Only four miles long, Corregidor's ruined barracks and artilleries attest to the fierce fighting between the Fil-Am forces and the Japanese. The island's various historical landmarks can be explored by foot. Located on the island of Luzon, Metropolitan Manila evolved from its humble beginnings as a tribal settlement at the mouth of a natural harbour into a bustling metropolis that is now the centre of government, business, commerce and education in the Philippines. The city is actually composed of eight cities and nine municipalities, covering an area of some 630 square kilometres. Manila is the country's capital and premier gateway to the Philippines.
Manila is a study in contrast.
Beneath the rumble of big city traffic, the staccato clip-clop of horses' hooves can be heard on the cobbled lanes of Intramuros and Chinatown. Throbbing discos and nightclubs are side-by side with the hushed halls of museums and art galleries. Gourmet restaurants ring with the tinkle of wine glasses, while wayside canteens resound with hearty laughter and healthy appetites. Shopping malls bustle with activity near lush golfing greens. Parks and pockets of greenery interrupt the highrise skyline.