Corregidor...Historical Day Tour, Sunset Viewing, Army Post Hospital & Night Lateral Tour (Part 1)

Corregidor: Remnants of War & An Island of Peace

"Take a look at what Iraq would look like in the future..." said VG the tour guide.  I remember this line well; I was here 10 years ago right at the time the Iraq War was starting.  Still a kid then, I had forgotten most of what I'd seen in Corregidor but I did vaguely remember a few things like the ruined barracks, the Japanese cemetery, an old tunnel and the eerie feel I got when it got dark.

Enter the present and my travel addiction has never been stronger and I've been on the prowl for nearby weekend destinations to quench my thirst for adventure.  With it's proximity to Manila, Corregidor became one of my destinations, but I wanted to fully explore the island without restrictions, a short day tour just wouldn't suffice.  The problem was, only Sun Cruises offered overnight packages to Corregidor and the prices were steep.  Luckily, they released a promo through Deal Grocer and I wasted no time in getting my tickets!

Island Museum

So here's the fine print about my deal, P 4,550 for two persons, inclusive of Day Tour with buffet lunch, roundtrip ferry transfers, overnight stay at a standard room, set breakfast, Night Tour, Sunrise tour, 1 ride at the zipline and 1 hour use of the ATV.  Now I know that not all these group-buying deals on the internet are legit, the heck, I've had my fair share of bad deals (cough..Simple Travel & Tours, ehem...Cash Cash Pinoy), but believe me when I say this, this was a GOOD deal.  In fact if you check the succeeding promos from Sun Cruises, they have actually cut down on these perks.

My brother was supposed to go with me but he got so devastated by Pacquiao's loss to Marquez that he slipped into depression and backed out (joke...or not).  Adding to that, everyone that could potentially replace him was already preoccupied with something else and in the end, I ended up going alone.

I arrived at the Sun Cruises Terminal around 7:45 am, exchanged my voucher and paid the boarding fee of P 100 or less (can't remember exactly).  Departure was scheduled around 8 am but the ferry sailed 15 minutes late.

To get to the Sun Cruises Terminal from Roxas Blvd, get off at the CCP and walk for 8 minutes straight past Harbor Square or ride the orange shuttle and tell the driver to drop you off at Sun Cruises Terminal.  If you'll be taking the LRT, get off at Vito Cruz staion then walk to Rizal Stadium and ride the orange shuttle.

The Sun Cruises ferry is mid sized with two levels, airconditioned, with a couple of TVs showing a film about Corregidor.  There's also a snacks counter and CR.  The journey takes around 45 minutes, under smooth waters and with sweeping views of Bataan.  

Lower level

At first glance of the island, you would never suspect that it had such a dark past, as it looks sleepy, laid back and calm.  Upon arrival, we were organized into groups and placed in open-air buses called "tramvia".  Our guide for the day was Uncle Bob, one of the oldest and longest serving guides in Corregidor.  While I respect Uncle Bob for his length of tenure, sadly, I didn't like our experience with him.  It was like listening to an old recording from a man who was uninspired, bored and just repeating the same stuff every day without passion.  He didn't engage his audience, acted a little grumpy and was always in a rush.  I know sometimes it happens to all of us where we're just like robots going through the motions, and it was especially true with him but a guide's performance has an effect on people's experiences.

I'm back!

The Tramvia

Uncle Bob: Selling jokes and selling drinks

Our first stop was the Malinta Tunnel, a famous fortress Filipinos and Americans used during the Japanese bombings.  Also called tunnel full of leeches, Malinta was used as a shelter, hospital, storage and command post of the Filipinos and Allied Forces.  It was a refuge where tenants included civilians, soldiers, nurses, President Quezon, General MacArthur and later on, suicidal Japanese troops. Countless lives were lost here under total darkness, limited oxygen and scarce resources.

Inside the tunnel is a lights & sounds show reliving the events during the war.  We all had to pay a separate fee of P 200 otherwise, you can't enter the tunnel.  The show was underwhelming & pales in comparison especially with today's special effects.  Access inside the tunnel are limited as you are not allowed to explore the more interesting lateral tunnels.  We only got to see the main tunnel, walking a straight line from end to end.

Yeah I know, phone's camera sucks!

The Philippine Flag, front & center as it should be

Dito ko sana gusto maglakad

Our next stop took us to two prominent figures with contrasting legacies after the war.  Sitting near the coastal shores at the foot of the island is a statue of General Douglas MacArthur, the iconic leader of the forces during World War II.  It's a fitting tribute and a popular photo-op spot among tourists.

A short walk nearby brings you to a monument of General Jonathan Wainright, the unsung hero of Corregidor.  When MacArthur fled for Australia, Wainright was the man left in charge to carry the fight against the Japanese and prolong our troops' last stand.  He also prevented more deaths by sacrificing himself and being held captive, one of the highest profiled Prisoner of War.  He doesn't get enough credit from historical books, in fact I only found out about him in Corregidor, yet what he did equaled the much more famous MacArthur if not greater.

