15 Things to Bring in your Corregidor Island Tour

8 years ago at my 2nd job ever, I joined our company outing - a day tour to Corregidor. Looking back, all I can remember is how awesome the Malinta Tunnel Lights and Sounds show was.

8 years later, that important part of the trip is still awesome! This time, my friends and I didn't just walk along the main passage, we also had the chance to explore more of the inner tunnels. We had a tour guide who not only told us lots of stories, but also threw in a few jokes here and there, making our Corregidor experience even more fun and less scary. But more on that later.

If you are staying overnight in Corregidor, do your research on what to expect and carefully plan your baggage. Here are 15 things you should bring for an overnight stay in Corregidor Island:

1. 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. 
2. 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. 
3. 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!

   

   I wore leggings under my shorts!

   
   
4. 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. 

   

   Take time to read informative texts and historical accounts.

5. 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.
6. 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)
   
   
   
7. 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. 
8. 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. 
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. Games – Bring cards and games to keep you and your friends from getting bored during your vacation. Do not stay up too late though if you plan to join the sunrise viewing at 5 in the morning.

    

    Taboo is fun... until your opponents memorize all the words! 
    -Photo by elPadawan via Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

    
    

    
    
12. Your own form of entertainment – Your leisure time during this travel includes:

1st Day:


• 3 to 4 hours back and forth ferry ride between Manila and Corregidor
• the time between your return from the day tour (around 2:30 to 3pm) and the start of the Malinta Tunnel night tour at 5PM
• the time between end of dinner (9PM – the time the kitchen closes) and sleeping time

2nd Day:


• the time between the end of your day activity (9AM) and checkout time (12NN)

Bring a good book, iPad or mp3 player to keep you entertained during the ferry boat ride. There is no available wi-fi connection in the hotel so if you need to stay online, turn to mobile internet. I subscribed to Globe’s Blackberry Max on the first day so I can send some emails and the connection was pretty good!

I strongly suggest that you don’t bring too many gadgets in this trip. Instead, find pleasure in exploring the place. Take note: at night, there aren’t much light outside so you will have to bring your flashlight for an evening stroll.

13. Flashlight – Flashlights are super duper useful when touring Corregidor Island. There are flashlights available during the tunnel tour at night, but it’s better to bring your own. 
14. Water bottle – Keeping yourself hydrated throughout the trip will help you have more energy so you can take good pictures and understand the tour guide better. 
15. Coupon printouts - this only applies if you availed of a deal from an online coupon site. My friends and I got the package from Deal Grocer, for which we paid only 5K for 2 persons – this deal includes round trip ferry transfers, guided island tour, buffet lunch on the 1st day and breakfast on the 2nd, the lateral tunnel tour + sunset viewing, and a choice of 1 outdoor activity. Make sure to print out your coupon if you also availed of an irresistible deal from a trustworthy discount vendor.