<strong>Taal Volcano: </strong>Located about 30 minutes south of Manila, Taal Volcano sits within a lake within an island, adjacent to the holiday town of Tagaytay, a popular getaway for Manila residents. The smallest volcano in the world, at just 1,020 feet tall Taal attracts thousands of tourists every year.
Taal Volcano: Located about 30 minutes south of Manila, Taal Volcano sits within a lake within an island, adjacent to the holiday town of Tagaytay, a popular getaway for Manila residents. The smallest volcano in the world, at just 1,020 feet tall Taal attracts thousands of tourists every year.
Ronan O'Connell
<strong>Lake crossing: </strong>To reach the hike, travelers must first cross the lake to Volcano Island -- usually aboard a colorful outrigger canoe.
Lake crossing: To reach the hike, travelers must first cross the lake to Volcano Island -- usually aboard a colorful outrigger canoe.
Ronan O'Connell
<strong>Tiny terror: </strong>They say ignorance is bliss, but it's probably best to be well informed before hiking the Philippines' most dangerous volcano. Its track record? Since the 16th century, Taal Volcano has erupted 30 times and killed 5,000 people.
Tiny terror: They say ignorance is bliss, but it's probably best to be well informed before hiking the Philippines' most dangerous volcano. Its track record? Since the 16th century, Taal Volcano has erupted 30 times and killed 5,000 people.
Ronan O'Connell
<strong>What danger?:</strong> These days, there's little cause for concern. The volcano is only closed to visitors on the rare occasion that Filipino authorities upgrade it from an "Alert Level 0" to an "Alert Level 1", which means there's no threat of imminent eruption but that the volcano is behaving abnormally.
What danger?: These days, there's little cause for concern. The volcano is only closed to visitors on the rare occasion that Filipino authorities upgrade it from an "Alert Level 0" to an "Alert Level 1", which means there's no threat of imminent eruption but that the volcano is behaving abnormally.
Ronan O'Connell
<strong>Walk easy: </strong>Once on shore, it takes roughly 45 minutes to reach the crater's edge -- attracting both veteran hikers and visiting families.
Walk easy: Once on shore, it takes roughly 45 minutes to reach the crater's edge -- attracting both veteran hikers and visiting families.
Ronan O'Connell
<strong>Walking optional: </strong>Visitors can hire a horse and guide to take them the rim of the volcano.
Walking optional: Visitors can hire a horse and guide to take them the rim of the volcano.
Ronan O'Connell
<strong>On the edge: </strong>There is nothing to stop the most intrepid travelers from walking around the rim and descending towards Crater Lake to earn a closer vantage of the small, volcanic Vulcan Point Island.
On the edge: There is nothing to stop the most intrepid travelers from walking around the rim and descending towards Crater Lake to earn a closer vantage of the small, volcanic Vulcan Point Island.
Ronan O'Connell