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Some 70km north of Manila, CLARK , formerly the site of an American air base, is popular with visitors for its proximity to the volcanic mountains of Pinatubo and Arayat . In 1991, Clark Air Base became the subject of one of the hottest political debates ever to rage in the Philippines. Many Filipinos, enjoying an era of new nationalism in the wake of the downfall of the Marcos regime, saw no reason for the Philippines, however poor, to depend on the world's greatest superpower for its defence. Senators agreed and voted to end the US Air Force's lease on Clark Air Base. America's undignified departure from the Philippines was hastened somewhat by the catastrophic eruption of Mount Pinatubo, which showered the base in ash. The greatest concern over the withdrawal of 20,000 US air force personnel from the area was the potentially devastating effect it might have on the economy. A decision was taken to turn the base - which is roughly as big as Singapore - into a special economic zone (SEZ) with incentives for companies setting up shop there. The scheme has been a qualified success, with 156 national and international companies taking up the offer. Plans to open a new international airport and high-speed railway links with Manila are, however, like many things in the Philippines, taking a long time to come to fruition.

Inside the former base, there are a number of (expensive) golf courses, one hotel and a few restaurants. The area alongside the base, including Field's Avenue and Don Juico Avenue, is famous for another legacy of the American tenancy, go-go bars. Prostitution is rife in these bars, with many male visitors flying in from Europe for one thing only. Besides climbing mounts Pinatubo and Arayat, there are an increasing number of other activities in and around Clark, including mountain biking, trekking, microlight flying and parachuting. The Tropical Asia Parachute Center at 940 Field's Avenue has been operating at Clark since 1996 and does courses for US$240. For details of a trial microlight flight with an instructor, call the Lite-Flite Flying Club (tel 045/599 2120). A flight over Mount Pinatubo's lower slopes costs P600