Where's Wainright's statue?

Around 11 am, we were dropped off at Corregidor Inn where the restaurant La Playa was located for our buffet lunch.  The spread consisted of rice, four viands (1 Chicken, 1 Pork, 1 Veggy, 1 Noodles), a soup and salad station and a couple of desserts.  You also get a glass of gulaman and have an hour to eat.  The food can be described as very ordinary, think more of a carenderia eat-all-you-can than a restaurant buffet.

La Disaster

Carinderia Buffet is more like it

Soup and salads

Pang himagas

After filling up, we resumed our tour and headed to the Middleside Barracks or at least what remains of it.  The barracks used to be occupied by low ranking officers and other enlisted men.  It was bombed to submission and what's left are hollow pillars and a bare facade.  Some parts of the barracks seem to be on the verge of collapse and are off limits.  Looking at the barracks, I felt a sense of awe with such an intimidating structure and disappointment at what had been lost at the same time.

War art

What's left of the Middleside Barracks

Moving on, we set foot on Battery Way, one of the many gun emplacements scattered in the island.  It is famous for its 4 mortars used in defense.  Primarily targeted against enemy warships, these mortars were able to reach land targets as far as Bataan.  Among the batteries I've seen in Corregidor, these are in best condition.  It is a staple on every trip to Corregidor.

Battery Way: Parang set ng action movie

Target Acquired

Where they load the missiles

Next stop was Battery Hearn, known for being the longest gun in Corregidor.  It wasn't very useful during the war for it's faulty position, but has now found it's true calling as a magnet for snap hungry visitors.  It's particularly popular with Japanese tourists as it's the same battery where their soldiers had the Banzai pose taken after invading the island.

Battery Hearn: All Bark No Bite, hehe

Located uphill, is the area called Topside, the most advanced and developed place back then.  It includes the Army Headquarters, the high ranking officials barracks, Cine Corregidor, sports facilities, a bank and a major gun storage among others.

A famous spot here in Topside is the Mile Long Barracks.  Here is where you'll see a massive scale of destruction.  It used to be the quarters of high ranking soldiers which stretched almost half a mile long until it was primarily targeted and impaled.  These days the barracks are filled with thousands of bullet holes, collapsed staircases and giant piles of rubble.  One harsh reality of war that the island imparts on all of it's visitors and is most evident here is that violence always brings so much needless waste on life and property.

Not really a mile long!

Also located on Topside are some old and new attractions.  First is the Old Spanish Lighthouse, where a climb to the top is rewarded with a 360 view of the entire island, Manila Bay, Bataan and my home province of Cavite.  At the foot of the lighthouse are souvenir shops and snack outlets.

Restored but still beautiful

One of the newer built sites is the Pacific War Memorial.  It was constructed to honor all the Filipinos and Americans who participated during the war.  There's a statue of Filipino and American soldier side by side, which has become one of the most popular images coming out of Corregidor.  A beautiful altar was also erected carrying a touching message.

Part of the area is a museum where old pictures, relics and memorabilia are displayed relating to Corregidor.  It would have been nice to know more about history and there were some interesting artifacts house inside but the tour only allotted a few minutes and all I could do was a quick browse.

What the barracks used to look

At the back of the Pacific War Memorial is the Eternal Flame, an all steel structure which symbolizes the fight for freedom.  It's purpose is two-fold: first to commemorate those who fought for the people and second to serve as a reminder for future generations to preserve our independence.  It's positioned at the end of Topside from where you can actually see the "tail" of the island below.

Mukha bang apoy? Weh?

Leaving Topside, we headed to Battery Crockett.  Perched in a strategic location which is not easily accesible, the disappearing guns of Battery Crockett would have been major weapons.  The guns could be lowered to the ground from an elevated platform after firing.  Unfortunately, it was positioned the wrong way which rendered it useless during the war, so, so much for that.

Sarap siguro mag laro ng taguan dito!

Parang amusement park ride

For a place where they were clearly shown as the antagonists, it was a pleasant surprise to find out that there was a place called the Japanese Garden of Peace in Corregidor.  I believe that the Japanese soldiers deserve to be given proper respect.  During times of war, nobody is really right or wrong, everyone's just obeying orders and being patriotic, it just happened that there are always two opposite sides.

Inside the garden is a cemetery for Japanese soldiers, a beautiful landscaped garden and a Buddhist statue of Kannon.  It's a place close to the heart of Japanese tourists but rarely visited by Americans.  Interestingly, these two actually have different sets of tours and are never joined together in large groups.

