Manila, Philippines

Corregidor Island

An Island Edifice with a Rich Military History Visit one of the islands from which General Douglas MacArthur conducted the early war in the Pacific. It served as part of a string of harbor defenses. The military past of Corregidor Island, 26 miles west of Manila, stretches back centuries to the late 1500s, when the ruling Spanish Crown used it as a penal institution, an edifice and a Customs station. The British and Dutch also had confrontations here. Much later, in 1898, American troops seized the island during the Spanish-American War. After Japanese occupation of the Philippines during World War II, Filipinos and Americans lost the island to Japanese forces, but recaptured it in 1945. You will ferry to the island and visit the Pacific War Memorial; the Mile-Long Barracks, said to be the longest in the world; and the Malinta Tunnel, which housed MacArthur and a military hospital. After time to explore, return to your ship by motor coach. * Moderate - Walking portions may be long and somewhat challenging with occasional step-ups, stairs and inclines. Total time walking or standing normally ranges from 1.5 to 3 hours.