Trip to Corregidor Island

For those who want to escape the hustle and bustle of Manila and who are interested in history we highly recommend a day tour to the tiny island of Corregidor at the entrance of Manila Bay. Due to this location, Corregidor was fortified by the US military with several coastal artillery and ammunition magazines to defend the entrance of Manila Bay and the city of Manila from attacks by enemy warships in the event of war.

View on Corregidor Island 2015

In 1942 the Imperial Japanese army invaded Luzon at Lingayen Gulf. The American and Filipino troops under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, didn’t defend Manila but retreated into the Bataan Peninsula, west of Manila Bay. Bataan fell on April 9, 1942. After this Corregidor became the final bastion of American and Filipino forces in the Philippines. They surrendered to the Japanese on May 6, 1942.It is possible to visit Corregidor on a day tour. The pleasant ferry ride takes a bit more than an hour and offers great views of Manila from Manila Bay.

The guided tour by electric tram includes most of the sights on the island, including huge naval guns, mortar emplacements, very extensive barracks, monuments of World War Two and the famous Malinta Tunnel which served as the seat of government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines during the battle.