

It was NEW YEAR'S EVE also that day... so here are some photos of the fireworks display.

To sum up my wonderful experience..... I would recommend this SUNSET CRUISE aboard SHIBUMI... I'd like to think that Subic Bay offers a wonderful ambience for travelers seeking for a place where they can unwind and enjoy the beauty of nature. If you have been spending your week working really hard amidst a very busy city, Subic Bay would be a great place for you to relax and spend time with your loved ones.

Go out there and enjoy the sunset.... have FUN and I would like to wish all of you ... a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!


Shibumi Sunset Cruise


Contact person : Jeremy Simpson
Tel. nos.       +63918 903 4226

Destination.... SUBIC BAY, Zambales ..... Ocean Adventure Park....

Subic Bay has always been a haven for weary people who would like to invigorate themselves on a weekend getaway. The air in Subic smells so fresh and the streets are clean. People are very hospitable, always greeting you with their friendly smiles.

The first thing you should do when you get to Subic is to see its renowned Ocean Adventure Park where you can see dolphins and killer sharks in action. You will also be able to witness Sea Lions impress the audience with their tricks. Ocean Adventure is a good treat for everyone who appreciates marine creatures with their performance shows. It is an excellent place for kids and adults to know more of life in the ocean.

Many people think that to photograph aquatic animals like dolphins, you have to use boats or go to far places just to see these animals in captivity. Not so, in the Philippines, we have a place called Ocean Adventure Park in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. It is the only open-water marine park in Southeast Asia, situated along the shores of Ilanin Bay.

Today ... We went to Ocean Park Adventure.

There is a small aquarium where you can see some of the marine species. They have clown fish, sea anemones, sea urchins etc.

Before you purchase your tickets at the entrance be sure to inquire about the schedules of their shows and photo  shoots with the dolphins and sea lions. There are shows in the morning starting at 9:00 am to noon. Then another one at 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

 First in our agenda were the seals and sea lions, which come in variety of shapes and sizes.

We were able to watch 2 shows.. the Sea Lion Marine Patrol show and the much talked about Dolphin and Killer Whale show which is their main attraction in the park. Both shows provided world-class entertainment and very informative experience for me. It also gave me the chance to take pictures of these water animals.

The second main attraction and probably the better of the 2 shows we watched was the dolphin and killer whale show. It was awesome to see the bottlenose dolphins and killer whale execute graceful aquatic tricks as I got thrilled by their energy, intelligence and power.

In the dolphin show you will be see how dolphins do their tricks like back flipping, waving their fins to say goodbye, surfing with their trainers and flying high up into the air.

Photo session with the Sea Lion is 350 PHP for 3 persons , 450 PHP for more than 4 persons.  The price is for 2 photos with the sea lion and  it will be in a CD format.

I highly recommend visiting Ocean Adventure Park specially for Filipinos who still have not been to marine parks.

Regardless if you are young or young at heart, there is definitely something waiting for you in Subic Bay. Just remember this...... OCEAN ADVENTURE PARK is a wonderous place to spend your day !!!!



Bye now!!




Ocean Adventure Park
Camayan Wharf, West Ilanin Forest Area, Subic Bay Freeport Zone
Tel. nos. +6347 - 252-9000

Admission fee :     500 PHP/ person
Park hours: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm

    

Destination.... SUBIC BAY, Zambales part 1 of 2..... Subic Bay, Zoobic Zoo, Vasco's Hotel/Bar and Restaurant, Maritime Marine Museum

Dubbed as Philippines number one destination for extreme adventures and sports, Subic stands out as the one of the recommended destinations in the country. It is well known for its diversity in both cuisine and culture. Some would describe the panoramic views and leisure activities here as experiences of a lifetime. Others would call it PARADISE...

Finding lodgings here won't be a real problem. There are lots of acommodations that will fit your budget, from a backpacker's budget of $20 to $ 30 a night to an executive suite will range from $ 60 to $ 230 a night.

You will find a mix of different cuisine here. You will find the best of  the Philippine's dishes and dishes from other countries. You will find almost everything you are looking for from coffee shops, snack bars to fine dining restaurants.

