Central Luzon · Philippines
Where to stay in Olongapo
Olongapo is a city in Central Luzon, Philippines, home to about 265,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- SFS5 km · Subic Bay International Airport / Naval Air Station Cubi Point
- Currency
- PHPPhilippine peso
- Time zone
- Asia/Manila
- Language
- English, Filipino, Taglish
About
About Olongapo
Olongapo, officially the City of Olongapo (Filipino: Lungsod ng Olongapo; Ilocano: Siudad ti Olongapo; Sambal: Siyodad nin Olongapo; Kapampangan: Lakanbalen/Ciudad ning Olongapo), is a highly urbanized city situated in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 264,903 people.
Olongapo occupies the eastern shores of Subic Bay. Although it shares the bay with the municipality of Subic to the west, most visitors tend to conflate the entire area as Subic when in reality they are referring to Olongapo. 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 Bay became a major naval outpost which existed until 1991.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Olongapo
See
- Ulo ng Apo Monument
- Marikit Park
- The Dove Monument
- Magellan's Landing Museum
- Fort Wint
- Bat Stop II
- Hellships Memorial
- The Hands that Freed the Nation
- Children of the Sun Returning
- Spanish Gate
- SFEX Twin Tunnels
- Port Of Subic Bay
Do
The tourism office for the area calls Subic Bay the "Pearl of the Orient" and much like a pearl inside an oyster, its true value is hidden unless you know where to look. Subic Bay offers some of the world's best shipwrecks, all within recreational diving depths, as well as tranquil coral and artificial reefs that explode with marine life. Unlike Coron, and other wreck diving locations, where you ride for hours to get to a wreck site, the majority of Subic Bay dive sites are a quick 15 minutes trip from the dive centres.
- Boardwalk Divers
- Scuba Tech Philippines
- JEST Camp
- Subic International Golf Club
- Malawaan Picnic Park
- Subic Bay Yacht Cruise and Rentals
- Scuba diving
- Inflatable Island
- Subic Fun Land
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Olongapo
35 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Anvaya Cove Beach and Nature Club | 12.8 km | |
| Bataan White Corals Beach Resort | 18.3 km | |
| Camayan Beach Resort Hotel | 8.4 km | |
| Casablanca Hotel Condominium | 3.2 km | |
| Central Park Reef Resort | 2.6 km | |
| Cherry Midtown Hotel | 0.6 km | |
| Cindy Kelly Hotel | 0.8 km | |
| Court Meridian Hotel & Suites | 1.7 km | |
| Grand Hoyah Hotel | 1.3 km | |
| Horizon Hotel | 1.2 km | |
| Juness Beach Resort | 19.4 km | |
| Kamana Sanctuary Resort and Spa | 7.6 km | |
| Mango's Beachfront Resort | 3.3 km | |
| Mansion Garden Hotel | 1.7 km | |
| Miami Heat Beach Resort by Cocotel | 18.7 km | |
| Moonbay Marina the Villas Olongapo | 1.7 km | |
| OYO 811 Tri A's Building OYO Rooms | 1.7 km | |
| Playa Papagayo Beach Inn & Restaurant | 2.8 km | |
| Rainbowland Hotel | 0.3 km | |
| RedDoorz near Olongapo Bus Terminal RedDoorz | 0.7 km | |
| Segara Villas Olongapo | 2.1 km | |
| Seorabeol Grand Leisure Hotel | 1.6 km | |
| Subic Bay Peninsular Hotel | 1.3 km | |
| Subic Park Hotel | 1.6 km | |
| Subic Residencias | 0.6 km | |
| Sunrise Apartelle | 3.7 km | |
| Suzuki Beach Hotel | 2.9 km | |
| The Lighthouse Marina Resort | 1.8 km | |
| The Pub Hotel | 3.3 km | |
| The Reef Hotel and Residences Subic | 1.9 km | |
| Vasco's Resort | 3.2 km | |
| Viking Resort | 3.7 km | |
| Vista Marina Hotel and Resort | 1.6 km | |
| Wild Orchid Beach Resort | 3.5 km | |
| ZEN Rooms Palm Tree Olongapo | 3.3 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Olongapo
Olongapo has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; August is the wettest, with about 925 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Olongapo: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Subic Bay International Airport / Naval Air Station Cubi Point (SFS), about 4.5 km from the city centre in a straight line; Clark International Airport / Clark Air Base (CRK, 49 km) and Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL, 87 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
From Manila, ride the red, white and yellow Victory Liner buses. The trip will go through the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) and Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx). The trip from Manila takes 3-4 hours and it will cost you ₱220-250 one way. The company also has 11 buses from Baguio via Angeles 3AM-11PM, and hourly buses from 4AM-10PM from Balanga in Bataan. Car rentals from Manila are also available. International car rental chains like Hertz, Avis and Europcar are some of the options.
Getting around
Jeepneys are the primary mode of mass transportation in Olongapo. Unlike in most cities in the Philippines, jeepneys in Olongapo are color-coded according to route and the government is very strict in implementing this routing scheme. Jeepney operators must display the body number, the plate number and the decal number at the side panels to eliminate unregistered jeepneys. Drivers here are required to wear uniforms.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
SFS · Subic Bay International Airport / Naval Air Station Cubi Point
CRK · Clark International Airport / Clark Air Base
MNL · Ninoy Aquino International Airport
Questions
Olongapo: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Olongapo?
Olongapo has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; August is the wettest, with about 925 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Olongapo?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Subic Bay International Airport / Naval Air Station Cubi Point (SFS), about 4.5 km from the city centre in a straight line; Clark International Airport / Clark Air Base (CRK, 49 km) and Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL, 87 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Olongapo?
Philippine peso (PHP).
Nearby
Destinations near Olongapo
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.