Albay Philippines - Home To The World's Perfectly Shaped Volcano

Albay is a province in the Philippines located in south of Luzon within the Bicol region.  It is a tourist destination popularly known for it's ecotourism that features it's nature formations, Eco-parks, adventure activities, and historical sites.  It is also known for it's many festivals and delectable local cuisines.  And of course the main attraction of the province is the world renowned Mayon Volcano, which is considered to be one of the world's most perfectly coned shape volcano.

I have always wanted to visit this place so I availed a join-in group day tour to explore what the province has to offer.  Albay is approximately 6-7 hours by private car and around 12 hours by public bus.  If you don't have the time for the long drive, you can opt to get there by plane which takes about 30-45 minutes.  Here are the places that I have explored during my visit in Albay:





MAYON ATV ADVENTURE IN DARAGA

One of the must try adventure in Albay is the ATV ride to the foot of Mayon Volcano.  The ATV ride will take around 3-4 hours.  You will pass by rough terrain through shallow streams, dense forests, and uphill climbs.  There are tour guides to assist you along the way, so you need not worry about anything.  The cost for the ATV adventure ranges from Php500 to Php5,000 depending on the trail, duration, and type of ATV used.  You can search online for the best offers for the ATV adventure ride.

Check this YouTube video of our Mayon ATV Adventure:

Happy Trail ATV Adventures
Daraga, Albay, Philippines






CAGSAWA RUINS

The Cagsawa Ruins is a well known historical landmark in the province of Albay.  Located in the town of Daraga, it is a remnant of a 16th century Franciscan church during the Spanish colonial era.  Today it was made into a park with a beautiful scenic view of the Mayon Volcano.  There are a lot of souvenir shops and food stalls in the park.  The park has been a famous stop over for visitors touring the province of Albay.  It was also where the Chili Ice Cream has originated.  Entrance to the park is Php20 per person.

Cagsawa Ruins
Daraga, 4501 Albay, Philippines






SUMLANG LAKE

Sumlang Lake if one of the latest additions in the tourist attractions in Albay.  The lake provides stunning views of the Mayon Volcano.  The lake is actually man-made.  It was developed in 2004 wherein they turned the 14-hectare filthy waters into a beautiful attraction.  Here you can enjoy basking through the bamboo rafts with stylish chairs or kayak along the lake.  Entrance fee to the lake is Php20 per person.  Kayaking and Aqua Biking rates are Php50 per 30 minutes and the Floating Cottage can be rented for Php300 per hour.

Watch this YouTube video of Sumlang Lake:

Sumlang Lake
Poblacion, Camalig, Albay, Philippines






QUITUINAN HILLS & JAPANESE TUNNEL

Another place with great views of the Mayon Volcano is the Quituinan Hills.  Here, you can trek the hills, ride horses, do picnics, and fly kites.  Just across the road, there are also Japanese Tunnels that you can explore.  This place is historically known as a base camp by the Japanese during the World War II.  Entrance fee to this place is Php20 per person  and is open from 7AM to 5PM

Watch this YouTube video of Quintuinan Hills & Japanese Tunnel:

Quituinan Hills
Camalig, Albay, Philippines






DARAGA CHURCH

Also known as Nuestra Senora de la Porteria Parish Church, the church was built by the Franciscans in 1773.  The church was heavily damaged during the World War II, and was then renovated using mix styles of Renaissance Gothic and Mexican Baroque.  Today the church is considered as a National Treasure by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.  Many tourist visit the church to admire it's architecture and magnificent views of Mayon Volcano.

Daraga Church
Sta. Maria Street, Daraga, Albay, Philippines









LEGAZPI BOULEVARD

Legaspi Boulevard is another venue to view the magnificent Mayon Volcano.  The boulevard is best enjoyed to take 3-kilometer strolls and jogs.  It also gives you a great sunrise view overlooking the Albay Gulf.

Legazpi Boulevard
Legazpi Blvd, Legazpi City, Albay, Philippines





My time in Albay is limited so I only have scratched the surface of this beautiful province.  I will definitely come back to explore more of this wonderful destination.


Here are some tips if you want to visit Albay:

1. Albay is around 6-8 hours from Manila so the ride can be quite long.  For land travel, if you have a driver, i suggest leaving  Manila late night so you can reach Albay early in the morning.  If you have the budget and want to make most out of your time avail of the domestic flights from Philippine Airlines or Cebu Pacific.
2. I would also suggest availing Join-In tours.  It is more cheaper and they will organize everything for you. You need not worry about logistics and they probably know the best places and offers in the province.  Here's a link of the travel agency that i availed: https://www.facebook.com/POSH-Travellers-2017125078612019/
3. Albay is a typhoon prone province so it is best that you visit during the dry-summer season in the Philippines around January to May.
4. If you are to take the Mayon ATV Adventure, make sure that you have extra clothes with you.  You will be passing dirt roads and shallow streams so can get wet and dirty.  There are no stores along the trails so bring at least drinking water with you.
5. Make sure you try some Chili Ice Cream, Pili Nuts, and Bicol Express during your visit.  These are the specialties of the province.

For more travel and food blogs, please visit:  http://haringlarga.blogspot.com/p/home.html