Luvverly Jubberly Week at Subic Bay

By Jo Erlinda Gabot- Nebres
Printed in Philippines Today, April 08, 2009
http://www.philippinestodayus.com

Since I started college in 1993, myself and our big family spent Holy Week every y ear at Subic Bay. Year after year, I saw the growth of tourists visiting the former American Naval Base.
Now that it is Holy Week again, my older sister and her family who are based in Qatar will join our vacation this summer in Subic. And so, too, my other sister who is based in Dubai.
Why do we always Holy Week in Subic Bay?
We are four sisters and one brother. Each of us has our own family. We have different habits and likes. We have our own and wonderful children. We’ve grown into different sport activities and kids our kids also love to play, that’s why we love Subic. It’s one big playground for our big family!
Reminiscing all the years in Subic, they all went well. Always a luvverly jubberly’ week and each year is something new to look forward to. Always a great time lies ahead. A retreat, a home away from home. It’s pleasure traveling to Subic and resting in the pristine environment.
One early morning, during our first visit to the former Subic Naval Base Complex, we were introduced to the amenities of American soldiers in the virgin forest such as their bunkers and the hidden places where they stored their ammunitions.
As we drove to the area, we couldn’t help but say ‘oooh’, ‘ahh’ and ‘wow’ with the magnificence of nature that is our midst. Suddenly, in the roadside monkeys surface and watch us pass by. When there are plenty of monkeys around, we could not help but stop the car to look and see any possible moment to have our own picture with them.
I first noticed the virgin forest around us and wondered how the tall trees grew in the area seemingly undisturbed. I never thought after most of my mountainside travels, there is this untouched side of the mountain in front of me in spite of the fact that Subic Bay was formerly inhabited by foreign soldiers. The forest seemed to have been untouched for years what with its green foliage, wild flowers and ferns and what have you. It’s a spectacular sight.
Despite of the many people here for years, Subic is so clean! With the strict enforcement of the law here, you will be afraid to throw your cigarette butts or a small candy wrapper anywhere. Even driving around, you’ll have to be cautious and observe the traffic rules. Everywhere are the traffic men are there to capture you for a wrong turn.
We always had lunch in the Jungle Environmental and Survival Training or JEST Camp with the local delicacies offered by the native Aetas manning the camp. Here, we could see with different colors, sizes and kinds of birds. The camp also has a butterfly garden where you can frolic with the rainbow-colored butterflies. The spiders gallery in the camp has its own surprises - native and big spiders, many of them imported from the Amazon jungles of South America. It is so nice to capture a moment with a butterfly is on your hand or shoulder!
Don’t miss the life surviving demonstration at Jest Camp. You’ll be amazed how a person can survive with mere bamboo in the forest! I thought then that in order to endure the forest when you are thirsty, you will have to climb a coconut tree and drink coconut juice. But to the native Aetas, it is easier to drink with a young bamboo shoot. You can even start a fire and cook with bamboo. You’ll discover the essentials of bamboo in order to survive in a forest!
Hiking in the heart of the rainforest is a unique experience at the Jest Camp and the surroundings. An overnight stay in the jungle could also be arranged but you should bring your own tent, flash lights and other scouting gadgets.
Some 150 families of the natives called Aetas live inside the Subic Forest. The Pamulaklakin Forest Trails is a starting point of the Eco-life and cultural show from the Aeta community. Pamulaklakin, with its river and big stones, and the big trees surrounding, is a great picnic area!
If there’s an eco tour in Subic, there is a Zoobic Safari, the newest and most popular attraction to give us a chance to see various animals up close or pet them. A chance to hold a tiger cub or a huge python! Most of the animals found there are native of Philippines; others were imported from overseas such as the tigers, ostriches, sheeps, a moon bear and cassowary.
To complete your Zoobic visit, everybody should take the safari ride! You will ride on a jeepney to see the tigers lolling in pools and lazing under the sun.
The thrill of Zoobic Safari ride won’t be complete without tigers chasing your jeep! What a thrilling moment and thanks to the iron mesh of the jeep! Especially when the tour guide swayed live chicken through the jeepney’s window!
Then there are big ostriches also around!
Subic, with its perfect environment, has different recreational facilities, luxurious hotels, marina, beaches, golf greens, eco-tourism, watersports, car and go-kart racing, skating, bowling, cycling, motocross, duty-free shopping, casinos, restaurants, videoke bars and other amusement facilities.
If there’s Zoobic Safari for land animal lesson tour, there’s another attraction in Subic to introduce you to the water habitats, the Ocean Adventure.
Subic Bay offers different kinds of nightlife from floating bar to beach shore restaurants. Different recreation sports also available. Go karting, golf, horse riding at El Kabayo, tennis, basketball, swimming pools available everywhere!
I like the Tree Top Adventure where I can soar from tree to tree while securely suspended face down and feet up, or I may able to quench my adrenaline in this thrilling trail while rappelling down the side of a 60-foot tree or to ride in a motorized cable 100 feet above the ground or even trek in the jungle!
Small beaches can be found inside Subic Bay. Many water sports and adventures are available. Jet Ski, kayaking, aqua cycles, platoon ride are available for those who want to tour and discover Subic.
For scuba divers, Subic oceans will give you an ultimate experience of discovering wrecks. Subic’s World War II (WWII) wrecks covered almost the entire war period. No less than 25 Japanese ships were reported sunk during the war years. Some of these may have been removed in the late fifties as salvage operations were done to open up the bay for shipping. Nineteen of these fabulous war wrecks have been discovered. Additional ships were sunk after the war either as targets or victims of mother nature. The area is not limited to WWII wrecks, at the entrance to the bay alongside Grande Island, is the Spanish American war wreck San Quintin. Outside the bay in deep water lies what remains of a Spanish Galleon as well as a 16th century Chinese Junk and they are beyond diving range.
There are lots of activities available for the entire family at Subic Bay. Things to do there won’t pose a problem to any individual. So see you this Holy Week at Subic!
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A Very Unique Bohol

