Corregidor has a place in the history of the Philippines. It symbolizes the gallantry of our forefathers.
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I have always wanted to go to this place to pay tribute to our heroes. Would I just be an ordinary tourist that will sit in a tram in a guided tour? Nah. I thought it best to tour the island in a mountain bike.
Last June 4th, I finally made this dream of biking in Corregidor come true. It was fun indeed and I shall return (as MacArthur says)
How to go to Corregidor with your bike: After searching in the internet, I found out that there is one shipping company that ply this route, Sun Cruises. They have a website, which is good. http://www.corregidorphilippines.com.
Here are their contact details :
Reservations Office
CCP Terminal A. CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Manila, Philippines
Tel. Nos. (632) 831-8140,(632) 834-6857 to 58
Fax No. (632) 834-1523
E-mail: suncruises@magsaysay.com.ph
The experience of calling Sun Cruises reservation office: They have list of their tour packages which includes guided tour, lunch, transportation within Corregidor but they don't list anything for bikers so I have to call them. I found two number in their contact page and I called but nobody answers. I am so used to people answering in less than 5 rings and I am so frustrated with their contact center because nobody is answering their phones on a timely basis. I have been trying for several attempts and I think on my fifth try and after more than 10 rings, somebody answers, whew! finally!
Okay so here it is - how much does it take to go to Corregidor with your bike? Ps 1,200 pesos (as of June 4, 2011) for a round trip boat ride from CCP dock in Manila to Corregidor Island. The fee is inclusive of bike cargo fee already. And that is all, don't ask for lunch or guide because that is not included in this fee.
Reservation and payment: now you cannot just go to the dock and wait for the boat waving your money. This Corregidor trip has a long line and you have to reserve well in advance. I don't know whether June is peak period but when I called, the earliest available was still 3 weeks away. You reserve by calling their number above (now be patient because as I said, they are not that good at manning their phones). When you get to talk to somebody, tell them how many persons you want to go on the trip and they will give you your Transaction Number. You then go to their authorized banks to pay for your dues (in my case I went to BDO) and email bank payment slip photocopy to their email above. Do not lose this payment slip because you will need to present this in the ticketing office to claim your ticket on the day of your trip.
Bike day comes: By 7am, you go to the Sun Cruises CCP Bay terminal to claim your ticket and know your seat assignment. Show your deposit slip or your proof of payment. You will then proceed to the dock area where the boat is with your bike. There will be people there to collect your tickets and load your bike. The boat will leave by 8am. This is a 1 hour 30 minute boat ride so relax and maybe take picture at the view deck. You will arrive at the north dock of Corregidor by about 9:30am. From here, it is all about biking now. Make sure you return to the dock by 2pm to load your bikes. The boat leaves Corregidor by 2:30pm.
Guide: If all of you are first timers in the island, better print this map so that you know your itinerary. Bring a compass or GPS device but really it's hard to get lost in this small rock.
Lunch: You can have buffet lunch at Corregidor Inn, La Playa restaurant for 420 pesos. Not the best value in my view with just 3 choices of your main course. If you don't fancy this, you can also try MacArthur's Cafe which should not be too expensive. Otherwise, bring your own packed lunch and have a picnic at the South Dock cabanas.
Above all, enjoy the experience of bike riding in Corregidor. It is a unique experience every Pinoy mountain biker should experience at least once.
Salute our heroes when you arrive at the place! We owe them.
View Larger Map
I have always wanted to go to this place to pay tribute to our heroes. Would I just be an ordinary tourist that will sit in a tram in a guided tour? Nah. I thought it best to tour the island in a mountain bike.
Last June 4th, I finally made this dream of biking in Corregidor come true. It was fun indeed and I shall return (as MacArthur says)
How to go to Corregidor with your bike: After searching in the internet, I found out that there is one shipping company that ply this route, Sun Cruises. They have a website, which is good. http://www.corregidorphilippines.com.
