One of the best tours I would have to say, having done this twice. The boat ride there is…read morecomfortable, the first time there was a large group of international travelers. On my second trip, there was a large contingent of college students from an all girls school. So folks are coming because they're all eager to learn. Tip - Charge and bring your Nikon, don't make that mistake. There will be plenty of killer shots to take. I came back to learn more and for the other fun things. I do enjoy the mini bus ride and tour guide explanations for everything. You get to leave the bus at certain points so that you can walk among the ruins. Be careful - if you have uncoordinated relatives or small kids, you need to accompany them because there are no guard rails in certain places. This reminded me a little of Chitchen Itza (Yucatan Peninsula). And of course - there is a buffet lunch at the hotel which is nice. Warning - You may feel a little sluggish after this big meal as you continue to tour the island. And by the time you get back to Manila and drive home - it's an all day affair and you'll feel somewhat tired. In summary, if you're into history and can take in large amounts of information and process it accordingly this trip is for you. If you get into WW2 data points, you will really enjoy this. If you don't get into history but like a nice relaxing boat ride and tour with a huge buffet lunch - you'll have a great time nonetheless. The fresh air alone and the views will have you coming back with other touristy visitors.

The first time I heard about Corregidor Island was when I was about to board a boat to go there. I…read morehave to admit, I'm not exactly a history buff. That was the one class that I just couldn't get excited about. Fourth period History class mean Fourth period nappy nap time for Jamie. As I got older though, I developed an appreciation for history. I'm still not well-versed in World War 2 facts, but all the little stories that have Corregidor Island as a back drop make me feel more intrigued. For instance, the famous "I shall return" quote from General MacArthur was made on this island. Also, there was a Japanese cemetery that was found here decades later only after a picture was seen at a garage sale in the US. Interesting stuff. The tour around the island gave insight on the battles here. From seeing Battery Way and all the dilapidated barracks, all of it is quite amazing being there and realizing what happened but just a few years ago. While I wasn't really looking forward to this part of my first trip to the Philippines in ages, I am certainly glad I went. And, when I do go back to the Philippines, I can't wait to make another stop on Corregidor Island.

This cruise line takes you to Corregidor island. I would highly recommend that you get the island…read moretour with the buffet package if you're there only for the day. It was a fairly quick ride at about a 1hr 15min. Seats were comfy as well. I would try and refrain from laughing when the crew does their "sunset tours" dance before leaving port. For the life of me, I don't understand why they had to dance but it was a good laugh for me.

When I booked for our first Corregidor tour with my dad, a World War II Veteran, at first I felt…read moregiddy, but then I began to worry about my dad, who is already 96 yrs old. I started to think of worst-case scenarios like : is the weather too hot, or like will it rain, to like are there enough rest rooms, knowing my dad frequents the toilets, and etc.. When the day arrived and we were whisked by our ferry boat to our destination, all my fears subsided the moment we hit the shores of Corregidor. The weather was perfect, and the tram ride was relaxing. Our tour guide was very fluent in English, and shared with us a few anecdotes, stories, and jokes along the way. The tour was very educational of our historical heritage and there were a lot of photo opportunities during every stop. We had a buffet lunch at the lone hotel in the island and the food was great. The meat dishes were very tender to the bite while the rest of entrees were also delicious. I'm so happy that my dad enjoyed the trip and so did I. After our first trip, I'm looking forward to more trips in the near future.

Overall the tour was an amazing tour. The tour leader Janet brought an enthusiastic vibe to the…read moretour, that lightened up the mood. Janet was a local of the slum, making everyone doing the tour feel like a local as well. She give us the opportunity to connect with the people that live there. Her ability to give information and knowledge to the people on the tour is extremely expansive. Everybody should go to the flagship Baseco tour.

From the owner: Our flagship tour is the Slum Tour in BASECO. Baseco is considered one of the poorest areas in…read moreMetro Manila. We also offer a Cemetery Tour, Market Tour and Family Tour. All our tours are guided by local Smokey Tours tour leaders, who are from the slums. This makes our tours sustainable by supporting the local community through Talent Development and Livelihood. Smokey Tours are not just bricks and mortar tours. We offer a special experience. Believing that deep experience equals deep insight. Our tours are unique and honest; a testimony of changing times and our global 'interconnectedness' It is possible to do two tours in one day, depending on the availability and tours of your choice.

Tagaytay gets all the plaudits, all the tourists and all the weekenders, but it's far from the most…read moreinteresting city in the region. It might be famous for its views, but Tagaytay is a fairly new city with not a lot of history going for it. Before the city on the ridge, it was Taal that earned its fair share of visitors. It's one of the oldest cities in the area, and there are numerous significant churches in town. A visita iglesia in the area is one way to explore Taal, and it's great how the city has been trying to improve its tourism infrastructure recently. The town has several delicacies, but my favorite is turon malagkit; the vendors and small hostels around the St. Martin of Tours Basilica has a bunch of good ones. The city is only about 3 hrs away, and it's a great stop for anyone interested in Philippine history.

As much as we Filipinos have been so westernized, there is but one small part of our history left…read morein the city - it's found in the old capital of Manila which is Intramuros. If you have a friend visiting Manila, I suggest you take him to the Intramuros Tour of Carlos Celdran. The tour lasts about three hours and trust me, you won't get some typical tour where Carlos has a boring script and is tight with time. Carlos maps out Intramuros by sections and while the participants walk along with him he theatrically explains the history of the Philippines. He talks about the country in such a comic way. For sure your foreigner friends will laugh at some his jokes. Carlos' way of discussing is very interactive. He sometimes may need participation from the audience when it comes to things. Other than that, his company is surely enjoyable. At the end of the tour, you get a sweet surprise of halo halo to quench your thirst.