If you are planning a trip to Subic, make sure that you set aside enough time, becasue there are a lot of things to see and do. My son, Iggy and his wife Cris and I decided that we go to Subic for the New Years Celebration. Iggy recommended that we try out a new place to stay ( actually it is not that NEW at all.. )... the name of the hotel/restaurant/bar with a mini museum is VASCO'S at Magellan's Landing. This little hotel is around 30 minutes drive from the CBD ( central business district - or downtown Subic )... I would say VASCO'S is quite unique since some of its rooms are over the water.

 My room was one of them --- It had a view of Subic's harbor and the navy pier.

Their menu is comfort food, offering a wide selection of international dishes. You can have Asian favorites from Filipino staples to curries ( which was quite spicy for me ).  --- their food may not be the best in Subic, but it is more of a place where you can enjoy a night out with your friends. A lot of foreigners drink here.

You dine on a terrace hanging by the bay and when it's night, under the stars beside the brilliant lights of Subic Bay. Dining by the sea with sails as ventillation ( fans ) which makes one feel you are inside a galleon. This ambience is unmatched here, and it sure gives Vasco's the charm it is known for.

Vasco's has its own maritime museum. Currently this museum has some artifacts from the pre-Hispanic ( from the Spanish era when galleons flocked our seas in search of the Pearl of the Orient) and Japanese artifacts from World War II which were submerged in the rich history of Subic Bay. A lot of blue and white artifacts that date back when the Chinese set foot on our islands in search of trade. Most of their items are still intact.  The entry to this museum is free.

Our first stop after checking in to Vasco's, we headed off to ZOOBIC SAFARI. On our way to Zoobic Safari somewhere near the MANGROVE TRAIL I saw a family of local monkeys by the road.... staring and waiting... I was wondering why they were all there by the roadside... as if waiting for someone... It  was my cue to get off the car and try to get some photos...

                             

... then all of a sudden ... two big SUVS stopped right infront of these monkeys and they seemed to be throwing out something at them... THEY WERE FEEDING the monkeys!! To all those who are reading this blog and have decided to go to SUBIC ... please ... DO NOT FEED the MONKEYS you see by the roadside... YOU ARE ENDANGERING THEIR LIVES!!... You are training these wild monkeys to wait for cars to pass by and give them food... These monkeys HUNT for their FOOD .. not WAIT for cars to give them food!.. I was just wondering... what if one day... NO CARS will pass their way --- these monkeys will die of starvation !! so please... if you pass some of these wild monkeys on the road... just TAKE their photos and drive pass them... do not FEED THEM!

As we reached the Zoobic Safari.... there were a lot of cars and people walking around... I immediately proceeded to the ticket office to buy our entrance tickets. My first objective was..... GO DIRECTLY to the TIGER SAFARI and not go thru the animal show, visit their zoo etc..... but... the girl at the office told me I have to pay the same rate as if I go through all these side shows..  I was left with no choice... I purchased 3 Adult tickets and an infant ticket ( that was free provided the baby was below a year old ).

The tour guide led us to the Serpentarium which showcases a variety of iguanas, lizards, snakes, turtles and other reptiles. Iggy and I got tired from following the group so we went straight to the petting zoo. In the petting zoo I saw deers, cassowary, mini-horses, wild boars, monkeys and many other animals roam around their wide cages.

Here are some photos which I took inside ZOOBIC ZOO...

We were not able to go with the group to the Tiger Safari ( I found out --- this ride would only take you at least 10 minutes ) inside the safari jeepney which has 12 adult tiger roaming around. However, I was able to go to this Tiger Safari earlier this year with my sister and the best time to go and see these tigers and be able to feed them is late morning. You have to buy some fresh chicken before you enter the enclosed park where the tigers are and when the jeepney stops ... you put the fresh meat on the top of your jeepney and here come the big cats to get their meal... and of course..... a good photo opportunity for you too!

Touring Subic is indeed an adventure. You can try any of the fun activities offered here and enjoy the tropical sites.

Vasco's Restaurant/Bar/ Hotel and Maritme Marine Museum
Lot 14 Argonaut Highway
tel. nos.     +6347  252 1843

Zoobic Safari
Located at the Ilanin Forest in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Admission Fee : 449 pesos