Full day tour to Taal Lake & Taal Volcano

You will be picked up at your hotel early this morning and driven to Taal Volcano, which is said to be the world's smallest active volcano and the second most active volcano in the Philippines, with 33 eruptions recorded. The most recent significant activity was the eruption in 1965, which caused a pyroclastic surge that devastated villages on the lake shore and killed around 100 people. From then until 1977 the volcano erupted several times, but caused little damage. Taal Lake is a freshwater lake that fills Taal Caldera, which was formed by very large eruptions up to 500,000 years ago. The country's third largest lake, it provides stunning views and is a habitat for many endemic species. In the middle of the lake is Volcano Island, which is where the volcano's historical eruptions took place.

Taal Volcano and Taal Lake lie approximately 70 kilometres south of Manila. Your drive takes you through the suburbs of Manila and should take approximately two hours. Once you reach the shore of the lake you will board an outrigger boat for the 30-minute trip across the lake to Taal Volcano island. Trek uphill through the hardened black lava to the rim of the crater, where you will have impressive views down into the green lake beneath, as well as across Taal Lake itself. Return to the boat and travel back to the shoreline, where you will enjoy lunch at Antonio's, which is tucked away in the hills of Tagaytay and serves excellent food.

After lunch, you will visit the heritage town of Taal, known for its beautifully restored houses dating to the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as for the specialty of hand-embroidered fabrics and hand-made knives. The houses contain original furnishings, and you will be able to visit the Leon Apacible Museum, Gregorio Agoncillo House and the Galleria Taal, which houses an extensive collection of antique cameras. You will return to Manila in the late afternoon.