Where to stay in Olongapo?

[Harsh Jones]

 

What does Olongapo compare to vis a vis Thailand ? Does it have Pattaya vibes or is that way off the mark ?

 

I want to stay near the water preferably. 

[lopburi3]

Except for a few girls/bars there is almost nothing other than low to mid price accommodations.  Angeles is more of the Pattaya vibe but without the water.  But my opinion is second hand and based on what I have read/seen on YouTube.

[BritManToo]

Get the jeepney to Barretto, nice beach, plenty of good restaurants, many nightclubs with 'dancers'.

 

Arizona beach resort is nice, it even has its own sports bar, full of 'sporting' girls.

 

Blue rock resort on Baloy Long beach is also good, and a girlie floating bar just off its beach front.

[Harsh Jones]

9 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Get the jeepney to Barretto, nice beach, plenty of good restaurants, many nightclubs with 'dancers'.

 

Arizona beach resort is nice, it even has its own sports bar, full of 'sporting' girls.

i am traveling with a wife so sporting women isn't a thing on this trip. 

 

I don't like an area that is particularly quiet. Which is why I've always liked Pattaya. I am also headed to the Batangas area but I don't see anything there that appeals to me much for staying for more than a few days

[Sandboxer]

Olongapo itself is a s-hole. What you are probably referring to is the Subic Bay/Bario Barretto. Lived there for years. If you're into bargirls - overpriced barfines due to basically one American pimp named David Fischer owning all the bars, dirty beach/water (we call it Sewerbic), crap hotels, condo/housing rental prices exploding.

 

Falang food is ok.

Weather is good.

No hurricanes big enough to really cause too much damage.

Mall

The former "base" is a nice clean safe place for recreation and has some good properties for sale/rent.

 

Then of course, being the PI, the people are a lot closer to us culturally. 

 

 

 

[Upnotover]

5 hours ago, Harsh Jones said:

i am traveling with a wife

Good idea, who's?

[MajorTom]

6 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Blue rock resort on Baloy Long beach is also good, and a girlie floating bar just off its beach front.

 

Sad to say that Blue Rock is now a write-off. Used to be one of my favorite places.
I was there last year. I would not let my dog stay there. Restaurant is gone. Floating bar is gone. The place was absolutely rotten. Half the rooms were in such bad shape they were not even open. I think they went bankrupt during covid and just never recovered.

[BritManToo]

45 minutes ago, MajorTom said:

 

Sad to say that Blue Rock is now a write-off. Used to be one of my favorite places.
I was there last year. I would not let my dog stay there. Restaurant is gone. Floating bar is gone. The place was absolutely rotten. Half the rooms were in such bad shape they were not even open. I think they went bankrupt during covid and just never recovered.

That's sad, I used to have a pot of tea there every morning.

[Harsh Jones]

7 hours ago, Sandboxer said:

Olongapo itself is a s-hole. What you are probably referring to is the Subic Bay/Bario Barretto. Lived there for years. If you're into bargirls - overpriced barfines due to basically one American pimp named David Fischer owning all the bars, dirty beach/water (we call it Sewerbic), crap hotels, condo/housing rental prices exploding.

 

Falang food is ok.

Weather is good.

No hurricanes big enough to really cause too much damage.

Mall

The former "base" is a nice clean safe place for recreation and has some good properties for sale/rent.

 

Then of course, being the PI, the people are a lot closer to us culturally. 

 

 

Ok so what area would be better in the Phillipines. I want to be by the water. Angeles doesn't interest me

[lopburi3]

8 minutes ago, Harsh Jones said:

 

Ok so what area would be better in the Phillipines. I want to be by the water. Angeles doesn't interest me

Now we know - but OP asked about a Pattaya vibe and that would be Angeles.  Believe the Central and Southern islands have some good beach areas but can't speak on them.  But PI took a major hit with covid restrictions and is just getting back to some semblance of tourist activity.

[Harsh Jones]

 The Philippines basically sucks compared to Thailand it seems. Is there any beach side city with major hotel chains with a beach anywhere ?

[Harsh Jones]

 Next time we travel, we're going to Thailand and only Thailand

[Skipalongcassidy]

8 minutes ago, Harsh Jones said:

i wish i met a Thai woman instead. Next time we travel, we're going to Thailand and only Thailand

There are many top notch beach hotels in the Philippines... Olongapo is not the best place to find them... try Cebu... Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Harsh Jones said:

 The Philippines basically sucks compared to Thailand it seems. Is there any beach side city with major hotel chains with a beach anywhere ?

No, it's really good, plenty of nice hotels and resorts. Great beaches and restaurants. I would say the beaches are nicer than Thailand.

 

Vietnam beaches also nicer that Thailand.

[Trippy]

There's some nice hotels in Subic, go to Texas Joe's in Subic for a GREAT steak. 

[lopburi3]

10 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

No, it's really good, plenty of nice hotels and resorts. Great beaches and restaurants. I would say the beaches are nicer than Thailand.

 

Vietnam beaches also nicer that Thailand.