Here are their contact details :
Reservations Office
CCP Terminal A. CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Manila, Philippines
Tel. Nos. (632) 831-8140,(632) 834-6857 to 58
Fax No. (632) 834-1523
E-mail: suncruises@magsaysay.com.ph
The experience of calling Sun Cruises reservation office: They have list of their tour packages which includes guided tour, lunch, transportation within Corregidor but they don't list anything for bikers so I have to call them. I found two number in their contact page and I called but nobody answers. I am so used to people answering in less than 5 rings and I am so frustrated with their contact center because nobody is answering their phones on a timely basis. I have been trying for several attempts and I think on my fifth try and after more than 10 rings, somebody answers, whew! finally!
Okay so here it is - how much does it take to go to Corregidor with your bike? Ps 1,200 pesos (as of June 4, 2011) for a round trip boat ride from CCP dock in Manila to Corregidor Island. The fee is inclusive of bike cargo fee already. And that is all, don't ask for lunch or guide because that is not included in this fee.
Reservation and payment: now you cannot just go to the dock and wait for the boat waving your money. This Corregidor trip has a long line and you have to reserve well in advance. I don't know whether June is peak period but when I called, the earliest available was still 3 weeks away. You reserve by calling their number above (now be patient because as I said, they are not that good at manning their phones). When you get to talk to somebody, tell them how many persons you want to go on the trip and they will give you your Transaction Number. You then go to their authorized banks to pay for your dues (in my case I went to BDO) and email bank payment slip photocopy to their email above. Do not lose this payment slip because you will need to present this in the ticketing office to claim your ticket on the day of your trip.
Bike day comes: By 7am, you go to the Sun Cruises CCP Bay terminal to claim your ticket and know your seat assignment. Show your deposit slip or your proof of payment. You will then proceed to the dock area where the boat is with your bike. There will be people there to collect your tickets and load your bike. The boat will leave by 8am. This is a 1 hour 30 minute boat ride so relax and maybe take picture at the view deck. You will arrive at the north dock of Corregidor by about 9:30am. From here, it is all about biking now. Make sure you return to the dock by 2pm to load your bikes. The boat leaves Corregidor by 2:30pm.
Guide: If all of you are first timers in the island, better print this map so that you know your itinerary. Bring a compass or GPS device but really it's hard to get lost in this small rock.
Lunch: You can have buffet lunch at Corregidor Inn, La Playa restaurant for 420 pesos. Not the best value in my view with just 3 choices of your main course. If you don't fancy this, you can also try MacArthur's Cafe which should not be too expensive. Otherwise, bring your own packed lunch and have a picnic at the South Dock cabanas.
Above all, enjoy the experience of bike riding in Corregidor. It is a unique experience every Pinoy mountain biker should experience at least once.
Salute our heroes when you arrive at the place! We owe them.
I searched for information on biking in Corregidor and discovered your blog entry.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this. It's very informative, specially the map.
Since the time is limited, would you suggest an overnight trip instead? Also, any suggested must-go places in case we need to do a day tour?
Thanks
Hi Jovan,
ReplyDeleteI definitely would suggest the overnight stay since the time is really limited for a day trip. But if you only have the time for a day trip I would suggest Top Side Barracks, Pacific War Memorial, Spanish light house and the Parade Grounds. If you have more time left and you want to try real off-roading, there is a very good route on the south part of the island where the route snakes through cliff side rough road and the view is splendid here. I'll prepare a map and edit this post later.
Cheers,
Gali
Wow! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe last time I was there was in college, when we had a field trip with our History class.
I'm planning to bring some of my friends from Batangas to ride the "Rock". Thinking about doing the overnight stay, although it might seem a bit creepy. Hehehehe!
Is 9:30 to 2:00 enough time to see the island on bikes?
ReplyDeleteNo, it's not enough for that short duration but you would be able to cover a good deal depending on your pace. To enjoy the scenery though, I would suggest a slow pace and stay overnight.
Delete