I’ve visited the Subic Daco beach and the Juag Fish Sanctuary back in 2011. It was cloudy then, and the waves were pretty big, so it wasn’t quite as pretty. We were awed, but the photos aren’t too impressive.<\/p>\n

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\nSubic Daco<\/em><\/div>\n
It’s now the beginning of the summer season in the Philippines, and despite the threat of a typhoon coming this way, we were blessed with really good weather. Subic Daco really blew us away.
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\nSubic Beach, as it’s sometimes called, is in the island of Calintaan, just off the town of Matnog, the southernmost tip of the island of Luzon. It’s about 30 minutes away by banca<\/em> (with a brief stop at Juag Fish Sanctuary). <\/p>\n
Matnog can be reached by bus from Cubao or Pasay in Metro Manila (approximately 14 hours), or you can fly to Legazpi and take a combination of van\/bus and jeepney to reach the port.<\/p>\n
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\nFish scrambling for food at the Juag Sanctuary<\/em><\/div>\n
Head to the Tourism Office, which is a small hut directly in front of the Municipal Hall. All visitors to the islands must register with them, and pay the corresponding fee, plus an environmental fee. They can also arrange for a banca to take you island hopping at a fixed price. No reservations needed, you can just walk in. But if you’re worried about not getting a boat, you can contact the tourism office ahead of time (contact details given below).<\/p>\n
You can visit up to four sites: Tikling Island, Juag Sanctuary, Subic Beach, and the rock formations\/Calintaan caves. However, depending on the weather, they might not allow you to visit certain sites. Personally, I’m happy staying for hours at Subic Beach.<\/p>\n
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\nCan’t get enough of Subic Daco<\/em><\/div>\n
Subic Daco has a long stretch of fine white sand beach. There are plenty of corals washed up on the beach though, so in some parts, it’s kinda hard to walk barefoot. The waves here are pretty strong, so the shoreline is quite narrow. The water’s also pretty deep, so be sure to bring floaters and life vests for the kids and non-swimmers. The water feels really great, and at times cold when you get near the corals.<\/p>\n
There are several coral reef that you can swim to from the shore, and my cousin said they’re teeming with life. However, only one resort lends out snorkels, and they only have two, so it’s best to bring your own. The boats have life jackets, so you can borrow from your boatman.<\/p>\n