Taal Volcano
Shot taken at 25,000 ft above the province of Laguna, east of Taal Lake.
Photo by storm-crypt
Taal Volcano is an active volcano located about 70-km south of Manila inside a lake, it was formed through one major eruption at the center of a lake, and since the lake itself is the crater of a prehistoric volcano, and within the lake, other eruptions have occurred producing more craters and micro-lakes. The vista from the rim is unrivaled.
Photo by storm-crypt
Although the Taal Volcano has not erupted since 1977, it has erupted 33 times and these were notable enough to earn it a tag by the UN on the list of the world’s Decade Volcanoes. Many people still travel to the area to see the magnificent sites set to a backdrop of vegetation and wildlife in Batangas City and are willing to pay the cost and risk for a rent house to take in the views of the Taal Volcano Protected Landscape in its true glory.
One area that tourists enjoy visiting immensely as part of the Taal Volcano Protected Landscape is Crater Lake where many enjoy bathing. Unfortunately the sudden influx of tourists recently has led to a decline in the aquatic fish who call the area home and conservationists are beginning to take action. However, there will soon be a large tree planting along the beaches of Taal Lake to combat the problem along with Volcano Island. Additionally, an area will be deemed a protected area to encourage friendly eco-tourism to keep the area ripe and environmentally diverse for years to come.
Photo by danielygo
Inside the main caldera,on volcano island, there is yet another lake, called the “Crater Lake.” The highly sulfuric lake may have medicinal properties. People do swim in it, Some have even SCUBA dived in it.
Folk stories has it that the whole Taal Lake (part of it can be seen in the distance) surrounding the Taal Volcano island, is the crater of the original volcano itself(hinting that this was once a super volcano judging by the size of Taal Lake — if the story is true).
Inside the main caldera,on volcano island, there is yet another lake, called the “Crater Lake.” The highly sulfuric lake may have medicinal properties. People do swim in it, Some have even SCUBA dived in it. The crater lake can be accessed by going around the crater to the west side of the island.
Tourists and visitors normally go to the town of Talisay, a few kilometers down the slopes of Tagaytay city(about 2 hours from Manila). Boats will then take visitors to the volcano island(where this crater lake is) for approximately 45 minutes. For those who are rich, disabled, ederly or plain lazy — they normally take horses up the slopes to the viewing deck, near where this shot was taken. By horses, the viewing deck is only about 20 minutes from the shore(where the boats dock). By foot, the same distance can be covered in an hour or so. During the summer, the path can be very dusty. A face/dust mask will be very handy for the trip.
Photo by storm-crypt
Initiatives such as these are what have earned the Taal Volcano Protected Landscape that includes over twenty areas its protected status and a nomination as an area of outstanding universal area. Due to the many unique formations left behind by the active Taal Volcano there are many geological wonders that cannot be found so densely relative to each other at any other area in the world. These geological hotspots are one of the main reasons for the wide biodiversity of plant and aquatic fish life that inhabit the general area.
Adding to the area’s charm is the fact that no other volcano’s eruption can be matched with the Taal Volcano or the resulting landscaped area due to the fact that it originated from the center of Lake Crater in prehistoric times. Thus, this phenomenon cannot be viewed or experienced at any other location in the world which is partially the reason why tourists are so prevalent in the area at any time of the year.
National Geological Monument
Taal Volcano Protected Landscape was declared Philippines’s National Geological Monument (together with Chocolate Hills, and Hundred Islands National Park) and was also proposed for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2006.
Photo by deckchua
UNESCO Tentative List
Justification for Outstanding Universal Value
The lake and its environs is home to many species of flora and fauna a number of which are endemic to the lake like the “Tawilis” (Sardinella tawilis), the only fresh water sardine in the world and the Taal Lake Seasnake (Hydrophis semperi or known to locals as Duhol), the only freshwater sea snake in the world. The snake still has salt glands to eliminate excess salt, despite being in a freshwater habitat. Other endemic forms include blue green algae, diatom, ostracod, sponge, reptile and fishes. There are many other species, which until now have yet to be documented, and whose natural histories have not been fully studied.
Photo by storm-crypt
Getting There
Located at Batangas: Refer to How to get to Batangas
There are three main roads that link Tagaytay City to the lake and the volcano. One is Diokno Highway near the border to Nasugbu, Batangas; the other is just behind the Tagaytay Rotunda (but this is a very steep road); and the most preferred way is the Ligaya Drive near the Tagaytay-Sta. Rosa road, which leads to the town of Talisay, Batangas.
