Review ｜ Kamikaze East Airfield ★★★★★
The Kamikaze East Airfield is a cool place to hit up for anyone that’s a history buff. The airfield, which is now more of an empty lot next to an overpass 10km north of Angeles City in the city of Mabalacat, was the first runway the Japanese used to send kamikaze pilots off to a horrible death.
There isn’t much to see at the field, so it can be covered in a few minutes. There is a plaque with some information close to the entrance, as well as sculpture in the park center and a stone wall adorned with the Japanese and Filipino flags. Combine that with how far out of the center of Angeles city the airfield is located and the difficulty of get public transportation out there, it’s little wonder why few people actually visit the sight.
All that said, I am really glad I made the effort to go out there. I thought it was a rewarding piece of history to take in. Part of the enjoyment definitely came from the challenge of getting there.
Getting to Kamikaze East Airfield
First off, Google maps has the airfield pinned in two separate locations, causing a lot of frustration for people that want to visit. I have the correct location linked below.
Now that we know the correct location, there are several options for getting there.
If you’ve rented your own transportation, it’s super easy to get to. There is also plenty of parking near the sight, either on the side of the road or in the numerous parking lots dotted around the airfield.
If you’re not willing to drive, you can take a taxi there. You are really going to have to explain where you want to go, as this is not a popular tourist destination. Make sure they understand you want them to wait and take you back to Angeles city. Expect to pay around ₱500.
You can also grab a jeepney up to the airfield. Head out to this area here and catch a jeepney going north. None of the jeepney drivers I talked with had any idea what the the Kamikaze East Airfield was. A passerby overheard me and told me I could take any jeepney going to Mabalacat. Hop off when you get to the highway underpass with Mabalacat written in huge letters on the wall. The airfield is just 100m south. The ride is only ₱10, making it much cheaper than a taxi. It’s also much more of an adventure doing it this way. To get back to Angeles City, simply head to the other side of the road and catch a jeepney going in that direction. Pretty easy.
I actually hitchhiked back to Angeles City and got a ride almost immediately.
Need more information about the Philippines?
Look at our full write up on Vigan HERE.
View our full write up on Laoag HERE.
Check out our full write up on Manila HERE. (Coming soon)
See our full write up on Angeles City HERE.
Read our full write up on Cebu HERE. (Coming soon)
Contact & General Information
Price: Free
Hours: Daily 24h
Website: None
Location: Google
