Spend less while having more fun!
Image: @fatty_professor_malit
Celebrating the holidays can be quite pricey. It’s the time of the year when you buy Christmas gifts for your loved ones and for yourself, serve plenty of food on the table, spend on new house decorations, and splurge on new clothes and items. Besides gift and non-gift purchases, some also include traveling in their holiday splurge list.
Perhaps you’re one of the people who likes to go on fun getaways to celebrate the holidays. But with the amount that you’ve spent for celebrations, it is most likely that you’ll have to settle for an affordable New Year trip. If that’s the case for you, fret not! There are lots of affordable spots in Subic that you can visit to ring in 2021. From restaurants to parks, find out where you can kickstart 2021 with an affordable New Year trip that won’t burn your wallet away.
1. 1925 Gastropub
Location: Sampson Road corner Dewey Avenue, Subic Bay Freeport Zone
Nothing like starting off 2021 with food, drinks, and music!
Image: 1925 Gastropub Facebook Page
A modern Filipino gastropub nestled in the heart of Subic Bay, 1925 Gastropub serves both local and international dishes that you can enjoy. The place offers set meals, rice platters, pasta dishes, and main courses below PhP500. Some of the pub’s must-try dishes include adobong manok sa gata (chicken adobo cooked in coconut milk), chicharon fried rice (fried rice with deep-fried pork belly and rinds), malunggay pesto pasta (pesto pasta cooked in moringa leaves), and grilled tuna belly. You can also enjoy beverages such as cocktails, beers, and spirits while listening to a live band.
2. El Kabayo Stables
Location: 1411 El Kabayo Road, Subic Bay Freeport Zone
You can finally tick off “horseback riding” in your 2021 bucket list!
Image: El Kabayo Stables Facebook Page
If you’re up for a fun, budget-friendly New Year adventure, then El Kabayo Stables is a perfect place for you! The place has numerous activities for you to try including horse riding, which consists of a scenic ride to the El Kabayo Waterfalls; riding lessons, in which you get a training session under the guidance of instructors; and horse painting, an activity where you can show off your creative side by using colorful non-toxic paint to draw on the horses’ bodies. Horseback riding activities start at PhP250 per head.
If you’re looking for more unique things to do Subic, check out Yoorekka!
3. Chef Samurai
Location: Raymundo St, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Zambales
Sushi, sashimi, tonkatsu, ramen, tempura: name it, Chef Samurai has it!
Image: Chef Samurai Facebook Page
You can’t go wrong with kicking off 2021 with Japanese cuisine! Chef Samurai serves authentic and affordable Japanese dishes that can surely satisfy your cravings. For below PhP500, you can already enjoy the Mixed Sushi Platter, a platter served with tuna, salmon, ebi, unagi, ika, uni, tamago, and kani sushi. You can also opt for the resto’s maki dishes, which range in price from PhP228 to Php258. Ramen bowls and soups are also available for PhP370 and below.
4. Boardwalk Park
Location: Waterfront Road, Subic Bay Freeport Zone
Seeing Subic Bay’s lovely orange horizon doesn’t have to cost you.
Image: @ambisyosangtraveler
Here’s where you can enjoy a relaxing day and a stunning sunset view for free. Subic Bay Boardwalk Park offers a whole stretch of the Waterfront Road filled with trees and a lovely sight of Subic Bay. The place also has historical monuments that you can visit. If you walk a little further up north, you can unwind by some of the nearby beaches and take in the captivating sunset of the place.
5. Gourmet Garage
Location: 1143 Argonaut St, Rizal Corner, Subic Bay Freeport Zone
Who says having a fancy meal has to be expensive?
Image: Gourmet Garage Facebook Page
Gourmet Garage is a restaurant, a catering service, and a gourmet shop all in one. Not only does the place serve various comfort food from salads to pasta desserts, but it also sells gourmet food like meat, cheese, truffle oil, and saffron. While these may sound a bit pricey, you’d be surprised to know that the price range of the dishes start at PhP250! A few must-try recipes of the resto include its lug lug spaghettini (a Filipino spaghettini topped with classic lug lug sauce), butterflied peri-peri chicken, and crispy carnitas ravioli.
A New Year’s trip doesn’t have to cost you a lot! Remember that creating new memories with your loved ones is the thing that matters most. Happy New Year, everyone!
Stay safe as you travel! Make sure to follow social distancing protocols and observe health precautions wherever you go. Have a great trip!
