One of the most heartwarming experiences you can have when traveling to a province is interacting with the local community. This was what we did when we recently visited Zambales.

First was the Lotus Dairy Farm, a livelihood project of the Lotus Foundation Inc., in San Marcelino.

Dr. Teresa V. Yap, Chairman of the Lotus Foundation, guided us to some of the daily activities in the dairy farm such as cow feeding and milking.

Other things we found out about Lotus Dairy Farm. It provides fresh milk to the nearby communities and regularly conducts milk-feeding programs to school children. They train and employ housewives also from the nearby communities to produce dairy products for their families. They also have a training center for farmers and students for them to learn about dairy farming as they assist to supplement poor farmers’ low income by way of giving them additional sources of livelihood.

The visit to the dairy farm was part of the latest edition of NLEX Lakbay Norte which included the province of Zambales.

Another community which we went to was Liwliwa in San Felipe town.

El Zamba Villas

The El Zamba Villas were a new discovery for us.

According to El Zamba Community Association President Bren Delos Santos, they are composed of around 70 establishments including restaurants, bars, unique accommodations, as well as those that offer services to travelers.

Liwliwa is a perfect beach town area for surfers, with consistent waves suitable for both beginners and experienced riders. Camping overnight is also allowed on the beach, with options ranging from rustic campsites to upscale glamping.

We were able to try the ATV while visiting some establishments, which were local cafes, hostels, and casual beachfront hangouts. The relaxing beach is the one that connects the community, which you can explore while riding the ATV.

We were then treated to a sumptuous feast with the community serving us various dishes and drinks, some of which have local influence. We then proceeded to our next destination.

Haya Nature Resort

Haya Nature Resort in Botolan provided a tranquil environment as we rested for the night, that is, after we had dinner at Bird’s Nest, its outdoor restaurant which served us popular Filipino food.

The resort features a lush environment, direct access to the beach, a big swimming pool, and comfortable and hotel-like villas.

The next day after breakfast at the resort, we were treated to some products from Sonia’s Sweets. Located in Botolan, it is a family business owned by Luzonia P. Encarnacion and has been operating since 1987. It produces delicacies such as banana chips, cassava chips, camote strings, pastillas, polvoron and gabi chips—snacks that are perfect for pasalubong and party treats.

The Bakery

And here’s one place you should not miss when visiting Zambales—The Bakery in Iba which takes pride in its breads, cakes, pastries, and more. More than a bakery, it has a restaurant with a classy look because of its black and white interiors. It serves a variety of signature blended drinks (such as mango and graham, mixed berries, cookies and cream, strawberries and cream), milk teas (like Nutella Milo, blueberry, strawberry, Okinawa), and hot, iced or blended coffee.

It also offers salads, nachos, burgers, fries, quesadillas, chicken wings, pasta, which makes it more like a fast-food restaurant.

Our visit to Zambales was short but sweet, but it gave us more reasons to travel to the province again to explore more of its interesting and fun tourist spots.

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