CAVITE CITY | If there is one island in the Philippines that is more historical than any other island in the country then it would be Corregidor Island. The first time I traveled there was when I took my students on an educational trip. There are so many things to do in Corregidor and my students had a lot of fun,  learned a lot and appreciated the history of the Philippines more as well as what took place on this Island during World War 2. I promised myself that I had to come back because there is so much to learn and discover in Corregidor.

Fortunately, I was invited as one of the travel bloggers by Sun Cruises to have an opportunity to stay on the island for a night and get to experience the other tours and activities that they offer aside from the day tour. 

About SUN CRUISES

What began as a ferry service to the historic island of Corregidor back in 1988 has now turned into something more significant for Sun Cruises, Inc. (SCI). The expansion of Sun Cruises shows just how committed they are to being the leading provider of quality travel experiences that are anchored in being fun, educational and cultural. They now offer guided tours, all being a wide variety of adventure and fun activities on the island to choose from. All of the tours on Corregidor are meticulously planned to include visits to places of interest and scenic drives through areas of natural beauty with historical value. Every detail is planned down to the last point to assure the right amount of balance between scheduled activities and free time.

Believing in quality, value, and reliability, Sun Cruises has added to its services the Manila Bay Cruise for those who want to enjoy a day out on the sea without being too far from home.

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How To Get to Corregidor

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PRIVATE VEHICLE

1. Take Roxas Boulevard South Bound
2. Take exit towards Buendia/ Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue
3. Turn right on Buendia/ Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue
4. Continue on J.W. Diokno Blvd
5. Turn right to Seaside Blvd
6. Esplanade Seaside Terminal (EST) will be on the right side

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

A. From South
– Ride LRT 1 from Baclaran to Buendia/ Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue
– Ride Multi cab going to SM MOA
– Get off when you reach One Esplanade
– Walk going to Esplanade Seaside Terminal (EST)

B. From North
– Ride LRT 1 from Roosevelt, Balintawak or Monumento to Buendia/ Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue
– Ride Multi cab going to SM MOA
– Get off when you reach One Esplanade
– Walk going to Esplanade Seaside Terminal (EST)

Daily Schedule Trips to Corregidor Island

6:00 AM – Check in Esplanade
7:00 AM – Boarding
7:30 Am – ETD Manila
9:00 AM – ETA Corregidor
GUIDED TOUR
2:30 PM – ETD Corregidor
4:00 PM – ETA Manila

CORREGIDOR HISTORICAL TRAM TOUR

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When we arrived on the island, we hopped on the tram and started our Historical Tram tour activities. Our guide Kuya Ed, who is one of the best tour guides on the island welcomed everyone on board and started telling us about the bravery of the Filipino and American soldiers who fought for their lives and country’s freedom during World War 2. It was an interesting tram journey and you will really learn a lot from the tour that you will never find in books.

Our day tour started at around 9:00 am and lasted up to 2:00 pm just in time for those going back to Manila. If you are planning on a day trip, here are some of the historical spots you will be visiting on the island.

Filipino Heroes Memorial

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Malinta Tunnel Light Show

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Topside Garden (Lunch)

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Battery Way

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Battery Hearn

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Top Side Barracks

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Corregidor Museum

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Stay for a night at CORREGIDOR INN

The only hotel on the Island, Corregidor Inn is a newly renovated hotel with 31 very spacious and air-conditioned rooms. The hotel is located right on the hill offering a stunning view of the island. The hotel is cozy, the staff were very accommodating ensuring a wonderful stay in the hotel.  They also have Corregidor Hostel which is a dormitory type for students and those tourist who are on a budget.

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I collected my key and immediately went to my room as the heat from outside was becoming too much for me. As I walked in, I appreciated the simple interior of the room. Nothing fancy but the bed was so inviting. I also like the vintage look of the toilet and bath. Water pressure was good and the the honey shampoo and soaps were so refreshing. When I checked it was supplied by Ilog Ni Maria , one of the best places to buy natural honey products in Silang Cavite.

