Philippines: Corregidor Island Day Tour : 7 August 2016

 Our hosts took us on a guided day tour to Corregidor Island, an island full of history dating back to 2nd World War involving the Americans, Japanese and Filipinos.
                      

Corregidor Island, Philippines - Philippines Travel Guide

www.philsite.net/corregidor.htm

Travel information on Corregidor island, its history during Word War II, interesting places and pictures of Corregidor.

"Corregidor served as a fortress; an early warning outpost to warn Manila of any hostile ships; a customs outpost; and a correctional (prison). Because of the corrective effect of hard labor on prisoners, the island was namedCorregidor, from the Spanish word "corregir" meaning the corrector. Corregidor is also known as "the rock" because of its rocky landscape and heavy fortifications."

 Here we are at the Seaside Terminal clutching our coffees, tickets and wearing broad smiles on our faces, ready to board the ferry.

Beautiful Seaside Terminal where cyclists stop for a family to take photo.

 This is our ferry..selfie with Anthony first. Btw, I broke my selfie stick so I let other people do the work.

 Anthony's selfie (wefie) is good and clear.

Jimmy's is a blur of the sea of faces.

Shirley's selfie, I like, but Lim and Daisy photobombed us.

We are off....the ride took  more than an hour but the tour guide gave us a good background and history of the island.

Once landed, a tram whisked us off around the island, stopping at tourist spots for us to take memorable photos.

 Taken from the tram, one of the many tunnels.

 We stopped here at Malinta tunnel, and we bought tickets to enter.
 Inside there was a sound and light display and re enactment of the events leading to the Japanese Surrender.
 "A highlight of a visit to Corregidor is the audio-visual presentation at the Malinta Tunnel of the events that occurred during World War II, including the departure of President Quezon and Gen. Douglas MacArthur on a submarine from Corregidor to Australia - Quezon and his family exiled to the United States during the war"

"In 1922, construction of the Malinta Tunnel started to protect military installations and wares in case of war. "

 For a small fee, visitors can walk through the Malinta tunnel and hear some of its history told through audio-visual displays and mannequins dressed like American, Filipino and Japanese personnel who sheltered there during the war.

The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, and invaded the Philippines the following day.

Manila was soon bombarded, and U.S. and Filipino forces — deprived of reinforcements and supplies by America’s decision to prioritize the fight against Nazi Germany — struggled to hold out on the Bataan Peninsula.

Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon, U.S. Gen. Douglas MacArthur and other high-ranking officials sheltered in Corregidor’s Malinta tunnel complex during a Japanese bombing campaign that reduced the surface of the island to barren rock.

 We also visited the longest ruins of the barracks bombarded during the Japanese invasion.

 "the Americans used Corregidor as an army post and named the it, Fort Mills in honor of Brig. Gen. Samuel M. Mills. The Americans built bomb-shelters, concrete emplacements, a hospital and trails around the island."

 "Many of the war ruined buildings have never been reconstructed, and instead was left as is, so as to serve as a memorial to the Filipino & American solders who died here in World War II. "

We had lunch at Corregidor Hotel overlooking the sea and amidst natural surroundings

The heritage hotel is preserved in its original architectural wonder.

welcome drink looks bicolour but that is actually red gelatine at the bottom.

 

Then we climbed the Spanish lighthouse, which is a replica of the original one.

The tour ends at an old Spanish lighthouse on the highest point of the island. From the top of its spiral staircase, on a clear day, you can see the Bataan Peninsula just across the bay.

 I made it to the top, climbing nearly vertical steps, 3 or 4 flights of them...

 Her we are at the top, I look all dishevelled, disoriented, dazed but deliriously happy that I could reach the peak, Tess looked hardly a hair out of place!

Rina looked like a model even when climbing down

 While I needed Shirley the trekker to guide me down.

We also visited other places among the list below:

Places of Interest in Corregidor:

● Malinta Tunnel

● Pacific War Memorial

● Filipino Heroes Memorial

● Spanish lighthouse

● Gun emplacements

● Eternal Flame of Freedom

● Aviary and Theme Park

● Filipino-American Friendship Park

● Barracks ruins

 This is how Rina and Jenny dressed for the island tour

 This is how I dressed hehe, scarf from Jogjakarta.

Bye!!! we had a successful day trip to Corregidor, we learnt a lot of Phillipines' history and we took home precious memories of Filipino hospitality. Thank you for the tour, and I highly reccomend Sun Cruise with its efficient ferry service and experience tour guide.

The  ferry's operator, Sun Cruises is available at telephone # (632) 831-8140 and 834-6857.