I am no photographer. (How I wish I am!)
I am just a girl madly in love with this natural beauty. I’ve been drawing Mayon Volcano in school since I was a kid, partly because it was easy to draw with its perfect cone. Add another standing rectangle beside it, top it with another triangle, and make small circles as windows – there’s your Cagsawa Church ruins.
I’ve been dreaming of putting myself in that picture ever since. And this summer, I was finally able to tick it off my bucket list. I saw her majesty right before my eyes and I just can’t stop taking photographs of her every chance I get. She was perfect, just as I imagined her to be. Staring at her was surreal; it brought me back to that moment in my childhood when I first encountered her picture in my textbook and wished that I’ll get to see her someday.
Childhood dream come true!!!
Here’s a list of vantage points all over Albay, Bicol, Philippines where you can get a good shot of this majestic volcano.
Tip: The best time to view Mayon Volcano is early in the morning (4 am to 9 am) and late in the afternoon (4 pm onwards). Mayon gets shy at noon; she usually covers herself with clouds.
1. AIRPORT RUNWAY
We arrived at Legazpi airport at 11 am, and half of Mayon Volcano was already covered with clouds. Since I was so excited to see Mayon for the first time, I just stared at it and completely forgot to take a photo! Argh.
Hello, Mayon Volcano! We meet at last!
2. CAGSAWA RUINS
I advise you to visit this place as soon at it opens because this is the most visited tourist attraction in Albay. It’ll be difficult to take a good solo photo with the volcano as your background when the place starts to get crowded.
Mayon Volcano, just like in the post cards
The Cagsawa Ruins are the remnants of an 18th-century Franciscan church, the Cagsawa church. It was built in 1724, but was destroyed by the eruption of the Mayon Volcano in 1814. [Source: Wikipedia]
Experience the thrill of driving an All-Terrain-Vehicle (ATV) through rocky areas and riverbeds. The Cagsawa Trail is the easiest and the shortest (approximately 45 minutes). If you are not pressed for time, you can try the longer and more challenging Lava Wall Trail.
You’ll not regret getting sweaty and dirty with the view this trail has to offer.
4. LIGÑON HILL
We arrived at the top of the hill at approximately 10 am. Mayon Volcano was already hiding in the clouds.
View of Mayon Volcano from the Lignon Hill
5. EMBARCADERO DE LEGAZPI
This is the perfect place if you want to eat and relax after a day tour of Albay while gazing at the picturesque view of Mayon Volcano adorned by ships in the harbor.
Mayon Volcano at 4 pm as seen from Embarcadero de Legazpi
6. DARAGA CHURCH
Also known as Our Lady of the Gate Parish Church. When the Mayon Volcano erupted on February 1, 1814, the residents of Cagsawa transferred to Daraga after the destruction of their church. It was a common belief, however, that the church of Daraga was built after the eruption of Mayon and that it replaced the church of Cagsawa.
[Source: Wikipedia]
Clouds started to cover the peak of Mayon Volcano at 9 in the morning.
7. MAYON BACKPACKERS HOSTEL
I woke up at 5:30 am to catch Mayon again, and this is what I captured using my camera phone.
View from the balcony of Mayon Backpackers Hostel
8. BICOL UNIVERSITY
Marvel at Mayon Volcano’s beauty while running in Bicol University’s rubberized oval track. It’s open to the public.
There you go! 8 places for you to take the perfect shot of the most photogenic volcano in the Philippines.
The pictures here were taken using only my Iphone and digital camera. I bet you’ll be able to take better shots than I did using your more sophisticated cameras, so Get Out Dear, take a trip to Albay, and catch the world’s perfect cone!
If you know of other places in Albay where you can get a good view of Mayon Volcano, I’d be more than happy to hear from you! Feel free to comment below.
Get Out Dear 