By Bernadine Lesaca
Footloose travelers need not look far for a consummate and budget-friendly getaway in this long hot summer. Just a few hours north of the metropolis lies Zambales, a province that offers a zestful mixture of culture, adventure and nature.
Fondly called “Zamba,” the province is a constant top local destination due to its proximity, and diverse attractions and experiences it offers.
Choose your water adventure
With a 177-kilometer West Philippine Sea coastline, it is a sought-after getaway for its fine-sand beaches of varying shades, with nearly all points offering a beach view and mesmerizing sunset.
If you want a sleepy shore minus the madding crowd, there are the hidden coves of Sampaloc, Silangin and Nagsasa that can only be reached by boat or by long and winding foot trails from the towns of Subic or Castillejos.
In San Antonio the islands of Camara and Capones are known for its hilltop picturesque century-old lighthouse that has guided Spanish galleons and merchant ships passing through its sea lanes.
A few minutes away, you can find the pine tree-lined Anawangin Cove, a campers’ haven because of its secluded location and back-to-basics ambiance.
Zambales takes pride in its lush underwater world ideal for snorkeling, such as the Taklobo Farm and the Marine Conservation Park on San Salvador Island in Masinloc. This is where one can easily get enraptured by its coral gardens and giant clamshells.
Magalawa Island in Palauig, and the adjacent San Salvador and Bakala sandbar in Masinloc offer an exciting triangle of mangrove forests and giant clams.
In the northernmost town of Santa Cruz, the sister islands of Hermana Mayor and Hermana Menor beckon with their powdery sand and crystalline waters. The latter island takes pride in its long stretch of sandbar and underwater world, which serves as sanctuary to lush coral tables teeming with aquatic life.
Ride the waves at the famed San Narciso and San Antonio surfing sites or skimboard in Iba’s 7-km beachfront, dubbed as Luzon’s “beach capital”. These waters are friendly to surfing and skimboarding newbies, and soon enough you’ll find yourself hooked to the sport.
Indulge in kayaking and paddle at the Uacon Lake, Uacon Cove or Potipot Island just a few minutes across. The more agile paddlers can kayak on both bodies of water through a tranquil river channel.
Revisit historical sites
As one of the first provinces organized by the Spanish religious missionaries, Zambales is dotted with heritage churches and ancestral homes, attesting to its storied past.
Topping the list are the postcard-pretty Spanish-era churches in Botolan, Santa Cruz, Masinloc and Iba, serving as bastions of the Roman Catholic faith. The latter is the seat of the Diocese, which has a modest Ecclesiastical Museum chronicling the young history of Catholicism in this side of the archipelago.
The coral stone at Saint Andrew Church in Masinloc has been declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum and recently underwent a face-lift to restore its colonial glory.
Historical enthusiasts must swing by the President Ramon Magsaysay House in Castillejos, where the memorabilia of the late great president are preserved, including his famed Cadillac vintage car.
Soon to open is the Museo de Iba or the newly restored Roque del Fierro Trinidad Heritage House, which will serve as the town’s repository of history.
Know the local culture
For a glimpse of the genteel lifestyle of the local gentry, visitors can go around and take snapshots of the old stone houses built in the classic bahay na bato Castillan architecture which have withstood the ravages of time.
For a dose of classical music, chill out at Casa San Miguel, the art community of renowned violinist Alfonso “Coke” Bolipata, located in the heart of San Antonio’s mango orchards.
Treat yourself to the summertime concerts and exhibits at the annual Pundaquit Festival or take a glimpse of Zambales’s checkered past at the Museum of Community Heritage, which chronicles local ethnography and archaeological finds.
For a dash of indigenous culture, immerse yourself with the nomadic Aeta communities and learn from their ethnic way of life.
Feed your soul and tummy
Outdoor lovers can conquer the 2,037-meter-high Mount Tapulao in Palauig, which takes mountaineers through various ecosystems on the way to the top. Often called “The High Peak,” referring to the seemingly endless hike, the trail to the summit on rolling and gradual terrain takes hikers through a number of distinct ecosystems: from lowland grass and scrubland dominated by talahib (cogon grass), to primary dipterocarp forest, mossy montane forest, and pine forest that extend to the adjacent mountains. After a grueling hike through the rocky reddish soil, hikers are treated to refreshing cool breeze and breathtaking views upon reaching the pine-tree forest.
And for the clincher, relish the sweet life and sink your teeth into the ripe and fragrant kinalabaw or dinamulag mango variety, reputedly among the sweetest in the world. Every year the province produces an annual yield of 15,046,770 kilograms, harvested from the 428,637 mango trees that cover 7,500 hectares. And there is no better time for this feast of the senses when the best mangoes are ready for the picking in the riverine orchards of Botolan.
It’s time to do Zamba, and bask in the sun, sea and sand…and mangoes.