Talisay is the major jump-off point where boats are available to reach the volcano island.
Article Sources
WIKIPEDIA – Taal Volcano
UNESCO World Heritage – Taal Volcano Protected Landscape, Batangas
Taal – a Decade Volcano
Grace is loving every minute she spend traveling around Philippines, meeting people and making new friends. Her travel mantra - “Live, breathe. It is never too late to feel alive.”
I need to know the 33 years the volcano taal erupted, e.g. 1887, 1974 etc. If you could do this i would be grateful. Good luck x
Hi Kirsty.
This is a travel guide website, not a research website. Please direct your inquiries to the proper agencies – Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/). Or you may reach them at: PHIVOLCS Building, C.P. Garcia Avenue, U.P. Campus,Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.
Or you may call them at Tel.: 426-1468 to 79 Fax: 927-45-24, 926-2611. Country Code – 63, Area Code – 2.
Thank you.
Ryan
Hi,
Please do remember that horse-riding is not compulsory in Taal trekking.
Kevan
True, would not even consider it. The ponies are too tiny.
The small crater that is usually taken by photographers is not the main crater. It si just one of the craters surrounding the lake. Don’t you know that in the early eruptions of this volcano, it sank some towns. Namely Tanauan, Taal, Bauan, and Lipa.
……………….tAaL VoLcAnO Is sO VeRy AmAzInG…………..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If I’m coming from Manila, how do I reach Talisay by public transpo? Thanks!
Hi Chito,
We just went out there a few weeks ago. I can’t remember which bus company we took. I think it was JAM, on the corner of Taft and Buendia. There are no buses that go right into Talisay. We got off the bus in Tanauan then caught a tricycle to catch a jeep to Talisay. I don’t think the jeeps go all the way to the lake’s edge but as there was nobody else in the jeep the driver took us all the way. Otherwise you can get a tricycle to take you there.
I think you can also go by bus to Tagaytay and then catch a jeep down to Talisay from there.
Hope that helps.
^ It helps a lot. Thanks so much!
I read there is a camp site on Taal anyone been there and stayed and if so how much is it for a tent and 2 people? see there is also hire of windsurfing gear ect.
oh and can people camp for the night on the top some where or by the lake in taal, also is it safe to swim in it?? hehe
Hi Wayne,
This place is not on Taal Island but it is beside Taal Lake. http://www.sailing.org.ph/tlyc/camp.html
People have told me there are places to camp on the island but I’m not sure where. It is safe to swim in Taal Lake, but if you mean swimming in the crater lake then you may want to check with PHILVOLCS or local tour agencies.
Hi Scott I contacted the sailing club said its ok for me to go stay a few night at them moment but they said they are thinking about no westerners later as they have had some bad ones going off not paying there bill which is shocking as its only like 3 us dollars a day to camp…….. so they might be changing it to locals only campsite.
Hi Wayne,
When do you intend to camp there? I can ask some of my contacts who have connections to TLYC. I will try but no promises.
Ryan
Hi Ryan well just sorting my time off work now but looking like November my friends family live in Manila but there home village is in Bicol so was thinking of trip to see Taal few days camping then heading to Bicol…….. but going to try fitting into my 3 weeks a few different places :O) want to see Volcano’s and lakes, waterfalls and a nice beach is all on my list a little hiking and a few of cheap hotels.
The most photographed crater/mount in Taal Volcano Complex is Mt. Binintiang Malaki (that famous cone). The site of recent eruption is Mt. Tabaro which has a deeper crater with no lake. The island remains virtually unexplored even by geologists because if it were, I would have seen the photos.
I just came from Tagaytay and went trekking to Taal Volcano..All along I thought that the most featured pictures of Taal Volcano that we see in Tagaytay and on postcards and even books is the Taal Volcano.It’s only now that I came to know that it is actually Mt.Binintiang Malaki. Confusing in did. Hoping that the pictures of Taal Volcano will be posted in books,magazines and postcards and not the picture of Mt. Binintiang Malaki to avoid confusion.. My trip was quite education though after I googled the exact location and picture of Taal Volcano and Mt. Binintiang Malaki.