Discovering Heroes in Corregidor: A Historical Day Tour
Corregidor, so near yet so far. I live in Cavite but it was only last October when I had the chance to visit this historical place. My mom and I were waiting for a good promo deal and we finally got it in the SMX Travel Mart. For 1,500 pesos/person, the Corregidor day tour package we purchased also includes a free Manila Bay dinner cruise which we have yet to avail. It feels great to save a thousand pesos on a much awaited trip! Right from the start, I can see how organized the tour is. Just like boarding an airplane, guests are asked to be at the CCP Bay Terminal by 7:00 am to register and get their stickers from the Sun Cruises office. After that, a shuttle will pick up guests to the docking area where they will board the ferry boat. We were lucky to be seated in the upper deck because we are near the outer deck. The snack bar is also just a few steps away, hehe. Before the boat left the dock, there was a safety demonstration. Being a nurse, I appreciate their policy of Safety First!
Upon arriving in Corregidor, we were asked to board one of the tramvias. If you have friends who speak only Japanese, don’t worry! There is a tramvia especially for Japanese speakers. Another tramvia is for participants of the Corregidor Adventure tour. There are enough colorful tramvias for everyone! ^__^
With my mother, my favorite travel buddy
Unlike other tours I have been to where tourist spots are jampacked with people, it is the opposite with the Corregidor tour of Sun Cruises. Each tramvia has a different starting point so that when you get to a certain spot, only two groups are together. Our guide for that day was Mr. Carlos Reyes and the starting point for our group was the Middleside Barracks.
Since there are other barracks in the area, markers were placed to identify structures.
This is only just a portion of the Middleside Barracks. Imagine how large it is! o_O
After that, our group headed to Battery Way. This place played a big part during World War II. It was the last “concrete artillery” to ceasefire before the surrender of Corregidor on May 6, 1942.
Vertical plunging trajectories such as this one was ideal to use for enemies located on higher ground in Bataan.
One can see small structures surrounding the area. Some are used as shell storage.
The third location of our Corregidor Day Tour was Battery Hearn. This is the spot where the Banzai victory pose of the Japanese troops was taken. You can see the said picture in this link.
We look so tiny next to this big gun, hehe
After that, off we went to Battery Grubbs. It is known for its two 10 inch disappearing guns and of course, it’s lovely view.
This is the entrance to Battery Grubbs. As you can see, you can go up a flight of stairs for a better view of the place.
A closer look at the “disappearing gun”.
Did you know that Corregidor is actually located in Cavite? Though Bataan is closer, Corregidor is still recognized as part of Cavite. Bataan is so close that you can even see a part of Bataan in the background!
In the fourth spot, our guide gave us time to explore another area of the island. Among the places one can visit here are the Pacific War Museum and Pacific War Memorial.
A memorial for the Rock Force, the Parachute Regimental Combat Team (PRCT) who helped recapture Corregidor from the Japanese soldiers.
Looking at broken down structures such as this, I can’t help but form pictures in my head of its glory days.
A memorial to commemorate Filipino and American soldiers who gave up their life to defend the island.
Before we had our lunch break, we visited the Corregidor Lighthouse. You can buy souvenir items in this area.
Where are you headed?
After filling our stomach with food from the buffet in Corregidor Inn, we headed to the Filipino Heroes Memorial. It is my favorite part of the island because it celebrates the courage and love of Filipino Heroes for their hometown.
Dedicated to the Filipino who knows how to die for love of freedom and liberty.
Afterwards, we were off to the Japanese Memorial. As you can see, the place evokes a sense of serenity.
Peace and love for all.
Calmness and serenity envelopes the place.
Our last stop was the Malinta Light and Sound Tunnel Show. The show requires an additional fee but it was okay with us since we wanted to trace the steps of the history of Corregidor.
Overall, I am thankful that I was given the chance to go on a day tour in Corregidor. It may be only a few hours but I went home rich with knowledge of the history of the place. Most of all, I got to know the heroes of Corregidor!
Thank you very much for a wonderful tour Mr. Carlos Reyes! Next time, I will try to go on an overnight tour to explore Corregidor at night.
How about you? What’s your Corregidor story?
This is a pre-qualifying entry to the Intramuros Bloggers Challenge 2012 by IntramurosManila.Asia. This campaign is fully supported by the Intramuros Administration, Barbara’s Restaurant, Celdran Tours, Mabuhay Guides, Pilgrimage Pilipinas, Castillan Tours, Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation, Inc., Starbucks Philippines, Starbucks Facebook Fanpage, Payless Pancit Shanghai, Ruthilicious and Ruthilicious @ FB.