Locals hang out at the helipad on top of the lava front with a view of Mayon Volcano. Photo by Kara Santos for InterAksyon.com.
The first time I rode an ATV (all-terrain vehicle), it was on a long sandy beach. Driving along on the smooth shoreline with fishing boats sailing nearby was laid-back and easy. Little did I know that I would get to drive one again, this time up one of the most active volcanoes in the world.
The route to Mayon Volcano shifts from smooth grass-lined soil and dirt paths to a sea of rocky terrain. It’s a thrilling and tricky ride to navigate over the huge boulders, steep descents, small streams and volcanic turf. By the time we reach the rest stop, my clothes are splattered with black volcanic mud from the multiple water crossings and my hands are aching from the bone-jarring vibrations of the vehicle.
It’s been said that nothing worthwhile is ever easy. And this trip is pretty worthwhile.
Mayon Volcano got its name from the Bicolano word for beautiful, “Magayon.” It is one of the most iconic landmarks of the Bicol region. No traveler visiting Albay would leave without taking a souvenir photo with majestic mountain towering in the background.
Once acclaimed as one of the “Seven Wonders of the World” with its nearly perfect cone shape, Mayon remains one of the most active in the country, having erupted 48 times in the past 400 years according to records of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. Locals say that even on normal days, rumblings can still be heard from deep within the volcano.
While Mayon is already a tourist draw in itself, a thrilling off-road adventure allows tourists to drive through volcanic debris at the foothills of the volcano via all-terrain and four-wheel drive vehicles.
The ATV off-road adventure lets you experience a different and adrenaline-boosting side of Albay. Photo by Kara Santos for InterAksyon.com.
The two-hour long, 18-km (back and forth) rough ride and short hike up to the lava front is becoming a fast favorite among visitors coming to Albay, with a mix of local and foreign clients availing of the tours.
“Tourism in Albay has really boomed because of the lava,” says our easygoing tour guide Virgilio Gaveria, who asks us to call him “Idol.” He says while Albay has enjoyed a steady stream of tourists, the tourists have increased since they started offering the ATV tour.
Used to photo-hungry visitors, he offers to take our cameras during the start of the tour and stops at strategic points, getting action and creative group shots while we enjoy the rough and rocky ride. He also points out the best spots for us to stop for our photo ops with Mayon.
Drive, hike, or zipline
At the start of the tour, we were given a choice between a 150cc one-seater and 350cc two-seater for the ATVs. No license is required to drive the vehicles, which are easy enough to maneuver like a scooter or a highly-powered bump car. Bigger groups can opt for a two-seater dune buggy, 4-seater 4×4 Jeep or Toyota Hi-Lux 4×4. The more hardcore adventurers choose to make the ascent to the lava front by foot or bicycle.
It’s a thrilling and tricky ride to navigate over the huge boulders, steep descents, small streams and volcanic turf. Photo by Kara Santos for InterAksyon.com.
The ATV route takes visitors crosses streams and gulleys. Photo by Kara Santos for InterAksyon.com.
After about 45 minutes of powering through the terrain, we eventually reach a gazebo with several huts, where we park our vehicles. Here, we pay an environmental fee of Php50 to support the locals and volunteers in the area. Refreshments are also sold here at the hut for those thirsty from the long ride.
A short hike up from here leads to the lava front. Formed in 2006 when a typhoon caused mudslides of volcanic ash and boulders to topple down from the slopes of Mayon after it erupted, the lava wall left a trail of destruction transforming former lush fields of coconut trees into a wasteland of volcanic debris.
Interestingly, the lava wall was first used as a route of the first Mayon Trail Run (MTR) in 2008, an extreme endurance race that is considered the toughest 21-km trail run in the country. The run was originally organized to explore the tourism potentials of areas affected by climate change, typhoons and volcanic eruptions.
Jagged volcanic rocks are piled on top of each other five stories high, which visitors get to climb. White arrows are painted on to the rock’s surface pointing up the safest and most direct route to the best vantage point for the volcano.
The lava front is a wall of volcanic rocks piled on top of each other five stories high that visitors get to climb. Photo by Kara Santos for InterAksyon.com.
True to their slogan “Albay rising,” locals have risen up from the tragedy of the natural disaster and have come up with a tourist attraction capitalizing on the lava wall’s unique topography. From the top of the lava wall, one can get a spectacular view of the Albay Gulf and the city.
At the top of the wall is a helipad for well-heeled clients who can’t make the hike up and who can afford to charter it (P15,000.00/ride) just to deposit them and bring them down from that vantage point. The tour also prides itself on having the first zipline connected to a volcano’s lava wall and visitors can opt to take a short zipline down from the wall provided they made arrangements at the stopover hut.
On the way back, the route passes through small villages in the area where the locals seem used to the noisy vehicles roaring their way through the narrow streets. Little kids wave as we pass by and some even hold out their hands for me to give them a “high-five” as we drive past.
Locals from the area take a dip in a natural swimming hole along the ATV’s route. Photo by Kara Santos for InterAksyon.com.
The off-road adventure is a different way of experiencing Mayon’s raw beauty. If you’re looking to experience the volcano beyond posing with the usual trick shots at the Cagsawa Ruins, then this adventure is definitely for you.
BOOK YOUR TOUR: Arrange your off-road tour with guide through Your Brother Travel and Tours at ABC Shopping Complex, Rizal Street, Old Albay District, Legazpi City, Albay. Contact them at (+052) 820-3629 or 0922-898-7071. Or, e-mail at cyrelfancis.chan@ymail.com
