Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Around Manila
Despite the proximity of the big city, the provinces that cluster around
Metro Manila contain a surprisingly rich array of natural attractions. To the
south lies stunning Lake Taal and its volcano, best approached from the
refreshingly breezy city of Tagaytay, while further south, on the coast, Anilao
offers outstanding scuba diving. North of Lake Taal, Los Baños is best known
for its delicious
2
pie, hot springs and mountain pools, and sits not far
from the churning waters of the Pagsanjan Falls, where you can take a
thrilling (and soaking) canoe ride downriver across a series of rapids. North
of Manila you can climb the lush slopes of Mount Pinatubo or Mount Arayat,
explore remote Bataan province, or enjoy the beaches and activities on offer
at Subic Bay, once a major US navy base.
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The region was also the scene of some of the nation's most important historical events.
The island of Corregidor , out in Manila Bay, is littered with thought-provoking
monuments to World War II, while Malolos , north of Manila, was where the
Revolutionary Congress was convened in 1898. National heroes Emilio Aguinaldo and
José Rizal were both born in the region, and their family homes preserved as museums.
Corregidor
The tadpole-shaped island of CORREGIDOR , less than 5km long and 3km wide at its
broadest point, is a living museum to the horrors of war. Lying 40km southwest of
Manila, it was originally used by the Spanish as a customs post. In 1942 it was
defended bravely by an ill-equipped US and Filipino contingent under continual
bombardment from Japanese guns and aircraft. Some 900 Japanese and 800 American
and Filipino troops died in the fighting, and when the Americans retook the island in
1945, virtually the entire Japanese garrison of over 6000 men was annihilated: little
wonder Corregidor is said to be haunted. The island was abandoned after the war, and
was gradually reclaimed by thick jungle vegetation - it wasn't until the late 1980s that
the Corregidor Foundation begun to transform it into a national shrine.
If you visit Corregidor on a day-trip you'll be restricted to a guided tour ; only if you
stay the night (see p.107) are you able to wander around on your own. Perhaps
understandably, the tours tend to focus on the heroism, bravery and sacrifice of the
men who fought here, rather than the grisly nature of the fighting itself, but they are
still a moving experience. Japanese tourists also come here in numbers to pay their
respects to the dead of both sides.
Away from the reminders of one of the war's most horrific battles, Corregidor is
unspoiled, peaceful and a great break from the city: you can walk marked trails that
meander through the hilly interior (look out for the monkeys and monitor lizards),
Laguna hot springs p.108
Shooting the rapids at Pagsanjan p.111
The tastes of Lake Taal p.113
Volcano Island p.114
Diving at Anilao p.119
San Pedro Cutud Lenten Rites p.121
Pinatubo blows its top p.123
Subic Bay beaches p.125
Dive Subic Bay p.128
Hiking around Subic p.129
 
 
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