Subic is a municipality in Zambales Province. It shares the eponymous bay with its more famous and bustling neighbor, Olongapo, but has its own share of beach-related and natural attractions.

Understand

Subic can mean four things:

• Subic Bay, a wide area encompassing the coastlines of Subic town and Olongapo city in Zambales stretching into Morong in Bataan.
• Subic Special Economic and Freeport Zone, a mixed-used industrial, urban, commercial and touristic zone created following the departure of US military forces from the Subic Naval Base, mostly located in Olongapo.
• Subic Municipality.
• Olongapo, while east of Subic municipality, is often confused by visitors to be synonymous with the entire Subic region.

This guide covers the municipality itself, which straddles the western half of Subic Bay and the eastern half of the Subic Peninsula that it shares with the town of San Antonio.

The area's history began as a shipbuilding facility by the Spaniards in 1885. After Spain handed over the Philippines to the United States at the aftermath of the Spanish-American War, Subic became a major naval outpost which existed until 1991. Volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Pinatubo also affected many buildings and facilities inside the naval facility while the American forces started to leave. Since the United States forces left, it was converted into a mixed-use area with industrial and retail zones. However, growth has been uneven, as most activity has been concentrated on Olongapo, which was separated from Subic in the 20th century, leaving Subic with relatively cheaper options for accommodations and a quieter vibe apart from the Hanjin Shipyard.

Get in

Subic is along the Olongapo-Bugallon Road, the main thoroughfare in Zambales. It is accessible by bus from Metro Manila, with Victory Liner passing by the town as part of their frequent daily trips to the provincial capital, Iba, immediately to the north, or to Santa Cruz. An alternative option is to switch to jeepneys or passenger vans in Olongapo, where such buses make stopovers.

Get around

Tricycles are the main form of public transportation around town.

See

• 1 Cinco Picos. A massif with five peaks in the Subic Peninsula that is regarded as a sacred spot by the Aeta people, with a height of 881 metres (2,890 ft). (updated Aug 2026)
• 2 Pinaglabanan River (Cawag Tuklas River). A stretch of pristine freshwater in the Subic Peninsula reachable by hiking from Sitio Cawag. (updated Aug 2026)

Buy

• 1 New Subic Public Market, Subic Fishing Port Road, Baraca-Camachile.  (updated Aug 2026)
• 2 Savemore Market Subic, Olongapo-Bugallon Road, Baraca-Camachile.  (updated Aug 2026)
• 3 Puregold Subic, Olongapo-Bugallon Road, Ilwas.  (updated Aug 2026)
• 4 WalterMart Subic, Olongapo-Bugallon Road, Mangan-Vaca, toll-free: 232 8168Country code missing. 9AM-8PM.  (updated Aug 2026)

Sleep

• 1 White Rock Beach Resort, Mojica Street, Purok 3, Matain, ☏ +63 917 863 0844, +63 917 863 0844, +63 917 126 4937, toll-free: +63 472 320 066, reservations@whiterock.com.ph.  (updated Aug 2026)
• 2 Balai Subik Hotel, Purok 1, Olongapo-Bugallon Road, Mangan-Vaca (beside Saint Therese Church), ☏ +63 945 487 0845, toll-free: (047) 602-2049Country code missing, balaisubik@yahoo.com.  (updated Aug 2026)
• 3 JNV Dream Hotel, Purok 3, Olongapo-Bugallon Road, Calapacuan, ☏ +63 917 317 9246, jnvhotel@gmail.com.  (updated Aug 2026)

Stay safe

Subic, being in a mountainous area, commonly experiences landslides and flash fooding during the rainy season.

Go next

Routes through Subic

Iba ← Castillejos ←

N  S

→ Olongapo