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Once you've finished with Subic it's worth taking time to journey north by bus or jeepney along the Zambales coastal road. Zambales is a mountainous province that borders the South China Sea to the west, and the coastal road gives you direct access to a number of sweeping beaches that tourists are only just beginning to discover. First stop on the journey is the small town of SAN ANTONIO , one hour by road north of Subic, from where you can catch a jeepney at the market square to the fishing village of PANDAQUIT , 5km south, which has a nice long beach. In Pandaquit, you can hire bancas for P500 for half a day and explore Camera and Capones islands. By far the best place to stay is the splendid little Capones Beach Resort ($10-15), which is right on the sand at Pandaquit and has neatly furnished, clean rooms with fan and shower. The stretch of coastal road immediately north of San Antonio is memorable for the sight of villages that are still buried under tons of hardened ash from Mount Pinatubo. In some areas all you can see are church spires and tin roofs jutting through the ash. Continuing north, you come to the provincial capital, IBA (birthplace in 1907 of popular former President Ramon Magsaysay, who was known as "The Guy"), the small towns of Palauig and Masinioc and SANTA CRUZ , with its remarkably expansive saltworks. This also marks the southern end of Dasol Bay, where a handful of resorts have sprung up along beautiful beaches such as Tambobong . To get to Tambobong beach take a jeepney (10min; P10) from the plaza in Santa Cruz. There are two islands in Dasol Bay that you can reach by hired local banca from the small wharf in Santa Cruz. Hermana Mayor Island is generally known as Miss Universe Island because it was  © 2003 by Rough Guides Ltd. as trustee for its Authors. Published by Rough Guides. All rights reserved. Rough Guides name is a trademark of Rough Guides Ltd. Buy the book here!
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where candidates for the Miss Universe title in 1979 had their photographs taken. Hermana Menor Island is smaller and totally unspoiled by development. There is no accommodation on either island, so only day-trips are possible. Victory Liner buses run regularly from Olongapo to Iba, a distance of about 85km or two hours, and then on to Alaminos, which takes about another two hours. Jeepneys run from town to town along the Zambales coast, but it can be a slow journey.
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