YOU missed the chance to book for your grand summer vacation in time for the long Holy Week break? You simply lacked the time to search for best destinations, or there isn’t that much extra cash to burn.

Well, the province of Zambales offers you excellent options beyond its pristine beaches. It’s a vacation haven waiting to be rediscovered, and it’s just three-and-a-half hours’ drive away from Manila via SCTex.

Adding more excitement to its famous attractions, Zambales and the Department of Tourism (DOT) launched recently the “Zambales Super Mango and Agricultural Tour” to entice tourists looking for interesting activities besides dipping into the cool clean waters of its white-sand beaches.

Members of Philippine Tour Operators Association and the Philippine Tour Agencies Association, along with travel journalists, were invited to the launch of the DOT program to explore opportunities tapping the province’s local tourism and agricultural industries.

The mango-and-agricultural tour aims to entice foreign and local tourists to experience harvesting mangoes and learn about the fruit, as well as interact with farmers.

The program also offers business opportunities for marketing several mango byproducts, as well as products distinct to each town of the province.

The other products that can be sourced from various towns in Zambales include San Felipe’s version of bagnet, a deep-fried pork meat cut, as well as Cabangan’s sugar cane-based products such as muscuvado. Processed marine products such as fish and shrimp paste are abundant in Botolan, while San Marcelino takes its pride from its sweet-tasting and white-skinned singkamas.

Of course, not to be missed are the pristine beaches in San Antonio, where adventurous tourists can go and discover the exotic Capones Islands with an 18th-century lighthouse and the newly discovered Anawangin Cove. These destinations can be reached through a 10- to 30-minute boat ride from the beaches of San Antonio.

Company outings and large groups of young tourists can enjoy exciting activities, such as an ATV race and a paintball shootout in Mango Camp in the town of Cabangan.

The prestigious Guinness Book of World Records has named the kinalabaw mangoes from Zambales as the sweetest in the world, particularly those from the towns of Iba and Sta. Cruz.

Such sterling reputation gives the people of Zambales good reason to celebrate the colorful annual Mango Festival in the provincial capital of Iba. The festival is highlighted by a streetdance competition involving youth representatives from the 14 towns of Zambales.

Provincial Gov. Amor Deloso said the people of Zambales have all the reasons to take pride in their home as it is very rich in natural resources and hardworking and multitalented people.

Zambales is home of many great heroes and leaders, like former President Ramon Magsaysay. The heritage house of the former leader who was well loved by the masses can be found in the town of San Antonio.

Deloso also said Zambales is also a source of multitalented artists who have earned prestige in both the local and international arts scene.

San Antonio town is also home to Casa San Miguel, a heritage house owned by famous music artist Prof. Coke Bolipata. The place has become an arts school for young music prodigies of  Bolipata. There are also visual-arts training courses being conducted in Casa San Miguel, and young musicians from age 3 to 12 regularly perform classical and original Filipino masterpieces in the minitheater of Casa San Miguel.

Zambales may have become famous for its mangoes and the many beach and camping attractions in the former US military bases, now the Subic Metropolitan Bay Administration, but Subic is just a tip of the iceberg when talking about what Zambales can offer in terms of nature, tour activities and historical visits.

Beyond Subic and Olongapo, there are 12 other beautiful and rich towns simply waiting to be discovered in earnest by adventurous visitors.