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For guests, Corregidor Inn also has a restaurant where you have a beautiful view of the island while enjoying your meals. In the morning, it’s pleasant to sit and have a breakfast outside while it’s shady. Food generally was really good and you can also have an Amadeo Coffee before you begin with your new adventure. All in all,  It was a very comfortable stay and it’s really something worth to try in Corregidor Island.

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Corregidor Hospital

At around 4:00 pm, the tram bell rang signaling it was time for us to visit another ruin in Corregidor and the first one we did that afternoon was the Corregidor Hospital. When I heard the word hospital, I started cringing and asked myself really, are you serious? Knowing the history of the place and lives lost on the island I could just imagine. But, since we are travelling as a group, I had to be brave and take the challenge. Tucked in the middle of the forest,  we entered the hospital and it was a heavy feeling. I don’t know why but still it was an amazing site to visit and I was lucky to have the opportunity to see these ruins that I had never seen before. 

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Sunset Tour at Battery Grubbs 

After that very interesting trip at the hospital, off we went and chased the beautiful sunset over looking Bataan at Battery Grubbs, one of the disappearing guns perched on the hill overlooking Bataan. 

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Night Lateral Tunnel Tour at Malinta Tunnel

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After the sunset tour, we went straight to Malinta Tunnel for the lateral visit. Now this is something you can only experience when you stay for a night and avail of this tour. I was really excited to see the hidden and unexplored tunnels that surround Malinta. It was a thrilling type of tour since 1000 beds were placed in these tunnels to accommodate the number of patients during the World War 2. Since we were travelling in a big group, I was calm and didn’t felt anything strange during the tour. It can be creepy sometimes and somehow adds fun to the tour.

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After the night lateral tour, we went back to the hotel and had a sumptuous boodle fight before capping the night away. What’s nice is that they also have a karaoke night for those who want to sing their hearts out. It was also a great opportunity for us to get to know the other bloggers in the industry.

Sunrise and Morning Hike Tour

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After a good night sleep, we awoke to our alarms set for 5:30 am to catch the Sunrise at the tailside part of the island. It was a beautiful sunrise and it’s really worth waking up that early just to see it. After that, we walked into the forests trails and found a small tunnel used by the Japanese during the war. It was a little bit narrow compared to the other tunnels on the island but we were all very eager to pass through it for the sake of the adventure. There is rappelling involved inside the tunnel which was fun. It was a short tunnel but it was fun because we got to see more tunnels.. I wonder how many tunnels there on the island and are there some still undiscovered? Anyway, after the morning adventure, we went back to the hotel to have our breakfast then we had some free time to explore the beach of Corregidor.

Swimming in Corregidor

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The island of Corregidor, even with the amount of lush trees, can also get really hot and humid. And what a better way to cool off was to head to the beach to cool off and swim. That’s exactly what we did, we put on our swimwear and off we went to the beach. There are so many activities that you can do on the island, some of them are fishing, kayaking, or basically just to relax. We really had an awesome time and the water was so clear. A great addition to your IG worthy spots in Corregidor

After swimming, we headed back again to the Garden Restaurant next to the lighthouse where a buffet lunch was served. Souvenir shops are also available in this area.

At exactly 2:00 pm, our tram took us back to the port area going to Manila. We didn’t want to go back yet because there was so much to see and do on the island. But, it was a beautiful trip and we really had a great time. From the ferry trip, accommodation, food, and other activities, Sun Cruises really did a great job in providing the best experience one can have on the island. It was also nice to meet new friends from the blogging industry. When I arrived back in Manila, I told myself, “I shall return and stay for a night again! ” 

Other Activities to do in Corregidor Island

• BIKING
• BIRD WATCHING
• CORREGIDOR ADVENTURE
• HIKING
• ISLAND RUNABOUT
• KAYAK RENTALS
• ROCK BALANCING

Please coordinate at the reception or inform them ahead if you wish to avail these activities.

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Corregidor Tourist Map 

Watch our adventure in CORREGIDOR in this video by Yogo and Cream