Taal Crater Hike is famous to local and foreign tourists, which has its advantages and disadvantages. Let's first get to the bad side. A boat ride costs P1,500 and could accommodate about 6 passengers. It's a bit pricey for a 20-min ride. But thanks to the high number of tourists, the island has an established and supportive Tourism Office. There are several resorts that offer the boat ride to the island and we found one that offers a package with a guide.
When we got to the island, we were welcomed by a tour guide and accompanied to the tourism office for registration of P40. The guide rate is P500. You can also opt to ride a horse up to the crater.
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| Tourism Office |
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| The hot trail to the crater |
The hike is an easy one, lasting for not more an hour. There are several nipa huts along the crater edge where guests can eat their lunch with no fee. There are also several stores selling drinks, shirts and souvenirs. The crater is indeed a picturesque sight that reminded me of the sulfuric lake of Mount Pinatubo.
We also tried asking if there's a way to get to the lake and swim but we were informed that we have to coordinate with another barangay offering this tour. So we just settled with enjoying the view and taking more pictures of the lake.
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| The Crater Lake! |
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| The hut where we ate our lunch |
How to get there:
From Manila, ride any bus that will pass through Tanauan. Travel time is an hour and a half. Walk to the Tanauan Market and ride a jeep bound to Talisay. Tell the driver to drop you off at the Poblacion. If he's kind enough, he may even bring you to one of the resorts he know. Don't worry, the rates are the same in any resort.
