Visitor Facilities and Infrastructures

Mayon Volcano forms a distinctive landmark from all directions bounded by the six
towns and two cities. Surrounding the base are City of Tabaco and Municipality of
Malilipot in northeast; Municipality of Sto. Domingo on the east; City of Legazpi and
Municipality of Daraga on the southeast; Municipality of Camalig on the south; and,
Municipality of Guinobatan and City of Ligao in the southwest.

Mayon Volcano has seven (7) trek jump-off sites located at Buyuan, Legazpi City; Golf
Course Padang, Legazpi City; Lidong, Sto. Domingo; Bonga, Bacacay; San Roque,
Malilipot; Buang, Tabaco City; and, Baligang, Ligao City. Only Buyuan and Golf Course
trails have semi-concrete structure facility for mountaineers at Camp 1. Buang, Tabaco
City trail has eight (8) kilometer walk through Mayon Skyline. Table 1 reveals the
number of climbers from year 2011 to 2014. An increase of 86 percent was recorded in
the number of mountaineers from 2011 to 2013. Climbing, however, was already
prohibited in 2014 due to volcanic activity.

Table 1. Number of Climbers

Year Local Foreign Total

2011 123 133 256
2012 1,002 152 1,154
2013 1,357 414 1,771
2014 no climb
Source: DENR

There are remarkable tourist facilities and infrastructures around Mayon Volcano which
is presented by quadrant in succeeding discussions.

Northeast Quadrant

In the northeast quadrant of Mayon Volcano are the Mayon Skyline and Planetarium
strategically located at Buang, Tabaco City which is 3.5 kilometers from the summit of
Mayon Volcano. The Mayon Skyline where the former “Mayon Rest House” was built
has a convention center, recreational landscape overlooking the City of Tabaco and
neighboring towns of Tiwi, Malinao and Malilipot at the First Congressional District of
Albay. The Planetarium can hold around 200 persons. It has Astro Cinema that can
contain 50 persons and Starship Café having a capacity of 50 persons. Along the slope
of Mayon Skyline, there is an annual Holy week pilgrimage to the Holy Rosary Mountain
of about 10,000 to Roman Catholic devotees. Aside from this, the Mayon Skyline Run
and Mayon Enduro Mountain Bike Challenge happened here in 2016 during Tabak
Festival of Tabaco City.
Visitors could ply Sabluyon route either from Tabaco City or Ligao City. The winding
road ascending the slope of Mayon Skyline is concrete. Travelers could feel the
refreshing cold breeze with alluring views of Tabaco Bay and Lagonoy Gulf. At the base
of the slope lies a private organic (vegetable) farm, Sky Drive Inn and Dhio Endheka
Spring Resort. The Sky Drive Inn could accommodate four (4) persons. Dhio Endheka
Spring Resort could house 20 persons in seven (7) rooms. There are two (2) furnished
private cottages. One (1) cottage has two (2) air conditioned bedrooms and the other
one (1) has two (2) non-air conditioned bedrooms. Each cottage has kitchen, dining,
lounging area and private pool. The dormitory facility can accommodate 30 persons.
Daytime capacity is 600 persons that can be accommodated in eight (8) umbrella-type
cottages, 15 concrete slab structures and pavilion.

At the heart of Tabaco City lies the National Museum Bicol Branch located at Tabaco
National High School which is 12 kilometers off Mayon Volcano. Travelers’ journey will
not be complete without hopping in this museum.

East Quadrant

On the east quadrant of Mayon is the centennial forest: Mayon Volcano Natural Park
covering 4.20 hectares. This is an eco-park and a jump-off point in trekking up Mayon
Volcano situated at Lidong, Sto. Domingo, Albay which is 8.50 kilometers from the
crater. The centennial forest was developed by several government agencies led by the
Civil Service Commission in 1998. Base Camp and Activity Center for campers and
park visitors are available. It has one (1) kilometer footpath and trail, a hectare camp
site with concrete picnic tables, benches and camp kitchens. Also constructed was
visitor center made of rubble stones gathered from the slopes of Mayon Volcano. Team-
building activities and technical rescue trainings are being held in this eco-park.
Travelers could captivate the closer beauty of Mayon Volcano because it is frequently
obscured by clouds. Travelers and campers will be delighted by the flora and fauna
thriving along the grooves in the hilly and rolling terrain.

Southeast Quadrant

In the southeast sector of Mayon Volcano are two (2) trails: Buyuan, Legazpi City and
Golf Course at Padang, Legazpi City. The treks converge at semi-concrete structure
facility in Camp 1 for mountaineers to rest.

