About halfway up the Zambales Coast, the sleepy town of Botolan boasts a couple of laidback resorts that sum up the quiet escape that’s available in this part of the Philippines.
The beach is broad and sandy, set back from the North Luzon Expressway just far enough that you forget it’s there. Visitors who arrive by bus have to take the final ten minutes by tricycle, a fitting way to arrive in this peaceful resort.
The entire Zambales Province is yet to be developed, and the few resorts that exist are well-run. In between are expansive tracts of jungle and secluded coast that are ideal for trekking and all-day outdoor excursions. Guided hikes are usually led by an indigenous Aetna guide.
Getting There & Away
Botolan is halfway up the Zambales Coast within an hour’s drive north of San Antonio. From San Antonio it is another 2 hours, 30 minutes to Manila where the international airport serves as gateway to the archipelago. Hiring a car in Manila is worthwhile as drive to Botolan is scenic.
Things to Do
Botolan Attractions
- Caving
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The best place to explore limestone caves is at santa cruz, a city that was once better known for gold-mining than spelunking.
Side trips from Botolan
- Mount Pinatubo
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This looming volcano is open for trekking, and interested visitors can make their arrangements in the hotel lobby.
- Pili
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A small town inland from botolan, pili is halfway submerged in a lake that formed when mount pinatubo erupted in the 1990s.