The Japs remember their fallen comrades

A fitting last stop to the day tour is the Filipino Heroes Memorial, located at the tail part of the island.  A tribute to Filipino heroism over time, the great events in Philippine history are told through murals surrounding a statue of a Filipino guerrilla and another statue of a sombrero on top of a gun.  There's also a mini museum

and several other statues.

Filipino Heroes Memorial

It was only 2:30 pm but our day tour was already over and most of the tourists had already left with the ferry.  There were only 5 guests including me who would stay overnight.  We were whisked off to Corregidor Inn, debriefed of our upcoming activities and led to our rooms.

This is about to get real ugly in a bit, starting now.  Corregidor Inn is one of the worst accommodation I've ever stayed at! The rooms are dark, most of the furniture are broken, amenities are lacking and it really looks like it hasn't been renovated since World War 2.  The aircon is cool but it's pointed straight at the bed which hits you right in the face and you can't adjust it.  The bathroom is an absolute hell, I could forgive the faulty shower and the rundown toilet, but cockroaches everywhere, anytime of the day?, come on!  I didn't get a good night sleep, not only because of the aircon but mainly because I was awaken around 3 am by a cockroach on top of my face!

I really can't recommend Corregidor Inn, but you don't have many choices.  It's one of only two places to stay in the the island.  The other option is MacArthur's Lodge, a dormitory managed by the people at MacArthur Cafe, and it's in worst shape.  You'll just have to suck it up, or get one of their suites which is expensive.

Corregidor Inn

Awful

Ligo? Di bale na lang...

Because I still had some time before the next tour, I was able to wander around the island independently.  I had a quick snack at MacArthur Cafe, and it was bad but at least reasonably priced compared to La Playa. As I was walking alone near the edges of the dock, I couldn't believe that only a few hours ago the place packed by people was now a ghost town.  I had the island all to myself and already, this made the extra stay worth it.

Panahon pa to ni MacArthur

Corregidor Church

By 5:30 pm, it was now time for our night tour.  I was accompanied by 4 other guests Dan, Ben, Mark and Lanie (hope I got their names right).  Our tour guide this time was Kuya Ed, another veteran but he was very knowledgeable, friendly and made our experience fun.

The shuttle led us to Battery Grubbs not only to see its disappearing guns but also to watch the sunset.  Because it sits on top of a cliff, the views over the Manila Bay are fantastic.  We were given time to just lay still and watch the sun slowly fade away while the waves crashing below us made the only sound.

In these parts of the world, you can afford to do nothing. Just admire

By now it was getting dark as our car passed through the old tram rail tracks and into willowy trees and thick shrubs.  It was now time to know if there was any truth to Corregidor's alleged ghost stories.  We found ourselves at the Old Army Post Hospital.  When viewed from the top, a cross shape is formed but this didn't prevent the invaders from bombing this structure to oblivion.  Kuya Ed showed us around its interiors from the emergency room all the way to the morgue.  He also confirmed the existence of the Jabidah Massacre, where a group of Muslims, commissioned by then President Marcos who were supposed to fight in Sabah were executed here in Corregidor by the military due to a change of heart.

 Admittedly, I didn't see any ghost, but I didn't dare wander off alone without the group either.  There was a strange creepiness in this place where you actually won't sense supernatural forces at work but given its tragic history, the pitch black isolation and being overrun by century old trees, you still wouldn't wish to spend the night here.

From a place to heal to a place to kill

Dami siguro nagmumulto dito

Overnight Anyone?

The last and most interesting part of our tour was the Night Lateral Tour at Malinta Tunnel.  It's a special privilege afforded only to overnight guests where other parts of the tunnel like the 1,000 bed hospital ward and the suicide bombing sights are explored.  Off limit sights were also explored albeit with a little caution.  We were given flashlights and required to wear hard hats as our trek led us to low and muddy sections which had no electricity.  Some of the laterals haven't been cleaned up and I was able to see bones (human?) and other old unearthed objects lying around.  I was also able to spot some beautiful rock formations throughout the tunnel.  The guide also took us to Quezon and MacArthur's quarters and the escape route they took to get to Australia.

On our last stop, we were led to an intact section of the tunnels and asked to turn off our flashlights.  We were asked to walk to the end point of the tunnel without any light, without any assistance. This was the most memorable part of the night tour.  It allows you to experience, even for just a few minutes, how the soldiers used to live in total darkness, bombed daily and barely getting air.  It's a scary feeling, not knowing what you might touch or run into, and in a way, being blind also numbs your other senses.  I came out of the tunnel much more satisfied with this tour, it's more personal and interactive, and a must do for hardcore travelers.

Miner ang peg?!

The troops underground office

This way to Australia

When the lights go out that's when it gets fun!

After getting back to the hotel, I had a forgettable and overpriced dinner at La Playa but still got to enjoy the night thanks to Dan & Ben.  Meeting new people is one of the best things about travel and these guys were awesome company.

Adobo without character