True but they will not be of top Thai standards or at the price they go for in Pattaya.  You will have to pay for top notch accommodations (but it can vary greatly day to day if in city with festivals).

[Harsh Jones]

34 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

No, it's really good, plenty of nice hotels and resorts. Great beaches and restaurants. I would say the beaches are nicer than Thailand.

 

Vietnam beaches also nicer that Thailand.

Im not into the sleepy beachside places with minimal development. But I do understand their appeal. Pattaya is perfect for me. Bright and modern, 3rd and 1st world at the same time. 

 

Subic looks alright though. There's a big shopping mall there, a water park , jet skiis 

[Sandboxer]

19 hours ago, Harsh Jones said:

Ok so what area would be better in the Phillipines

 

If you're a beach bum/water activities guy - Palawan, hands down.

[Sandboxer]

21 hours ago, MajorTom said:

Sad to say that Blue Rock is now a write-off.

 

I was at the BR resto/bar years ago when the local dude on motorcycle came in put a bullet into that staff abusing Ozzy a-hole owner's head. Interesting night. Was a s-hole even then.

[Harsh Jones]

This place in San Juan Batangas looks nice. But its 4-500 USD a night. In Pattaya, this would be $120 per night tops

 

 

[lopburi3]

5 hours ago, Harsh Jones said:

This place in San Juan Batangas looks nice. But its 4-500 USD a night. In Pattaya, this would be $120 per night tops

 

 

Actually my check for April 1st shows 12800 PHP total for 25sm room so about $230 direct book with hotel.  But you could go higher of course.  Accommodations are always more expensive than Thailand (not only in PI) and Pattaya is known for low prices due to huge surplus of accommodations and not exactly a high class reputation (working on that) or the cleanest waters.

[EVENKEEL]

To say "Subic" is a very broad area. The old navy base is now the "Freeport Zone" with many beachfront hotels and restaurants. Jump in a cab and be in Barrio Barretto in minutes. The Baloy Beach area sounds right for you, it's just around the corner from the Highway along the water with many, many hotels on the beach.

[EVENKEEL]

On 3/13/2024 at 4:56 AM, BritManToo said:

That's sad, I used to have a pot of tea there every morning.

Police said the gunman approached Mr Davy from behind at the beachside restaurant, holding a .45 pistol.

He then pointed it at the back of his head and fired.

 

 

https://www.news.com.au/national/australian-resort-manager-shot-dead-in-philippines/news-story/348751b2e8ee5368c8c4daf4eb5e5888

[marin]

6 hours ago, Harsh Jones said:

This place in San Juan Batangas looks nice. But its 4-500 USD a night. In Pattaya, this would be $120 per night tops

Perhaps when you were last there. 12-15 years ago. Pretty steep increase in price since Covid you will find. 

[Harsh Jones]

31 minutes ago, marin said:

Perhaps when you were last there. 12-15 years ago. Pretty steep increase in price since Covid you will find. 

(snip )-I have been looking at prices currently and there's still no comparison. Thailand is around 50% cheaper for what you are getting

[Harsh Jones]

41 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Police said the gunman approached Mr Davy from behind at the beachside restaurant, holding a .45 pistol.

He then pointed it at the back of his head and fired.

 

 

https://www.news.com.au/national/australian-resort-manager-shot-dead-in-philippines/news-story/348751b2e8ee5368c8c4daf4eb5e5888

Christ, who did he p**s off

[EVENKEEL]

1 hour ago, Harsh Jones said:

Christ, who did he p**s off

The Aussie bar owners weren't the most congenial types. I heard it was because of a pay dispute with one of the employees, who knows the truth

[Sandboxer]

59 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

The Aussie bar owners weren't the most congenial types. I heard it was because of a pay dispute with one of the employees, who knows the truth

 

Absolutely correct. As for the individual in question, he was a grade A a-hole, trust me. Not many, expats not locals, were very saddened by the event.

[BritManToo]

3 hours ago, marin said:

Perhaps when you were last there. 12-15 years ago. Pretty steep increase in price since Covid you will find. 

Looking at places I stayed at or previously visited,

Viking Resort, Johans Dive Resort, Harley's pub (Baloy Long Beach, Barretto) ......... all around 700-800bht/night on Agoda.

Doesn't seem any more expensive than when I was last there pre-COVID.

 

Harley's .......... 850bht/night

https://www.agoda.com/en-gb/harleys-pub-and-hotel/hotel/subic-zambales-ph.html?ds=SNF38M5CKr2b%2BxO4

 

The Pub Hotel ..... 600bht/night

https://www.agoda.com/en-gb/the-pub-hotel/hotel/subic-zambales-ph.html?ds=SNF38M5CKr2b%2BxO4

[Harsh Jones]

I'm in Subic now. At the Coral Reef resort. It's a nice place.

 

Subic feels about 15-20 years behind Pattaya. Just an observation. 

 

I walked out the front of the hotel for a puff and was swamped by hucksters and prostitutes. They were pretty though. 8.5/10. 

 

The beach water isn't that dirty. But there's a disappointing amount of garbage around.