Subic Bay Travel Tips

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If you have been to Subic Bay before, please share your experiences, ideas and feedback (Hotel, Excursions, General Feeling,…) in the comments section below, by doing so you will help fellow travellers to plan their next trip ;)

Subic Bay as a location is visited by both travelers (locals and foreigners), back-packers and more high-end tourists, families, couples and singles. This place has something for everyone and the night scene is very diverse. Remember, Subic Bay and SBMA is the home of more than 75,000 people making it a buzzing place! You can find anything from huge malls, fine dining restaurants, cafe’s, live band establishments, clubs and gogo-bars (brothels). Many of the people visiting Subic Bay live in the Philippines (regular guests) and drive here to spend their weekend or holiday.

In this page you will find practical information to plan a scuba diving trip to Subic Bay:

Where to stay?

I usually use this website to book in advance my hotels in Subic Bay, Philippines as they usually have the lowest rates I find. I like it because it's free to cancel and change the dates.

Hotels vary from cheap simple rooms to more luxurious establishments and apartels. Subic Bay is not in any way pristine or beautiful like many other tourist destinations in the Philippines but its easy accessible and well established, a home for many ex US military personnel (retired Americans). The bay is still used by various Naval Ship Yards sometimes giving you a feeling of being in a industrial park, having said that, many divers regularly visit the bay for its diverse diving and great dive centers.

Accommodation starts at around 1,000 php/night for a simple room up to 5,000 php/night for a more luxurious suite. If traveling during high season (April-May) we recommend you to book a hotel in advance due to the high demand.

Activities and excursions in Subic Bay

Subic Bay offers a wide range of other activities apart from diving.

If you’re not into diving there are plenty of other things to do and lots of different sites to visit. Rent a jet-ski and explore the bay with a friend, swim with dolphins at the Ocean Adventure Park, Ride a zip-line at the Tree top Adventure park or take your family shopping at one of the malls nearby.

With a wide variety of activities apart from diving and a well established night scene Subic Bay offers something for everyone!

Best time to visit Subic Bay

The weather in Subic Bay is similar to most other places in The Philippines, with dry season from November to May and wet season between June and October.

The average temperature is 26 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit) with the warmest part of the year stretching from March to May.

The best time for diving in Subic Bay is during the dry season, less currents and on average better visibility, yet diving can be experienced all year around due to it’s somewhat protected geographical location, enclosed by land Subic Bay offers calm protected waters under all but the absolute worst weather conditions.

Health and Safety

If you are planning an upcoming dive trip or travelling to Subic Bay, it is a really good idea to invest in travel insurance for scuba diving, because you never know what could happen and when you might need it (because accidents do happen!). I recommend this diving insurance as they offer worldwide coverage and focus on providing scuba divers a quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Where is Subic Bay located in the world?

Subic Bay is located not far from Manila.

See the map below.

Subic Bay Map

subic bay map

 

How to get to Subic Bay?

To get here you can either jump on a bus, take a taxi or hire a minivan. Air-conditioned busses leave every 30 minutes from Manila and it will take you about 4 hours to get here. Roads are good and if you choose to drive yourself it takes between 2-3 hours.

Thank you to Daniel Hogberg from El Coral Reef Dive Center in Subic Bay for his great review.

Subic Bay Photos

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Scuba diving

You will find all information about sea life, best time to visit, top dive spots, etc. in our review: Subic Bay Diving

Diving Reviews for this region

Subic Bay

Interesting Wreck Diving close to Manila in the Philippines.

Subic Bay Diving Review

Donsol

The best place in the World to swim and dive with Whale Sharks! Also a fantastic spot for spotting Manta Rays.

Donsol Diving Review

Puerto Galera

Great spot for Macro Underwater Photography, to take a diving course and for amazing Drift Diving.

Puerto Galera Diving Review

Anilao, Batangas

The best place in the Philippines for Macro Underwater Photography! A must dive for muck diving and macro photographers. Thriving biodiversity and superb coral.

Anilao, Batangas Diving Review

Boracay Island

Great place to learn Scuba Diving or to take courses. Some interesting and challenging dive sites and good macro photography opportunities.

Boracay Island Diving Review

Bohol Island

Some of the best scuba diving in the Philippines! Great wall dives, Coral, Macro Pictures opportunities and Reef Sharks.

Bohol Island Diving Review

Coron, Palawan

One of the Best places in the World for Wreck Diving!!! Also very interesting lake diving all within a superb tropical scenery setting... ahh bliss!

Coron, Palawan Diving Review

Malapascua Island

The best place on Earth to see the very rare Thresher Shark! Good chances also to spot Manta Rays and world class macro diving. Very Beautiful pristine Island.

Malapascua Island Diving Review

Philippines

Thousands of stunning Islands with unlimited Scuba Diving opportunities! Some of the best Wreck Diving in the World is in Coron Island and great chances to spot the rare and shy Thresher Shark in Malapascua Island... The philippines will amaze every diver!

Philippines Diving Review

Liveaboard Reviews in Philippines

SY Philippine Siren

The waters of the Philippines offer some

SY Philippine Siren Liveaboard Review

MV Solitude One

MV Solitude One is a liveaboard owned an

MV Solitude One Liveaboard Review

MV Eco Explorer

The MV Eco Explorer is a 46 meters livea

MV Eco Explorer Liveaboard Review

MV Oceanic Explorer

The Oceanic Explorer is no longer operat

MV Oceanic Explorer Liveaboard Review

MY Infiniti

The 40 meters MY Infiniti is one of the

MY Infiniti Liveaboard Review

Banka Ona

The 33 meters Banka Ona is a liveaboard

Banka Ona Liveaboard Review

MY PalauSport

The Palau Sport is a 38 liveaboard opera

MY PalauSport Liveaboard Review

MV Discovery Palawan

MV Discovery Palawan is one of the titul

MV Discovery Palawan Liveaboard Review

Rags II

The 27 meters Rags 2 is a liveaboard cru

Rags II Liveaboard Review

Diving resorts in this area

Kokay’s Maldito

Kokay’s Maldito Dive Resort is located i

Kokay’s Maldito Dive Resort Review

Saltitude

On the exquisite shores of Balayan Bay l

Saltitude Dive Resort Review

Pier Uno

The Pier Uno Dive Resort is a small, fam

Pier Uno Dive Resort Review

King Solomon

Mabini, located in the province of Batan

King Solomon Dive Resort Review

Cruise ship Reviews in Philippines

No review found

2 dive logs in “Subic Bay”

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  2. In General the water in Subic is horrible. The Philippines has some fantastic diving, but in Subic Bay it is polluted by locals and from the many ships anchored there. The only attraction are the wrecks and the USS New York. Visibility is very poor and the water dirty. Thanks to the new expressway it is easy traveling distance from the old Clark Air Force base, this makes an easy getaway from Angeles city, it does however have some decent night life for bar hoping. Outside the harbor the diving is wonderful with great visibility, but no dive shops will take you there.

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