Are Taal Lake and Volcano worth the detour?

Hello. At the end of my trip around northern Luzon, I’m thinking of checking out the Taal Volcano site: - the lake - the volcano I plan to arrive in Tagaytay in the morning to explore the lake and volcano. Should I stay in Talisay or Tagaytay? And leave the next morning for Manila. What do you think of this plan—are the lake and volcano worth the detour from Manila? Is visiting the town of Taal before heading back to Manila of any interest? Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

For me, yes, it’s an exceptional site, but maybe not the best time to visit since it’s a bit active right now. I don’t think you’ll be able to go up to the volcano. The tour should still go ahead without any issues. There’s a beautiful old church in Taal, and a butterfly knife maker.

thanks for the info

when the volcano is erupting, can you still see it from the surrounding heights? I’ll be there in January.

It’s not erupting, but there are gas emissions. Access will be forbidden anyway. However, you’ll probably still be able to go down to the lake—you’ll see about the volcano once you’re there. Keep an eye on updates from Philvolcs. The last seismic activity was in mid-July.

Good evening. Yes, we have very fond memories of this getaway to the lake and the climb up the volcano for a stunning view of the lake. The trip started off great. Safe travels. Eric

thanks for your feedback

ok, thanks for the details

Hello again, Do you know the Bontoc area? If so, do you think visiting the surrounding villages (Mainit, Malicong, Barlig, Kadaclan, etc.) is worth it? And if so, are they accessible by car?

I went to Banaue and Batad, trekking through the rice terraces, then 3 days of relaxation in Sagada. That was a long time ago—I loved it, but it must’ve changed a lot. I think you can now get to Batad by car. In Bontoc, I just looked for a jeepney to Sagada

yes, I think the whole region has changed (for better or worse?)

Hello again, Do you know the Bontoc region? If so, do you think visiting the surrounding villages is interesting (Mainit, Malicong, Barlig, Kadaclan, etc.)? And if so, are they accessible by car?

Regarding accessibility: to reach Mainit, it's a dirt track; for Malicong and Barlig, it's a proper road. These are mountain roads with quite a few bends, and there may be earth and rocks on the surface, so drive carefully. You can get an idea by checking Google Maps—plus, there’s Street View now 😎—which gives an even better sense of the road network. Have a great day.

thanks for these details and for the landscapes!