Plan a Day Trip to Lake Taal or a Stay in Tagaytay
If you’re spending time in Manila on your Philippines vacation, take the opportunity to tour nearby Lake Taal. You can easily take a bus or hire a car to make the 1 ½ to 2 hour trip from Manila, spend time at the Lake and return to Manila later in the day.
Lake Taal is an incredibly scenic volcanic lake and an interesting geological phenomenon. It is a freshwater lake that sits within a caldera that was formed hundreds of thousands of years ago as the result of eruptions. Taal Volcano is situated on Volcano Island in the center of the lake.
You will need to travel by wooden boat approximately 45 minutes to reach the volcano, and you can then ascend the volcano by horseback. The most remarkable thing about Lake Taal is the stunning view you’ll enjoy from the top of the crater here. The second most remarkable thing is the Crater Lake located within the volcano (within Lake Taal). The water of Crater Lake is essentially a diluted form of sulfuric acid, and no fish inhabit its waters.
Several types of fish live in and are harvested from Lake Taal, including carp and eel. There are also two fascinating and unusual species that inhabit the lake. On your tour, you will probably hear about Hydrophis semperi, an unusual (and venomous) black and white sea snake that has adapted to breeding in the Lake’s freshwater. The world’s only freshwater sardine Sardinella tawilis also inhabits Lake Taal.
In addition to Lake Taal, there are plenty of other attractions to explore on a visit to Tagaytay. If you enjoy golf, visit the Tagaytay Highlands 18-hole par 72 golf courses. You can also bowl, swim, or dine at many outstanding restaurants here. Some of the other interesting attractions in Tagaytay include the Enchanted Kingdom amusement park, St. Anne’s Shrine, and the Pagsanjan Falls. Casino Filipino and the Flower Farm are some additional options for entertainment in Tagaytay.
Although Lake Taal is a short, easy trip from Manila, you can also plan to spend a night at one of the many hotels in Tagaytay City. Take advantage of bargain rates at HotelsCombined.com to book a luxury hotel, or choose one of the many two or three star hotels in Tagaytay. Choose a hotel in close proximity to the many cultural and historic attractions here, and request a room with a view of stunning Lake Taal.
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