Taal Volcano at a glance
Located about 40 miles south of Manila, the capital of the Philippines, this site is defined by its unusual geography. The volcano's crater contains a lake, which in turn features a small, rocky islet. This crater, known as Volcano Island, is itself an island sitting within the waters of Taal Lake. That lake is situated on the island of Luzon. This nested scale of land and water is unique in the world.
Taal is often cited as the smallest active volcano on the planet. More somberly, the eruptions and tsunamis triggered by its volcanic activity, combined with the proximity of populated areas, make it the deadliest in the history of the country.
The site is monitored and currently open to visitors. The volcano is never completely dormant, and you may see harmless fumaroles escaping from the crater. To reach it, you will need to take a banka, a type of traditional local outrigger boat, for a 20-minute ride to dock on Volcano Island. From there, you climb to the summit. The ascent to the crater, which reaches an elevation of 1,300 feet in some spots, can be done on foot or by horse. Hiking up is a decent workout, especially given the heat and humidity, but it is manageable without special equipment in about 40 minutes. Furthermore, hiking is free and allows you to take in the views at your own pace.
To get to Taal Volcano, you need to go to Talisay (an hour and a half from Manila by bus).
Then you will need to take a banka to cross the lake, which is actually the old crater of a much larger volcano.
To climb to the top of the volcano, you can rent a small horse (it is much less tiring!!!!!!!)
At the top of the volcano, you can enjoy the small active crater of Taal Volcano and the fumaroles that are still escaping from it.
A little side note, at the summit a local will offer to let you hit a golf ball with a club into the volcano crater for a few bucks.