There's no better way to understand history a bit more than doing a literal walk-through with the…read morepioneer in walking tours of Intramuros, Manila - Carlos Celdran. Armed with a clearbook, a lapel, and mobile speaker, this man clad in his barong and hat will take you through time. The tour has several stops consisting of San Agustin Church, Manila Cathedral and Fr. Blanco's Garden, and lastly, Fort Santiago. I've taken this tour twice - once as a college student and again when I brought foreign friends to see Intramuros. On my second tour, Fr. Blanco's Garden was being renovated so it was replaced by a quick tour of the courtyard of San Agustin Church. This tour is best for adults (as opposed to teens or kids) as he talks fast and gives jokes that have underlying meaning, or need a bit of quick analysis. We were also advised that the tour works best for big groups as participants try to focus more and gives better interaction dynamics between the tour guide and the group. I personally saw truth in that. All in all, it's a great crash course or a nice refresher on old Manila's history. If (Intramuros) walls could talk, it would probably agree, criticize and laugh with Carlos Celdran.

We found this tour online when Google foodtour in Manila... When I asked some of my local friends…read moreabout the tour... Apparently, it is a popular tour for tourists as well as locals... Especially after featured on CNN'S Anthony Bourdaine No Reservation, Manila episode! For about $25 USD per person (depending how big is your group, our group is about 15 plus), the tour is including a walking through Manila chinatown, learning about the history, the culture and food tasting at 5 places. We met at the Binondo church. Our tour guide was Ivan Van Dy who was the guide for Anthony Bourdain. Ivan is very knowledgeable about the history and food and very funny... Everyone in our tour is local! 1. First stop was the new Po-Hung lumpia house. We had the fresh or unfried veggie lumpia. It is very different from the usual lumpia. This lupmia is eaten with dipping in cripy rice, hot chilly sauce, soy sauce and other types of sauce. It is savory, crunchy, salty and spicy! 2. Second stop was Quick snac or Amah's kitchen. Here, we had empanadas with chives, Pilar tofu, punsir satemi dado. Empanadas are fresh. Pilar tofu is fried tofu served with special sauce, cilandro, chives and sriracha hot sauce. It is perfectly fried outside and melted in your mouth. Punsir satemi dado is egg noodles sate with beef and kngkong. It is also very spicy! 3. Third stop was Dong-bei dumpling house. We had chive dumplings and brown pork dumplings. These are very fresh and tasty! At the entrance, we watched a lady making fresh dumplings! 4. Fourth stop was President tea house. Here, we tried their salted duck egg custard dumplings and mango soup! Probably this is my favorite stop of the tour... Not only it is different but also very light and delicious desert! The duck Egg custard dumplings were served hot and the filling melted in your mouth, savory, cheesy but light! The mango soup is very refreshing after having other salty and spicy dishes! 5. Last stop was the Chinese Holand Hopia and Bakery. I never had hopia before... So, I don't have any frame of reference... It is a pastry type desert with different fillings like mung bean paste, jack fruit, duran, etc. We also stopped by market and tried out different dried foods. Ivan also took us to one of the Chinese associated house. We enjoyed our tour very much and met some very cool people on the tour! I definitely would recommend this tour!

The tour itself was okay. Nothing great, but okay. The big issue was the lack of communication that…read morethe Binondo food tour was going to start early. The original confirmation email stated that the tour would start at 9:30am and to arrive several minutes early. We received an email at 9:06 on the morning of the tour telling us they decided to start early at 9:05, so we literally had a -1 minute heads up. This started a game of cat and mouse. It took several text messages, a phone call, wandering aimlessly around Binondo, and finally arriving 45 minutes after the tour started. We missed a decent portion of the tour and no apology was made or any effort to rectify the situation. For 2000 pesos, spend your money elsewhere.

I am really good friends with a surfing enthusiast, and one of the pluses to having somebody who's…read morevery social is meeting new people that I wouldn't have met in a billion years with my current social skills.One of them was the bright and fun businesswoman who owns this travel business--exclusively for surfing! Basically, Surfista Travels is a highly growing company that arranges trip packages to Philippines' most amazing beaches solely for the purpose of riding the waves. There are various packages available to choose from every surf season. The packages include a place to stay, transportation, surfboard, and lessons. It even includes one day free day for you to do anything you fancy! If you're looking for an adventure anytime soon that's appreciative of the natural beauty of the Philippines, not too expensive and totally new, try surfing. I guarantee you, you'll never be the same person again!

My husband and I are staying at the Manila Hotel. We booked our trip to Villa Escudero thru…read moreconcierge. This review is for the tour itself, especially our driver Jude. Our trip was fantastic! Jude picked us up on time, even a few minutes earlier than the scheduled 7:30 am time. There was another couple that we picked up alstaying in Makati Astoria. They got picked up on time, too! I intentionally booked a Sunday tour to avoid traffic as well as on the weekend schedule, a cultural show is included with the entrance fees. The cost of our tour is pretty steep; however, I believe that you get what you pay for, including the excellent tour guide and driver coming from Jude, and that our mode of transportation is a 2019 or 2020, air conditioned Toyota 12- passenger van. The tour included, of course, pick-up & drop- off times. Entrance fees to Villa Escudero, generous sized portions of lunch, & of course, the amazing historical talent of Jude. We really enjoyed his company for the day. On driving Roxas Blvd, he gave us facts about Metro Manila, as well as Makati, and pointed out sights, such as Mt Makiling on the way up to Villa Escudero. We would go again, using this tour company, and request for Jude as our driver and tour guide.