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Manila
Corregidor Island Know as the "THE ROCK" to Filipinos, Corregidor Island is located at the entrance to Manila bay about 48 kms from Manila and makes a great day trip or you can choose to stay overnight at the Corregidor Inn. Sun Cruises organises tours of the island which depart from CCP Complex Jetty (Pasay, just near bay walk) at 8am. You can pay and book on day of departure but we recommend booking prior as we arrived on the day only to have a number of school groups book out the ferry. Corregidor gets its name from the Spanish word Corregir "to correct". The island was used by the Spanish to Correct and check all ships entering Manila harbour. Its most famous history comes from World War 2 with fierce fighting between Japanese and Us forces. The island was used as a base by the Americans. After Pearl harbour attack in 1941 president Franklin Roosevelt put General Douglas MacArthur as Supreme Allied Commander of the Southwest Pacific Theatre. When the Japanese invaded the Philippines, Corregidor Island and Bataan became the last hole up for the American troops against the Japanese. MacArthur was ordered to leave Corregidor and head to Australia in March 1942. The American forces were finally forced to surrender in May to the Japanese after heavy fighting and bombardments. Prisoners were then forced on the Bataan Death March resulting in huge number of deaths. In January 1945 MacArthur and the US troops recaptured Corregidor Island back from the Japanese. Over the course of the war thousands of troops on both sides died in many bloody battles. These days many tourist and war veterans visit the island to see the relics and war monuments. Things to do and see: LIGHT & SOUND SHOW AT THE MALINTA TUNNEL: a bombproof bunker which you can listen to historical events as you walk through the tunnel (extra cost) General MacArthur’s HQ US Barracks, gun batteries, the Japanese Cemetery, Pacific War Memorial, a Spanish light house just say overnight at Corregidor Inn or walk on the walking trails around the island.
