Must see places in Zambales

Zambales is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region in the island of Luzon. It’s one of the places that are closest to us since we’re based in Angeles City in Pampanga, which is just a few hours drives away. Zambales may be famous for its amazing beaches, but it still has a lot to offer.

This post will be all about the Zambales tourist spots and things to do in Zambales. We stayed for quite a while in Zambales and we enjoyed it so much. Most tourists that you can see in Zambales are locals because it is one of the closest places with a lot of beaches in Manila. There’s also a number of foreigners exploring Zambales. We will discover all these places for you in our Zambales travel guide!

How to get to Zambales from Manila

There are buses from Victory Liner in Manila. The trip takes 4 hours via Olongapo and the rate is 270 PHP. There are buses from Olongapo to San Antonio in Zambales which takes 40 minutes and the fare is 55 PHP.

How to get to Zambales from Clark

There are buses from DAU bus terminal in Angeles City to Olongapo City which costs 150 PHP and takes almost 2 hours. There are also PUVs or vans going to Olongapo from DAU bus terminal. The ride takes 1 hour and 30 minutes and costs 130 PHP. This is the way we took from Angeles City in Pampanga to Zambales.

Best time to visit Zambales

Since the Philippines is made up of many different islands, weather conditions may vary from one city to another. If you’re traveling to Zambales, you can expect considerably small variations to the city’s weather. Humidity is high in the Philippines and the warmest months here are April and May. Basically, January to March is the best time to visit Zambales as this is the sunniest period of the year and is relatively cooler than other months.

Internet and Wifi Connection in Zambales

Hotels, restaurants and coffee shops in most areas offer internet and wifi connection. Using data internet isn’t that bad as well. The internet is reliable enough to have some work done.

Transportation around Zambales

The main mode of transportation used in Zambales are tricycles for short distances and buses for longer trips. There’s a lot of buses on the highway, coming to and from Manila. On places near the sea, they have motorboats for fishing and for going to other islands as well.

Daily Budget around Zambales

Those visiting Zambales will find inexpensive but a little bit pricier meals than other places in the Philippines. A full meal in Zambales can go for as low as 80 PHP per person while a bottle of beer can be bought for around 50-65 PHP. Restaurant food can be bought for around 500-800 PHP for two people around Zambales province. Pretty cheap, right? And if you only have 20 PHP in your pocket and you’re feeling pretty hungry, you can even buy plenty of street food with your cash.

Transportation is also pretty cheap with jeepneys going all over town at a flat rate of 10 PHP and 50-100 PHP if you want to move around tricycle.

You have to add an extra budget for island hopping and entrance fees in the islands. An island hopping day joining to more people can be around 500 PHP with entrance fees included for an amazing day tour around the beaches and islands in Zambales.

Those who are looking for budget hotels in Zambales and can find 900-1200 PHP. There are mid-budget establishments go for around 1500-2000 PHP. That’s only $19-38 USD! For those who want a more luxurious stay, you can check in at very nice hotels at around $50-120 USD.

Warning: Monetary amounts mentioned are estimates to today's prices.

Camara Ancentral House

Camara Ancentral House is an old-fashioned but amazing structure in Zambales. It was the house of the first Filipino governor of Zambales, Vicente Camara, where its name was derived from. This house also served as the headquarters of Japanese during the the war. Because of its extravagant structure and history, it became one of the tourist spots in Zambales.

Fort Paynauen

This fort is also one of the historical places in Botolan, Zambales famous to tourists. It served as a prison for the locals and natives in Zambales as well as the Spanish officials who displeased the Spanish Governor General or Archbishop of Manila. If you are into feeling the old vibes of Zambales as well as learning about history, then you should definitely visit this place.

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Disclaimer: In cases of errors, omissions, and other unforeseen events beyond our control, rest assured that it was not on purpose. In any occurrence, we respectfully offer our sincere apologies.