PLAN A
Corregidor Island
Activity/ Schedule
My to do List
#1 Have picture taken at the Mile-Long Barracks.
#2 Explore the Malinta Tunnel. At night.
#3 Hike through the steep trail drilled through the dense tropical forest.
#4 Ride the tramvia!
#5 See the sunrise from the Bottomside and sunset at the Topside.
#6 Go ghost-hunting at the ruins of the old hospital.
Best time to visit
Anytime is the best time to go to Corregidor, just be sure to check any weather disturbances in the area before going, as the seas could turn rough- you may have to stay overnight if suddenly a storm comes up. Supplies to the island are ferried. Hotels run on generators basically. We didn’t see any ATMs on the island- so bring extra cash with you to cover emergencies.
TRANSPORTATION
Sun Cruises virtually cornered the tourism market for Corregidor and unless you hire a yacht to sail to Corregidor, you don’t have any choice but go with them. There are trips daily unless advised otherwise. Please visit their website for bookings and further information.
Most, if not all, package tours regardless of which tour agent you will go through will arrange it with Sun Cruises as they have the monopoly of the entire Corregidor Package Tour- all the boats there if I am not mistaken are owned and/or operated by Sun Cruises.
ACCOMODATION
HOTEL ACCOMODATION
- 31 room and hotel restaurant
- Lovely and comfortable
THING TO REMEMBER/BRING
Umbrella
– You cannot totally trust a weather forecast for any part of the archipelago so bringing an umbrella is always the best move. Umbrellas protect you both from the harsh rays of the sun and from getting wet from an unexpected rain shower. Umbrellas are available in the tramvia. They are, however, limited. So instead of hoping to borrow one in the bus, better to just bring your own.
Cap and shades
– IMO, the fisherman's hat is the most comfortable headgear you can bring for this tour because it's soft, foldable and can fit easily into your bag. But it’s still up to you. Baseball caps are also a great option for protecting your face and head. To shield your eyes from the sun's painful glare, wear your favorite sunspecs.
Sunscreen and a lip balm with SPF
– Although the bus brings you to all the sites during the day tour, you will be given a few minutes to explore important locations in the island on foot. Apply sunblock a few minutes before the ferry comes ashore. Seeing the dock in Corregidor while you’re still in the cruiser is a signal that you need to start applying sunscreen on your face, neck arms, legs and feet. Sunscreen will also be useful when you plan to go kayaking the next day. When my friend and I kayaked, I got a tan-line in only 30 minutes!
Camera
– In this trip, my camera died on me as early as the second bus stop. It was a lens error, apparently a common thing that happens in Canon cameras. It was the second time this happened to my Canon S100. I probably need to have this one fixed so I can sell it, and buy a brand that’s better at quality point-and-shoot cameras. Shooting in the Malinta Tunnel is not prohibited, so you can take as many pictures as you want – with flash. Just don’t forget to listen to the audio because the story and the whole production really takes you back to the 1940s. All the wonderful pictures you take won’t do you any good if you have no story to retell.
Wet wipes / wet towel
– My mother gave me a wet towel that she placed in a ziplock bag but I didn’t take it because I thought I wouldn’t have a use for it. Well, I regret not bringing it with me. You can use a wet towel or wet wipes to cool yourself during the day, or wipe off your perspiration when you’re inside the tunnels at night. You can also use them for wiping off dirt or dust from your feet or hands.
Sneakers
– If you have poor footwork for trekking, wearing sneakers or rubber shoes will keep your feet from getting hurt from all those sharp and jagged rocks in the rubble. Flip flops are okay too (I wore them during this tour) but you don’t want to take chances if you’re not good at walking in the dark with only a few flashlights on. (Just a side note: pregnant women are not allowed to do the lateral tunnel tour in Corregidor)
Band-aid / medicine
– A medic will be with the group for the lateral tunnel tour. That nurse will also be the one taking care of your medical needs when in the hotel. Unfortunately, they run out of supplies too. Pack your own first aid kit and medicine, including Biogesic, Advil, loperamide, Bonamine, etc. or any other tablet, syrup or pill that you personally need.
Snacks, candies and 3-in-1 coffee
– One of the things I regret not bringing was food! After the day tour, when we headed back to the Corregidor hotel, my roommate and I were soooo hungry. But we didn’t want to order food yet because we’re saving it for dinnertime, and I was pretty sure we'd even be hungrier when we get back. But we were very very hungry. What we did was buy instant cup noodles instead. This gave us more energy to go on with the tour. But it was more expensive of course than in Manila – P40.00 for the large Nissin Cup. I suggest you bring food you fancy while in Manila – ensaimada, cupcakes, mamon, etc, because they have limited food choices there. The Corregidor Hotel has hot water for coffee and noodles anyway so you can bring those in from the city. The kitchen closes at 9PM so you don’t have a choice but to buy from a sari-sari store, which is a few minutes walk from the hotel.
Towel and toiletries
– Each hotel room has 2 shampoo sachets and 2 packs of small soap (no lotion). Their quality may not be at par with your preference so I suggest you bring your own shampoo and soap, as well as toothpaste, toothbrush, facial wash, or any other product you can’t go without. I aimed to pack light so I didn’t consider bringing a large towel as it would just take too much space in my bag. But I brought a small towel just in case. Great thing they have towels available so you don’t have to bring one – unless you’re just picky.
Swimsuit
– Bring your swim gear just in case you’re in the mood to get in the water after the sunrise viewing the next day. The activities to choose from include zipline, ATV and kayak. Two from our group chose ATV, while the rest opted to kayak. Tipping over is a possibility in kayaking and you can get wet from the neck down so my friend and I made sure not to get ourselves wet as I didn’t bring a swimsuit or an extra bra.
TOTAL BUDGET
Day tour weekly adult rate – Php 2,250.00 / person
Day tour weekend adult rate – Php 2,449.00 / person
Day tour child rate ( 3-11 yrs. Old ) – Php 1,400.00 / person
PLAN B
Lake Sebu
Activity/ Schedule
Learn T’boli Culture on a Lake Cruise
Wait for the Iconic Lotus Flower to Bloom
Learn How T’nalak Weaving is Made
Check out the 7 Hikongs or Waterfalls (and Memorize their names)
Get High! Ride the Zipline
Best time to visit
Anytime is the best time since the area is outside the typhoon belt. Most people visit the area during Philippine summer (March-May), thus, expect a bit of a crowd. Enjoy the zipline over the 7 falls!
TRANSPORTATION
General Santos City is the usual jump off point to Lake Sebu. Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific have daily regular flights to General Santos City International Airport from Manila, Cebu and Iloilo.
From General Santos City’s Bulaong Terminal, catch a nonstop Marbel (Koronadal) bound Yellow Bus Line (YBL) from Bulaong Terminal, travel time is approximately one hour and fare is P75 (as of 2013). At Marbel Terminal, catch a van to Lake Sebu (travel time takes 1.5 hours). Alternatively, you may ride a bus going to Surallah, travel time is around half an hour and fare is P25 (as of 2013) and transfer to a jeepney stationed at Surallah Terminal going to Lake Sebu, a forty-five minute journey for P35 (as of 2013) with last trip usually at six in the evening.
ACCOMODATION
HOTEL ACCOMODATION
Lemobung Lodge and Restaurant / Tourism Lodge
Poblacion, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato
Budget: As low as P100 per person
EL Galong Waterpark Resort
Sitio Tukofol, Barangay Poblacion, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato
Budget: As low as P900 for room good for 2
TIPS
Mobile signal is of major networks are present
Some hotels have free wifi
No ATM in town
Big hotels/resorts accept credit/debit card
