|
M A N I L A C I T Y G U I D E
Off the Beaten Track
Corregidor
This small island at the mouth of Manila Bay was the site of the U.S.-Filipino last stand against the invading Japanese. The island certainly didn't turn out to be as impregnable as the defenders thought, but they did hold out for a considerable time. Now the island is a national shrine. Visitors can look around the network of underground bunkers and inspect the rusty relics of the old fortress armaments. The MV Sun Cruiser ferry to Corregidor leaves at 8 a.m. daily from the dock near Manila's cultural center. An extra service operates on weekends. The island is about 50 km (30 mi) from the capital across the Bay of Manila.
Olongapo and Subic
Located north-west of Manila, Olongapo is where the huge U.S. naval base, Subic, used to be stationed. In a controversial move, the Philippine Senate decided in 1992 not to extend the Military Base Agreement that had been in place since the end of WWII. Some historians claim that the handover of the base to the Philippine government was the true moment of independence from the U.S. for the Philippines. After the handover, the transformation of the base into the Subic Bay Freeport became a national priority. The base was huge, with much of the area covered with virgin rainforest. The Americans put that to good use for survival training, while now it's open to sightseers. Subic Bay is a great area for divers, with 20 wrecks strewn across its floor. The highlight is the wreck of the USS New York, sunk in 1941 and lying at a depth of 27 m (89 ft). Olongapo is a two or three hour bus ride from Manila, with Subic another 12 km (8 mi) by jeepney (watch out for pick-pockets). Short flights are also available.
Angeles
A couple of events in 1991 could have seen the collapse of the sprawling city of Angeles, north of Manila. The most violent eruption ever of nearby Mount Pinatubo sent steam and ejecta 40 km (25 mi) into the stratosphere, darkening the sky and leaving the ground around it a virtual lunar surface. Frightened off by something even it couldn't contain, the U.S. Air Force closed its Clark Air Base following the eruption, leaving the city's many 'hotels' without clientele. But the residents and businesses of Angeles proved more resilient than was first thought. The surrounds of Pinatubo are now an eerie, ashen tourist attraction--the coagulated material has formed streams of rock up to 20 m (65 ft) high--and an increase in civilians passing through means there are still plenty of hotels offering hourly rates. Angeles is a two hour bus trip from Manila.
Pagsanjan
About 70 km (44 mi) south-west of Manila in the Laguna Province is a popular spot for tourists to shoot the rapids in canoes. For a fee, you are paddled upriver to a waterfall (a good place for a swim), and then go rushing down the rapids, getting a good old soaking on the way. Many rich tourists have thrown the pesos around, so you can expect to be hassled for extra money. Some travelers report having an unpleasant time after refusing to pay extra to the boatmen. This part of the river was where the final scenes of Apocalypse Now were filmed, but you're more likely to have a pleasant cruise than an existential encounter with pure evil.
< BACK | NEXT >
© 1999 Lonely Planet Publications Pty. Ltd. All rights reserved
|
|
|
