All of us studied this landmark at some point in school. Why wouldn’t we? It is a national pride since it is the smallest volcano in the world. Taal Volcano is a volcano within an island at the center of a lake. And yes, it is possible to get on top of it and marvel its beauty at the crater. The Taal Volcano is one of the highlights of everybody’s trip whenever they go to Tagaytay. Nothing compares to enjoying good coffee and food with family and friends with this breathtaking view at the backdrop. Apparently for me, seeing it is not enough. I have to conquer it. I have to be in it!

Taal Tour Guide for a Day

Luckily, my cousin’s friends from Dubai wanted to visit it themselves when they went to the country for an event. Being a tour guide has its perks and I enjoyed every moment of it. A quick Facebook search helped me with my task in preparing the itinerary. There are several travel groups that offer complete travel packages to the crater of Taal Volcano and I immediately closed a deal with one.

The package included the following:

• Tricycle Ride (Olivarez Plaza to the resort in Talisay, vice versa)
• Boat Ride (from the resort to the island)
• Registration Fee
• Nipa Hut at the crater

We arrived in Tagaytay at around 2:30 PM. It was late for the tour but our tour guide, Michael accommodated us wholeheartedly. A tuktuk-style tricyle picked us up at Olivarez Plaza and my friends enjoyed the experience! We passed by the snake-like Ligaya Drive where we had the full view of the Taal Lake. There is even a designated area for visitors to stop and take photos.

Take a Hike or Ride a Horse

About 20 minutes later, we arrived at the resort and signed up. A boat ride brought us to the island. Souvenir vendors and hawkers welcomed us, or so we thought. Since my friends wanted to try every local transportation option as much as possible, they decided to get a horse to take us to the crater. A roundtrip horse ride costs P500. Water bottles for both the guide and the horse are optional but a must. They are a bit pricey at P50 but we had no other options.

The hike by horse ran for 30 minutes. Our timing was perfect because the sun is up but it is not too hot. It was also the perfect lighting for photos. We stayed at a Nipa Hut at the top. The crater is a stone’s throw away from it. Visitors can also play a round of golf. Don’t worry because the balls are eco-friendly and won’t damage the lake! A round of three balls cost P100 but Michael gave the first round for free. But of course, no journey is complete without taking shots. There are various alcohol at the top- brandy, whisky, lambanog- just pick your poison! I gave my friends a shot of the local lambanog and they loved it. I didn’t .

It’s nearly sunset when we decided to descend back to the docks. The entire experience has been great. The view was breathtaking and our guide made us feel very welcome. This hike crosses out another destination off my bucket list.

Tips:

1. Go there in the morning or past lunch. The heat can get unbearable.
2. Stay comfortable. It’s better to wear slippers because the trail is sandy.
3. Power up your devices! It’s a perfect opportunity for taking great photos.
4. Pack lots of fluid. You can support the local community by buying drinks from them but they tend to overprice.
5. Ask your tour guide triviass about the place.
6. Enjoy.

If you are also planning to take on this challenge, check out Michael’s details below so you can also set an appointment with him!

Facebook: Taal Volcano and Taal Direct Tour
0930-200-4491