Lignon Hill Eco-Park in Tagas, Daraga, Albay has Mayon view deck facility erected on
top of the hill which is 11.50 kilometers aerial distance from the crater. Travellers and
hikers could witness the awesome panoramic scene of Mayon Volcano, City of Legazpi,
Albay Gulf and Legazpi Airport. It has concrete road spiraling up to the view deck.
Refreshment and café shops are available onsite. Hikers could jog around the view
deck facility or explore the “Kapit-Tuko” (Sticky Gecko-like) trail and “Pot-Pot” Cave
(Japanese tunnel). A daring hanging bridge, Mayon Sky Bike and 200-meter Zipline are
within the vicinity anyone could try. Along the slope of the hill is the Mayon Observatory
Station of Philippine Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) where visitors could
vividly sight Mayon Volcano in a kaleidoscope 24-hours a day. Warning radar
(seismograph) and other communication facilities are informative for visitors and
researchers. At the base of Lignon Hill is the Albay Parks and Wildlife, a picnic grove
and park while strolling along the cages of 347 animals belonging to 75 species. Across
the street is the runway of Legazpi Airport. Travelers could take the route of Magayon
Drive directly from Legazpi Airport site.

Nine (9) kilometer ATV ride and Mayon Lava Watching facility is available at Pawa,
Legazpi City which is 9.75 kilometers off Mayon Volcano. There are 104 single and 50
double units from 150 cc to 1,000 cc. Aside from this, there six (6) motorcyles for eight-
hours rent and four (4) pot bikes on per hour rent. This is an exciting adventure every
visitor should not miss. ATV ride starts from the foot of Lignon Hill crossing small rivers
and rocky gullies of Bonga and Mabinit to the lava front. Adventurers will witness lava
oxidized into volcanic rocks. Volcanic rock climbing is another unforgettable encounter.
Your Brother’s House Tribal Village is adjacent to this place for seven (7) hour-lodging.
There are 18 available cottages (11 air conditioned and 7 non-airconditioned). Data
revealed an increase of tourists by 38 percent from 4,481 in 2014 to 7,231 in 2016.

A five (5) kilometer boulevard can be found in the shoreline of Legazpi City which is 12
kilometers off Mayon Volcano. The four-lane-concrete road runs from Kapuntukan Hill to
Lamba. “Butanding” (whale shark) used to visit the place. This is a perfect view of
Mayon Volcano in the breakwater with wide angle of seaport, boulevard, Kapuntukan
Hills and Albay Gulf. Boulevard is the favorite rendezvous of runners, bikers and jet
skiers in daytime and promenaders at night time. Sea breeze and waves of Albay Gulf
are sweet caress to feel while walking or sifting fresh young coconut “buko” juice at the
sea side stalls. There are lamp posts parading the boulevard along Albay Gulf and
blinking lights and pop music from resto-bars on the other side.

One of the historical structures for a visitor to behold is the Cagsawa Ruins located at
Busay, Daraga, Albay which is 10 kilometers aerial distance from the crater. Cagsawa
Ruins is 3.5 kilometers from the National highway at Busay, Daraga, Albay. The road is
concrete passing along buried houses due to Typhoon “Reming” (Durian) in 2006. The
bell tower of Cagsawa Church with the perfect conic symmetry of Mayon Volcano in the
background is one of the famous icon in the country. Cagsawa Church was built in
1587. It was burned by marauding Dutch in 1636 and rebuilt by Fr. Francisco Blanco,
OFM, in 1724. The destructive eruption of Mayon Volcano on Feburary 1, 1814
probably buried Cagsawa Church with 2,000 people believed to have perished.

The remaining structures of the ruins are the church bell tower, fallen walls, and apex of
the façade on the left side of the bell tower. The whole structure is either completely
buried in February 1814 eruption or due to other acts of nature like typhoons and floods
followed right after the destructive eruption which is interesting for the tourists to
explore. There is a narrow pathway on the right side of the church leading to the ruins of
Ayuntamiento (town hall) which was the seat of the civilian government during Spanish
colonization period. The ruins were once used as a gallery for paintings and sculpture of
local artists.

Cagsawa Park has entrance gate with tourist-oriented structures and establishments.
Souvenir shops are available inside and outside the park. There are local sweet
delicacies out of pilinuts, peanuts, coconuts, cacao and other native food products;
locally weaved fabric made of abaca; novelty items made of abaca, karagumoy, rattan,
coco-midribs, pilinut and shells; potteries; cutleries; paintings; sculptures and other
woodcrafts; printed souvenir shirts, hats and the like; orchids; and, other locally grown
flowers. Tasty and spicy food delicacies are offered by restaurants and eateries. Halo-
halo” (mixed fruits, milk, mungbeans, leche flan, corn with crushed ice), thirst quenching
young coconut “buko” juice, and ice cream delights have soothing and refreshing
feelings on a warm sunny visit to Albay. On the left side of the bell tower is a resort with
cottages, swimming pool and room accommodation.

