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Yong Beach Resort  has now been added to our website an we are now taking reservations for it. This resort is about a year old and opened with the name of Arirang Resort.  Same owners just new name.

Those who love the beach for a beach and not as an canvas to be seen on, look towards Zambales for a beach scene. The Zambales coast is kilometer after kilometer of fine beaches.

the resort is great for those on a budget. Camping is Available, it also has small tents for rent

Bataan Nuclear Power Plant

A look behind the scenes.

Around the world nuclear power is looked upon from different levels of acceptance. Many countries fully embrace nuclear power as an clean safe method to generate electric. There are more than 400 nuclear plants all over the world. In other countries, the general belief is that it has too much potential for harm to even be considered. A large portion of the world is still battling the question. The Philippines is one country where the disagreements are still going on. At the center of the discussions is the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant. Construction on the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant began in 1976 a project of then President Marcos. Following the 1979


Three Mile Island accident in the United States, construction on the BNPP was stopped, Some design changes were made and Construction was restarted. Marcos was overthrown by the People Power Revolution in 1986. Days after the April 1986 Chernobyl disaster, the succeeding administration of President Corazon Aquino decided not to operate the plant. At the time the decision was made the plant was ready for fueling.

Equipped with a Westinghouse light water reactor, it was designed to produce 621 megawatts of electricity. The BNPP has 3 sister plants operating in other parts of the world today. The KRSKO plant in Slovenia. The ANGRA I plant in Brazil. And, most notably, the KORI II plant in S. Korea. These plants are practically identical to our BNPP. These plants have been operating for over 25 years now without incident, accident and with utmost reliability and economy.

Despite never having been commissioned, the plant has remained intact, including the nuclear reactor, and has continued to be maintained. We are proud to present a one of a kind tour. While many power plants have visitor centers, a visitor at the BNPP can visit inside the plant itself. Having never been fueled visitors are able to go inside the containment area. Call Seahorse Tours to arrange your visit

For those of you around the Philippines or another Asian country stop in your local book store and pick up the July-August issue of Review Asia magazine, turn to page 130 and read about a trek by author Jen Tagasa. (copy here)Our Staff here at Seahorse tours are the ones who arranged the visit to Subic Bay.  We had a few chuckles after we opened the express package containing our copies of the magazine and started to read the article. We all teased Ann who the article referred to as “female newbie tour guide”. While she is our newest employee like everyone else has been cross trained into being a tour guide also.  Ann has done a number of tours including a couple at Mount Pinatubo but it was her first on the long trail.  As was mentioned in the article, the trail we normally would have used was closed due to the typhoon that passed over the area a few days before. We had been monitoring the situation and were not sure we would be able to trek to the crater until we arrived that morning. The skyway trail which we normally use was still not available but a longer more rugged trail was open. While we do not frequently use the trail , we do use it when the guest are experience hikers and want something more challenging then the 40 minute trek. Ann volunteers to accompany the writer and photographer while Jaz knowing waited at the Spa town.

There is one little bit of confusion in the article, as the writer mentions another guide by the same name, Diaz, at the Apaliin forest trail. This second guide who mentioned the “Era of Abundance” was met the day following the Mount Pinatubo trek during a hike into the jungles around Subic Bay.  When the American base was still in Subic Bay many of the Aetas worked for the Americans. One of the most common jobs that the Aetas performed was that of forest rangers. For a people who had lived in the jungles for centuries, getting paid for looking after the jungle which was already part of their live must have looked like free money. In reality they were performing a genuine job and received a fair salary.

The Mount Pinatubo trek as the article states is an adventure that everyone should explore. When the skyway is open most people can enjoy the trek. The beginning and end of the rainy seasons are the most popular times. While the rain does make planning the treks more difficult and often have to be canceled with little notice it is much cooler than going in the summer season when the sun bears down on you. But then again there is a dip in the lake awaiting you.

PGMA will host a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday 18 march to launch a trial run of the Clark to Subic portions of the SCTex. After cutting the ribbon the president will lead a motorcade to Subic where she will meet with SBMA, Local government leaders and Tourism stakeholders. Exact details are expected to be announced tomorrow. The trial run will run through Holy Week. the road will be open 6 am to 6 pm. after the trail run the expressway will be closed to complete some additional work, it is hoped that it will reopen on a trail bases after a few days. Formal opening of the entire SCTex is expected around 21 April.
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When we take tours to Mount Pinatubo we pass though the town center of Capas, Tarlac. It normally takes us 2 hours and 45 minutes to get to that point from Subic Bay Freeport. Yesterday, we had the opportunity to try out the new expressway. While the road was wide open with little traffic there were construction workers along the roadway in places as well as some places where we had to change from the southbound lanes to north bound.  So we were below the posted speed limit most of the time. Still the trip from Capas to SBFZ dropped from 2 hours 45 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes. It was 45 minutes to the airport exit at Clark to SBF.

With the Clark to Subic segment opening in a few days, the two areas are merged into one. The Subic area adds some fine 5 star hotels and a range of great restaurants to its offerings as well as a unbeatable selection of golf courses and casinos. Clark gets access to the beaches and jungles of Subic and the best wreck diving in Asia.

Seahorse tours (www.seahorsetours.com ) will increase its offerings to include these added features