I basically threw my horse and guide fee away as I continued towards the summit of Taal Volcano on foot. I much preferred it this away since the horseback ride was quite uncomfortable too. I was in no hurry to get to the top as the slope was getting steeper and steeper. There was no time limit anyway, so I can take as much time as I want going up the volcano. The trail really was very dusty from all the horses that have trod along this path. It was amazing that the horses can climb such rough terrain with passengers to boot.
Within a few minutes of huffing and puffing my way up the volcano, I finally made it to the top. The final path to the summit is paved with a flight of stairs made of sandbags to make it easier for visitors to climb up. My guide and horse were waiting at the shade while my guide told me to go explore the area. There isn’t really much to explore around here since were are at the summit. It is a fun fact to know that Taal Volcano is considered one of the world smallest volcanoes, no kidding since we walked up to the summit in less than an hour.
It was little surprise to see a row of souvenir stands and drinks stands here at the top. And also as expected the prices were quite astronomical, but this would be the only place where you can buy drinks within a few kilometers. The best thing to do here is to kick back and admire the view. So what is there to see here? Nothing other than spectacular view of another lake formed from ancient eruptions. This lake is called Crater lake. The lake it still quite a ways down though.
I tried exploring the area to see if there is a way down to the lake itself but I couldn’t find a path. Although someone did point out that someone was at the shores of Crater Lake. As one would expect, Crater Lake isn’t exactly one of the safest places in the world, most especially so since it is on top of an active volcano. I nevertheless remained curious as to how it would be like to be right on the shores of Crater Lake.
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