Landscaping efforts of Cagsawa Park are being administered by the Municipal

Government of Daraga. Outside the park is a wide parking space. There are eight (8)
operators of ATV Ride on site. Bicol Adventure ATV for example offers 52 single rider
ATV units and six (6) double ATV units cruising trails at view deck, cagsawa, busay,
green lava and black lava. Statistics showed an increase of 25 percent registered
number of tourists visited Cagsawa Ruins from 245,101 in 2014 to 324,807 in 2016.

Another Mayon Volcano encounter can be experienced at the historical church of

Daraga - “Our Lady of the Gate Church” which was built in 1773 on top of a hill by
Franciscan Missionaries. This is 12 kilometers from Mayon Volcano with concrete road
from the Municipal Government Hall of Daraga. The church is artistically designed in
baroque era carved on volcanic rocks and its façade has special distinctive architecture
quite different from other churches in the country. Engraved on the walls are
archaeological relics of images and rare religious seals ingeniously carved up to the
belfry. The perfect symmetrical cone of Mayon Volcano with aerial view of settlements
and vegetation can be captured onsite.

South Quadrant

In terms of other tourism activities and destinations, the Provincial Tourism Cultural
Affairs Office (PTCAO) offers several options including exploration of Sumlang Lake,
Kitwinan Hill and Quitinday Hills of Camalig, Albay at the south sector of Mayon
Volcano. The alluring beauty of Mayon Volcano can be surmounted at Sumlang Lake
especially for lovers aboard bamboo craft. There are four (4) bamboo crafts available on
site. The serenity of the lake with Mayon Volcano and rice fields in a background is
actually a unique romantic experience. Sumlang Lake has cottages and food stalls
available for visitors. It could be reached one (1) kilometer from the National highway
which is 8.50 kilometers off Mayon Volcano. Tourists had increased from 16,952 in
2014 to 121,746 in 2016.
Travelers could drop by Colonial Houses of Camalig, Albay going to Kitwinan Hills.
These colonial houses of Justino Nuyda and Anson stand as living witness of the
majestic presence of Mayon Volcano since Spanish colonial period. The stunning
beauty of Mayon Volcano summit can be closely watched at the southern flank.

Opposite the street is food chain of Bicol’s gastronomic frozen delight “Pinangat” and
spicy Bicol Express. These are signature and incomparable dishes claimed by local
gourmets in which coconut milk is a staple ingredient. “Pinangat” is made of shredded
young gabi or taro leaves, shrimps, pork and ginger wrapped in whole gabi or taro leaf
and cooked in coconut milk while Bicol Express is cooked in smallest shrimp “bagoong,”
pork, chili and coconut milk. These are being served in restaurants and eateries along
the street. Local and foreign tourists never fail to take home along boxes of their favorite
“Pinangat” Camalig. Gabi or taro leaves are naturally grown by villagers at the foot
slope of Mayon Volcano.

Kitwinan Hill is nine (9) kilometers off Mayon Volcano where horse-back riding is fun
with Mayon Volcano in a background. Along its slope is a Japanese tunnel during World
War II. A breath-taking climb in Quitinday Hills is an added excitement conquering
different verdant hills fronting Mayon Volcano. At the base, are food stalls serving fresh
young coconut “buko” juice and other fruits in season. As of 2016, there were 31,124
local and 79 foreign tourists had explored Quitinday Hills.

Southwest Quadrant

The Municipality of Guinobatan has10 meters mural painting in flood protection dikes of
Maipon Guinobatan that portray the tragic flashfloods and mudflows happened onsite in
2006, located 10 kilometers from the crater. This was a collaborative effort of the Local
Government Unit of Guinobatan, academe, civil society organizations and local
residents spearheaded by USWAG Bikol. Climbing on top of the dike is a vibrant
glimpse of Mayon Volcano and the walls of the dike are reflective of the lives claimed by
natural acts of nature.

Another significant hill viewing Mayon Volcano is Kawa-Kawa Hill in Ligao City which is
15 kilometer off Mayon Volcano. The trail starts from colossal figures of The Last
Supper. The Passion of Christ is mounted along the trail depicting the different station of
the cross. Concrete benches and tables for picnic are scattered along the hill. It has
recreational facilities and food stalls on top of the hill while watching the crater of Mayon
Volcano and Mount Masaraga at a distance. Travelers can lodge at Gulod Tourist Inn
and Hotel California near its slope. The number of tourists had increased from 459,180
in 2014 to 532,255 in 2016.

All these facilities are accessible, safe and secured. Every tourist destination has a
stand-by search and rescue groups which are established in every city and municipality.
Hotlines are included in flyers/brochures of tourism offices and travel tours. Alert
messages and advisories are readily available to the public especially in the buffer
zones of Mayon Volcano.

Travellers’ accommodations are within the city and nearby towns and could even be
reached thru website. Mayon Volcano is a natural scene in almost all hotels and resorts.