Asia Expats Forum

Sasquatch Pilaf · Cohort Joined: 02 Apr 2005 Posts: 220 Location:

Which one of these volcanos is more worth seeing? I only have a short vacation there this time and would like to see one or the other.
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Alan Stepney · Centurion Joined: 05 Nov 2004 Posts: 853 Location:

Lake Taal is very photogenic and an easy day trip from Manila.
Pinatubo is a fairly long drive followed by a l-o-n-g hike. Not really practical in a day.
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The Middle Eastern states aren't nations; they're quarrels with borders.- P. J. O'Rourke

Sasquatch Pilaf · Cohort Joined: 02 Apr 2005 Posts: 220 Location:

Do you know how I could arrange a trip to Lake Taal by public transportation or would this mean that it couldn't be done in a day?
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Alan Stepney · Centurion Joined: 05 Nov 2004 Posts: 853 Location:

Last time I was in that area, I went to Tagaytay, which is overlooking Lake Taal. Being on a high ridge, it catches the breeze and is much cooler than "down below".
There is a picnic area which is popular with families. Dont need to take anything, as there is a place there to buy food and drink.

I hired a car including driver, for Peso 2,000, (plus I bought the guy lunch.)
Only a couple of hours each way, inclding some sightseeing.

Yes, you can do it by public transport, but will spend all day, or most of it travelling.

I'd need to look up what buses go that way to give a proper answer.
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The Middle Eastern states aren't nations; they're quarrels with borders.- P. J. O'Rourke

Alan Stepney · Centurion Joined: 05 Nov 2004 Posts: 853 Location:

I had to look it up, and this might be somewhat out of date, but it does give the basic info.

Buses (BLTB or Jam Transit) go from Manila to Talisay and Batangas. The latter is the jumping off point for Puerto Galera so is popular with tourists.
Not sure of price nowadays, but doubt it is much more than about P100.

Talisay is one of the places where one can get a banka (boat) across lake Taal.
Getting around in the area is simple as there are plenty of jeepneys.
The latter are cheap, of the order of P6 for a few Kms.

The bankas are expensive unless you are one of a party, or can join others and make up a boat full. (The price is per boat, not per person.)
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The Middle Eastern states aren't nations; they're quarrels with borders.- P. J. O'Rourke

Sasquatch Pilaf · Cohort Joined: 02 Apr 2005 Posts: 220 Location:

Thanks. I think I may go to Puerto Galera again and leave a day early to stop at Talisay on the way back. From what I can see on some sites most boats go across in the morning so I can go up to Tagatay in the afternoon and across to the island the following morning with some other people before heading back to Manila.
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Sasquatch Pilaf · Cohort Joined: 02 Apr 2005 Posts: 220 Location:

Did go to Taal. Not a very challenging hike. Interesting scenery with the vents steaming and all. Really doesn't take much time at all.
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sibbick1 · Novice Joined: 05 Nov 2004 Posts: 23 Location:

Sasquatch Pilaf · Cohort Joined: 02 Apr 2005 Posts: 220 Location:

Click on these to enlarge.

This is what the volcano looks like from Tagitay. The easy part to climb is in the middle of the island, not the cone on the right side of the island. Perhaps that was what you were told would be the much more challenging 2+ hours climb. I'd believe it. It took less than 30 minutes for me and the Filipina that was with me to get to the top of the main crater in the middle of the island where we could see into the volcano.
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sibbick1 · Novice Joined: 05 Nov 2004 Posts: 23 Location:

Sasquatch Pilaf · Cohort Joined: 02 Apr 2005 Posts: 220 Location:

These are the Binitiang Crater which is the one we didn't climb. There is a floating village that you can get a good look at on the boat trip across to the island.
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Sasquatch Pilaf · Cohort Joined: 02 Apr 2005 Posts: 220 Location:

These are from the crater of the main vocano looking into the volcanic lake.

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