Taal Day Tour: Taal Lake, Taal Volcano and Taal Heritage Town

NOTICE: Taal Volcano is currently off-limits because of the January 2020 eruptions, so this tour is unavailable until further notice. We have another tour that lets you view Taal Volcano from afar, and visit Taal Heritage Town.Click here to see that alternative Taal tour.

Taal is the name of a lake, a volcano and a town. Taal Lake is the third largest lake in country and is actually the caldera of a very large extinct volcano. In the center of this lake is Taal Volcano, which is very active. A volcano within a volcano, Taal's beauty and uniqueness make it one of the country's must see sights. Most enjoy Taal Volcano and Taal Lake from a distance on the tourism and leisure hub that is Tagaytay ridge. While the view from Tagaytay is truly picturesque, on this adventure we go deeper into the Taal experience by sailing across Taal Lake and trekking up Taal Volcano's slope up to the rim of its main crater. Only there, peering into the crater lake with its water streaked with sulfur and shore dotted by fumaroles, can we appreciate the full glory of Taal Volcano.

Just off the shore of Taal Lake is Taal Heritage Town, established in 1572. It is one of the oldest towns in the country and home to Asia's biggest Catholic church, as well as a collection of old houses that showcase traditional Filipino-Spanish architecture. The town and its people played an important role in the Philippine revolution against the Spanish and is a great place to learn about the country's history and culture. Taal Town is also known for making the country's best barongs, our traditional formal men's attire, and it is the birthplace of the famous balisong or butterfly knife.

Highlights and activities

• Visit Taal Lake and Taal Volcano, two of the country's must-see sights.
• Hike up an active volcano, passing steam vents along the way.
• Visit 19th century churches and houses and learn about Philippine culture and history.

• hiking / trekking

1. 

   Day 1: Experiencing Taal

   Taal is a small, very active volcano with a lake in its crater. It is located in the middle of a large lake which is actually the crater of another huge extinct volcano. We start the trip by driving 1.5 hours up to Tagaytay, a popular weekend destination for people who live in Manila. Tagaytay is actually on the crater lip of the huge extinct volcano and it offers a very picturesque view of Taal Volcano and Taal Lake. After seeing the view we drive down to Taal Lake and hop on a boat to get to the small volcano. We then do an easy 1-hour uphill hike to the lip of the volcano's crater. Along the way we pass signs of the volcano's activity: scorched earth and sulfuric fumes rising from the ground. At the crater lip we get a great view of the inner lake that has boiling water, sulfur streaks and fumaroles at its edges.

   At noon we drive to Taal Town, a very old town established in 1572 that has Asia's biggest Catholic church and a collection of old houses that showcase traditional Filipino-Spanish architecture. We visit churches, old houses and other points of interest in the town before driving back to Manila in late afternoon.

There are currently no set schedules for this tour. Tell us your preferred date and we'll open that date as a trip departure in which others can join.

Departures are guaranteed once two (2) persons sign up for the trip. If you are the only person to sign up for a scheduled departure, you have the option of getting a full refund, rescheduling to a guaranteed departure, or doing a private tour for an additional USD 200.00.

If you'd like to go on this adventure but there are no dates which suit your schedule, please contact us, and we will set up a group departure date for you. You can also do this trip as a private tour.

Includes

• All land and water transportation for the duration of the trip (private vehicle and chartered boat).
• All fees associated with the specified activities.
• Guiding service.

Excludes

• Travel insurance.
• Lunch
• Tipping. Tips to restaurant waiters, local guides, etc. are not expected but appreciated. Your trip leader can suggest an appropriate amount. Also, if you are happy with the service of your Trip Leader, a tip at the end of your adventure will be greatly appreciated.

Price is per person for a minimum group of two (2) persons.

Kindly contact us for information for smaller or larger groups.

• Those with respiratory problems should consult their doctor before joining this trip. Aside from the aerobic demand of trekking, this trip involves exposure to volcanic fumes.
• Yellow fever vaccination is required for entry to the Philippines if you are coming from a yellow-fever infected country; if you are not, this vaccination is unnecessary. The following vaccinations are recommended:
  • Hepatitis A and B
  • Typhoid
  • Japanese encephalitis
  • Measles, mumps and rubella