Central Luzon: From Manila to Subic, Clark and Pinatubo

Central Luzon (Region III) is often reduced to a transit corridor - the North Luzon Expressway rolling past rice fields and factory towns on the way to the Ilocos region or the Cordillera highlands. That is a mistake. The region contains several of the Philippines' most fascinating destinations: two former US military mega-bases (Subic Bay and Clark), the surreal Pinatubo crater, and the country's rice granary in the Pampanga and Nueva Ecija lowlands.

Pampanga: Food Capital of the Philippines

Pampanga province is the Philippines' undisputed culinary capital. The province invented tocino (cured sweetened pork), sisig (sizzling chopped pork face), kare-kare (oxtail in peanut stew), and countless other dishes that are now eaten across the country. San Fernando City's restaurant strip along McArthur Highway has been feeding Filipino families for generations. Everybody's Cafe (since 1945) and Aling Lucing's Sisig (the originator of modern sisig) are required stops.

Pampanga also has the Giant Lantern Festival in December - the Philippines' most technically impressive festival, featuring 5-meter lanterns made of intricate geometric patterns that spin and change colors. Eight competing barangays produce lanterns that take a year to build.

Subic Bay

Subic Bay was the US Navy's largest overseas base until its closure in 1991 (the year Pinatubo's ash clouds accelerated the departure). Today it is a Freeport Zone with a remarkable concentration of outdoor activities: zip lines over Subic Bay, scuba diving on WWII Japanese wrecks (the Oryoku Maru), the Pamulaklakin Forest Trail mountain biking route, and the Jungle Environmental Survival Training (JEST) camp where Aeta indigenous guides teach jungle survival skills. The Zoobic Safari (450 PHP) has the Philippines' only white tiger. The Subic Bay waterfront has restaurants and cafes in the former US military facilities.

Clark and Angeles City

Clark (CDCP Special Economic Zone, formerly Clark Air Base) is the Philippines' aviation hub and home to one of Southeast Asia's best aviation museums: the Air Force City. The P-38 Lightning, B-17 Flying Fortress, and F-86 Sabre jet on display are extraordinary. The Clark Civil Aviation Complex also houses Widus Hotel and the Clark International Airport - increasingly important as Manila's NAIA congestion worsens.

Angeles City adjacent to Clark has a complicated reputation but a genuine culinary scene and access to good motorcycle touring into the surrounding rice plain. The Dau terminal has bus connections to all of Central Luzon.

Mount Pinatubo

Mount Pinatubo's 1991 eruption was one of the 20th century's most powerful geological events, covering much of Central Luzon in volcanic ash and creating a new crater lake at 1,485 meters. The hike to the crater (3-4 hours return) crosses a moonscape of hardened lahar flows that have been slowly colonized by pioneer vegetation over three decades. The turquoise crater lake at the summit is one of the Philippines' most dramatic natural features. Guides and 4WD vehicles are mandatory. Base camp is in Capas, Tarlac (2 hours from Manila). Best season: February to May (dry season).

Getting Around Central Luzon

NLEX (North Luzon Expressway) connects Metro Manila to Central Luzon quickly. Subic Bay is 2-3 hours from Manila. Clark/Pampanga is 2-2.5 hours. The SCTEx (Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway) connects all three. Buses from the Cubao and Pasay terminals serve all major Central Luzon destinations.

Book Central Luzon day tours including Pinatubo and Subic Bay on PANA.PH.