Experience the Very Unique Bohol
By Jojie Gabot
January 29, 2008

Did you know that the tarsier has been the inspiration of the famous movie E.T. of Stephen Spielberg? Yes, it’s true. Stephen Spielberg used the tarsier-look for the lead character ET of the movie ET. This tarsier can be found in Bohol, Philippines.
Bohol is the home of unique tarsier, the smallest mammal in the world. This cannot be found in other country except in Borneo and Indonesia.
Bohol is famous for the matchless chocolate hills, world’s smallest primate tarsiers, pristine white sand beaches, dive spots, and old stone churches.
There are many tourist spots to visit there and fine dining restaurants and great accommodations can be found.
Getting to Bohol province is accessible by land transportation. When in province the unique shape of thousand of hills called Chocolate hills are the first destinations of most people who visit there. It is matchless. You cannot find anywhere like it but in Bohol. It is a pride of every Boholanos living there.
Few springs can be found there. Caves exploration can be done for a few caves can be found in different towns of Bohol. Swimming or diving is a must for every diving enthusiast to explore in Panglao Island. Whale and dolphins everywhere!
Panglao Island is well-known destination for divers who love to discover marine life. Hotel and resorts in the Island offers scuba lessons for scuba aspirants. If not interested in scuba, there are lots of activities you can do. Swimming, dolphin watching, jet skiing, kayaking, snorkeling and more water sports and activities available in the hotel and resorts of Panglao Island. You might try boating and fishing there.
Many fine dining restaurants available in the area offers different specialties. Seafoods, native delicacies, Westerners dishes and many choices to choose from when in comes to dining in the province. Try the Pyramid in Aloha Kew to experience the dampa type of restaurant wherein you will need to buy in the wet market for food and render in the restaurant their cooking services. Whether you like it grilled, in soup or you might want in spicy, sour or anything, just give the restaurant your instructions.
When it comes to dining, Loboc River Cruise Lunch is a must visit cruise-restaurant in Bohol. The food and service is superb! A man will serenade you some 80’s songs and some Spanish songs while eating and cruising the Loboc River. Curiosity behind the jungle scenarios might want you to try hiking amid the jungles. What a spectacular dining experience!
Bohol Bee farm has a unique food to offer. They serve natural organic food freshly pick from the farm that actually not seen in the market.
Your travel won’t be complete without trying the local sweet delicacies – Peanut Kisses, Calamay and Broas. Don’t forget to bring ‘Bagol ng Bohol’, a sweet dessert from coconut milk, grind glutinous rice, brown sugar, and peanut.