Cruising to Corregidor

   

Keeping my family entertained when in Manila has become one of my unofficial "duties". They know for a direction-challenged, allergic-to-drive person I certainly do get around a lot. As long as there are cabs and I can ask around and pretend to know where I'm headed, I'm good to go.

                                         
A cruise to Corregidor Island, the World War II fortress, is highly recommended. A day-long excursion to get some idea about what Filipino and American soldiers went through in the war against the Japanese invaders... I thought it was perfect especially for my young nieces and nephew.

Sun Cruises provides ferry services to Corregidor so we contacted them a few days before we were set to sail. The price was 2200/adult and 1250/child for a day tour package inclusive of roundtrip ferry transfers, entrance and terminal fees plus guided tour of the island and buffet lunch.

We showed up at the Sun Cruises office before 7:00 am and got our boarding passes and hopped on a van to the CCP Bay Terminal (beside the Folk Arts Theater) where the catamaran MV Sun Cruises was docked. The ferry is much like the one we traveled in from Kowloon to Macau.

We showed up at 6:

The departure time was supposed to be at 8:00 am but some tour groups arrived late so we left 30 minutes later. Great to leave Manila's traffic and pollution for a day but wait, its trash seemed to have followed us! Sad to see snack wrappers and all sorts of plastic floating from Manila Bay to Corregidor Island.

After over an hour of sailing, the tadpole-shaped island was at last in our sights. Trams aka tramvia were waiting for us, they ushered the groups according to the language they want as there were English, Filipino and Japanese-speaking guides on the trams.

So much history of pain, death, defeat and ultimately triumph are what Corregidor Island represents. Not your usual day tour, for sure.