Many of us are familiar with Taal Volcano, considered to be one of the smallest volcanoes in the world. We were taught in grade school that it is a unique formation because it is a volcano within a volcano. That cone shape we see in postcards and other souvenir items is so familiar.
But I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the popular cone shape is not the only crater in Taal. In fact, there is a bigger crater, tucked away near that famous landmark. My research informed me that there are four craters.
Recently, I and some friends went on a Taal Volcano Trek. Our first stop was the World Wide Web for recommendations and instructions on how to go on a trek. Taal is notoriously known for overcharging, hassling boatmen who would charge you an arm and leg for the boat ride.
My research took me to the website of Taal Lake Yacht Club, a website for Filipino sailing enthusiasts. TLYC offers three kinds of trails—Regular Tourist, Secret/Kalawit Trail and Ambassador Kenney Trail.
Although the fees for the Secret Trail are more expensive than the two, we chose this because of one important component—we wanted to swim in the crater. After making the payment arrangements, picking out our lunch for the day, renting a vehicle, and issuing the reminders for the our group, we trooped to Taal Lake.
Arriving at the TLYC, we were welcomed by Ate Sonya, the woman in charge of our lunch. In a few minutes, we boarded our boats (maximum of five per boat) and had a 30-minute travel from the shore to Volcano Island. A TLYC guide also accompanied us.
When we got off at Volcano Island, we met the island guide, who will go with us in our trek to the crater. She informed us that the trek would take us about 45 minutes to one hour, depending on our speed.
For the next hour, we tested our will and stamina, and headed for the crater. For someone who’s not used to long and arduous walks, this was one exhausting trek. Although there is a trail, there were slippery steps and steep climbs, making the trek a little difficult. We also had to take short breaks for sheer exhaustion (we’re not a physically fit group).
After an hour of trekking, we finally arrived at the crater.
The place is gorgeous, to say the least. The crater lake is well-hidden and it is not visible by people who travel in Tagaytay. It feels like you’re isolated from the rest of the world. It is also nature at is most raw, as you will not find any restroom (even a makeshift one) nor a cottage in the area.
Because of this, we just took a dip in the crater lake in the very clothes that we are wearing and trekked back without changing—we had no choice! Hahaha!
Our guides were also careful in telling us not to swim far from the shoreline. The seabed of the crater lake is uneven and just a few steps may mean a foot deeper. No diving allowed, either!
The only downside with swimming in the crater lake is that your shirt will turn into orange. I think this is because of the sulfuric water in the lake. And because the lake is completely surrounded by land, the water doesn’t go anywhere and algae have made the water green.
After about 30 minutes staying in the crater lake, we happily packed our bags and trekked back to our boat.
If you’re interested to on this trek, you may contact Taal Lake Yacht Club at. The advantages of coursing the trek with TLYC are:
1) They will not charge you an arm and a leg (what you see in the website is what you get).
2) They will provide you knowledgeable guides to accompany you during your trek.
3) They practice safety. They will not overload the boats as Marina requires a maximum of only five people per boat.
4) The boats are also equipped with life jackets, cell phone (in case of emergency), etc.
Photo credit: Barry, Zita, Jen and Che
Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (given by sister-in-law)
The Hong Kong Harbor
