The Philippines is a southeast asian country in the western Pacific Ocean about a thousand kilometers away from Hongkong. It is comprised of 1,107 islands grouped into three: Luzon Islands in the north, the Visayas Islands in the center, and the Mindanao Islands in the south.

The Philippines is a former Spanish and a former United States colony. As a result, it has a vast number of Latin-speaking and English-speaking Filipinos.

It is the home of the world-renowned Filipino boxer and currently number one pound-for-pound boxer, Manny Pacquiao.

The City of Manila or Maynilad in the vernacular, is the capital of the Philippines. It is located in the southwest of Luzon and one of the cities that comprise the Metro Manila. Manila is the second most populous urban area in the Philippines and serves as its main business and cultural hub.

The Manila Bay, dubbed as one of the best natural harbors in the world and boast of a spectacular and captivating sunset during a clear day, is Manila's main harbor.

On its entrance from the Pacific is the island of Corregidor, a famous landmark and a tourist destination.  It separates the Manila Bay entrance into two channels. The northern channel near Bataan and the southern channel in Cavite. This is where Sangley Point, a former U.S. Naval Base is also located.

Inside the Manila Bay is a stretch of reclaimed land called the Bay City.  It is where famous Philippine landmarks are located. Foremost among them is the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP Complex) with its Philippine International Convention Center and Folk Arts Theater. CCP is a repository of Philippine culture and arts.

Also located on the reclaimed Bay City area is the SM Mall of Asia, the largest shopping mall in Asia.

The Manila Yacht Club, one of the oldest yacht clubs in Asia, can also be found along the shores of Manila Bay.

The Bagong Nayong Pilipino Entertainment City, currently being constructed along the Manila Bay by the Philippine Gaming and Amusement Corporation (PAGCOR), will become a Las Vegas style entertainment place slated to be operational by year 2012.

If you found yourself in Manila, you may want to take one of the several Manila Bay Cruises available. You may choose to take the Prestige Cruises or the MetroStar Cruises. Both are inexpensive and could take you around the Manila Bay. You may even want to take the time to visit Corregidor, famous for its Spanish and American war relics.

AVAILABLE CRUISES

Prestige Cruises Inc., located at the CPP Complex, operates two 60-ton 154-passenger ferry boats for its daily cruises. The M/V Spirit of Manila for the Manila Bay Cruise and the M/V Eagle Ferry for its Corregidor Day Tour.

The cruises are very inexpensive.

1. Sunset Cruise at 5:00 PM

2. Dining Cruise at 7:00 PM

3. Moonlight Cruise at 9:00 PM

Besides the two-hour cruises, they have a day tour package, the Corregidor Cruise. It is a guided tour that includes a visit to the Malinta Tunnel, bored into the Malinta Hill by the United States Army Corps of Engineers in 1932 which served as a bomb-proof personnel and storage bunker and later fitted with a hospital during the Japanese-American War. It also takes you to the different War Memorials in the Island. And of course, you can take your lunch and unwind at the beautiful and relaxing Corregidor Resort.

MetroStar Ferry, with its terminal located at the back of the SM Mall of Asia, offers similar bay cruises including a ferry service to Cavite City.