2005-06-03 Taal Lake

We took a trip to Taal Lake to ride up to the top of the rim of the slightly active volcano. The activity consists of some steam vents visible from the rim. The adventure included a boat ride in an outrigger boat called a banca, and then a 45 minute horseback ride up the edge of the rim.

The interesting thing about the Taal Lake area is that it has a lake inside a volcano on an island in a lake inside a much larger dormant portion of the original volcano.

Driver Ray brought us down to the lake front and helped negotiate our boat ride and horseback ride once we got across the large lake. As always, the negotiation process is a necessary part of system as all the operators are independent and trying to make their living. We obtained the services of a guide and boat with the promise of horses on the other side.

The lake was calm and the ride across was uneventful. Once we landed, we were met by friends of our guide and headed to the area where the horses were kept. When we saw the horses, we were a little worried if they would be able to haul us up the hill, as they are relatively small compared to what we are used to. In addition, every horse has a handler, who also generally rides up on the back of the horse with you.

Some people were walking up the hill, as that was an option, but going up by horseback was definitely the way to go. There were literally hundreds of people going up and down the hill. The guides were saying that they usually get a couple of trips a week up the hill, so there must either be thousands of horses and handlers, or the horses are shared by many handlers, which is what I suspect.

Once we got tot he top of the hill, we dismounted onto randomly places stacks of sandbags, and then the horses and handlers went to rest in the shade. We then walked a little further to the top and looked over the rim into the active part of the volcano where we saw a few steam vents. The air also had a sulfur smell.

There were a couple of huts up on top that you could get cold drinks and a bite to eat. We didn't have anything to eat, but the cold drinks tasted good. We marveled at what had to be brought up the hill each day to supply the huts with food and drink. They even had a CR (comfort room or rest room) at the top, and charged P20 (40 cents) to use.









The views were wonderful up top, and it was relatively clean air day so we could see a long way. It was starting to cloud up, so decided it was time to head back. We found our horses and handlers and headed down the hill. We disembarked a the bottom and of course tipped our handlers and thanked them for the safe journey. We loaded on the boat and crossed the lake as a few showers started to rain down on us. We made it back to the van before we got too wet. Another round of tips for the boatmen and our guide, and we were on the way home.