I ran out of ideas on where to go next on my Anniversary with ex-bf. I already booked us to an unexpected trip abroad before, which was a surprise to him - so that won't do. I also booked us a degustation lunch before, so doing it again would be like watching a rerun of a movie we've already watched on HBO. All I found was cliche whilst browsing and googling over the net. So I thought, why not stay in the metro for a change? I had two choices: A.) revisit Old Manila - see the different museums, tour the national library (which I've never done, ever) and dine in Binondo - OR B.) see Corregidor Island for the first time. I found the latter more appealing so I googled away, typing "Corregidor". Third on the results was
http://www.corregidorphilippines.com hosted by Sun Cruises, the sole touring agency for Corregidor Island. I clicked on it and looked for the most important part of the tour - budget requirement.
Day Tour to the island is available from Mondays to Sundays. Adult rate is Php 2,250 ($ 51.52) during weekdays and Php 2,449 ($ 56.08) during weekends. Child rate (term "child" being 3-11 years old) is only at Php 1,400 ($ 32.06). The fees cover ferry transfers to and from the island, entrance fees, tour guide and buffet lunch. Overnight option is available for an additional Php 1,500 ($ 34.35) per pax. This fee includes breakfast for the next day. There are other activities on the island as well, but I opted for just the day tour.
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| Sun Cruises Dock |
If you will be coming from a place far from Metro Manila, I suggest you spend the night around the area because check-in time for the ferry starts early at 7:00am (unless you are an early riser, say 4:00am??). Ferry leaves at 8:00am and there's only one trip to the island per day - no other batches. Considering the traffic going to Manila, you should alot 1-2 hours of travel time from the tip of EDSA or South Luzon Expressway. Should you miss the departure, that's it for the day. Not sure about rebooking though. Better contact Sun Cruises (632) 834-6857 to 58, (632) 831-8140.
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| Ferry to Corregidor Island |
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| Interior of ferry going to Corregidor Island |
Ferry ride will consume 2 1/2 hours for the entire trip (1 hour 15 minutes going to the island, another hour and 15 minutes going back to Manila). It's fully air-conditioned. Snacks are available on board for a fee from the bar. Viewing deck is also available, to revel at the view that is Manila Bay.
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Manila Bay Skyline, from the ferry's view deck going to Corregidor Island
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| Philippine Flag at the ferry |
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| Tram for the Island Tour |
Upon arriving in Corregidor, guests will be asked to pick a tram.
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| Sun Cruises Tram |
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you can see Bataan on the other side of Corregidor's dock
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Corregidor is closer to Bataan (you can see it on the picture above, that bluish strip of mountain / land on the other side of the dock). However, there are no official tours of Corregidor Island from the Bataan dock.
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| Our English Speaking Tour Guide |
Japanese-speaking and English-speaking tour guides are available in the island. I think they also have tour guides well versed in other languages. You just have to request a foreign-speaking guide from Sun Cruises prior to your scheduled trip. Contact details of the agency is available below.
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| Douglas MacArthur waving goodbye on March 11, 1942 to escape, arriving in Melbourne on March 21 of the same year, leaving the famous words "I came through, and I SHALL RETURN" during his speech. |
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| Soldiers' recreational place on the island |
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| Dedicated to the Filipino who knows how to die for love of freedom and liberty #Corregidor |
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| Scale Model of the Corregidor Island |
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| Tribute to the Brave Filipino / Japanese / American Troops who died battling for a cause |
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| not your usual flag of Japan |
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| Picturesque View in Corregidor Island |
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| Various Past Philippine Currencies |
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| Entrance to Malinta Tunnel |
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| Malinta Tunnel |
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| Hospital Inside the renovated tunnel (for exhibit purposes only) |
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| this is how pathways inside the Malinta tunnel looked like, before rebuilding |
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| Malinta Tunnel |
After a few hours of touring, we were then guided to the sole hotel in the island for lunch.
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| We were greeted by this refreshing drink |
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| Lunch Buffet Table Set Up |
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| Potato Soup |
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| Salad |
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| Seafood Paella and Spaghetti Carbonara |
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| Sauteed Been Sprout and Fried Chicken |
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| Roasted Pork Loin |
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| Fruit Salad for Dessert |
Food was ok, not your usual fine dining experience - but certainly fair for the price, considering you can have unlimited helpings for lunch. It doesn't look beautifully crafted and presented, but it's the usual Filipino experience somewhat like that of a fiesta.. (just with less food options) :)
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| Ruins of the Middleside Barracks in Corregidor Island |
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| Mortars at the Battery Way in Corregidor |
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| Another Breathtaking View |
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| Pacific War Memorial |
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| This commemorative structure was so meticulously built that the sun shines down on it directly only during May 6 of every year, which marked the surrender of all U.S. troops (led by U.S. Lieutenant General Jonathan Wainwright) in the Philippines to the Japanese in 1942. |
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| This U.S. Flag only bears 45 stars, it was the very first American flag to be hoisted in the whole of Corregidor Island, raised from December 2, 1898 up to May 14, 1899. |
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| Refreshments and Snacks for Sale |
Our tram had refreshments on board, you can buy soft drinks from the tour guide for Php 45 ($ 1.03) and water for Php 25 ($ 0.57). Snacks are worth Php 40 ($ 0.92).
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| Restored Corregidor Lighthouse |
This lighthouse was said to have guided ships entering the Manila Bay area towards the port of Manila, which was the most important trading centre in the capital of the Philippines in the olden days.
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| Battery Crockett |
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| tour guide uses this bell when it's time to leave for the next stop. |
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| View of the Corregidor Island, going back to Manila |
Our trip to the Island was on May 2014 - it was summertime in the Philippines. Luckily, we brought an umbrella with us, armed with plenty of sunblock, towel, and sunglasses. It would be nice to bring an extra shirt too as the humidity will render you relatively sweaty and icky towards the end of the day. We arrived back in Manila a few minutes before 4:00pm. Overall, it was a nice experience - learning about history while seeing picturesque landscapes. It would've been nice to spend an overnight in the island, to get to know it more and to experience other activities offered by the tour operator. Will just have to save that for later, and will update this post once we did. :) Whether you're a foreigner or a local, I suggest you try the tour, it's so worth it :)
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How to Get There:
from Roxas Boulevard (in Manila), turn to Bukaneg St.
After about 400 meters, turn right.
You will find a gate leading to the Ferry Terminal.
It is very important that you reserve first before showing up,
seats are limited esp. during holidays.
Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB and BancNet are accepted for payment.
You may call (632) 834-6857 to 58, (632) 831-8140 for reservations
NOTE: This is not a paid advertisement. :) We just went there, enjoyed our trip, and would like to suggest it because we had a wonderful experience. :) If you prefer going to just "fun" spots devoid of history, this might not be your cup of tea.
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