Tagaytay City is one of the most popular get away for folks living in Metro Manila. Due to its near proximity to the Metro and great scenery, this city is the destination of choice during weekends!!
Cold weather and good food… these are some things people crave about Tagaytay!!!
But please do not forget about the view!!! Rolling hills, plantations of flowers and pineapples and the Taal Lake are a must see… and of course the world famous landmark in Tagaytay and nearby places is the… Can you guess what it is?
What’s the most famous landmark or tourist spots you look forward to seeing when you are in Tagaytay? Of course, the Taal Volcano! Right? 🙂
But before you take great pictures of the volcano at the People’s Park or at the various ridges near the Hi Way or roadside restaurants, let us tell you about a little secret.
What if we shared to you that the picturesque mound you believe to be Bulkang Taal is not actually the bulkan? What???? Yes friends, this is what Lourdes De Las Cagigas, a concern citizen and resident of Tagaytay, wants be cleared on her Facebook public post which you can read here.
Binintiang Malaki and Taal Volcano
What we see from prime spots and vantage points like in Taal Vista Hotel, Starbucks in Aguinaldo Highway-Tagaytay area, Dencio’s, Josephine etc is NOT the actual volcano, yes, it’s part of it but it’s not the main crater. It is one of the 47 cones and craters of Taal Volcano. By Ms Cagigas words the Binintiang Malaki is “..undoubtedly the prettiest, most photographed, most painted and most volcano-looking part of Taal Volcano Island & many think it is the Taal Volcano. This mound or cone is just part of the volcano, a very small part of it.
Bird’s eye view of the  Taal Volcano and it’s famous pyroclastic cone
Have you pointed out this Philippine famous landmark to your visiting friends, locals and foreign, as the volcano? We’ll you are not alone. It is not hard to make this mistake as even the postcards available on our bookstores and malls focuses on the Binintiang Malaki and tagged this as Taal Volcano. It’s beautiful and postcard perfect!
Taal Volcano is on Volcano Island, over & behind the hill Binintiang Malaki. Many visitors goes boating across the lake to get to the volcano island. Then take a leisurely horseback ride to get near the main crater. Though lingering long near the crater is dangerous especially if its spewing sulfur.
On the respected geologic website Smithsonian Institution there is a picture of Binintiang Malaki and a short description of this cone and it goes:
“Binintiang Malaki is a pyroclastic cone at the NW tip of Volcano Island, was formed during an eruption in 1707. The 263-m-high cone, seen here from the SW, is the largest of the flank cones on Volcano Island, to which it is connected by a broad isthmus.”
To see more pictures on Taal Caldera and Taal Volcano please visit the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, Global Volcanism Program website.
On your next trip, why not go to Tagaytay, experience its cold weather and windy atmosphere. Â You also get to see Binintiang Malaki and the get a glimpse of the Volcano Island and know, somewhere there is the crater of Taal Volcano. If you are from Visayas or Mindanao, go and travel to Tagaytay after you secure your piso fare tickets! Who knows the airplane will pass by this area and when you look down, you’ll see the whole island!
Lastly, why not checkout Tagaytay Sky Ranch and ride the Sky Eye. Be on top of the world via this giant ferris wheel.
Here’s another fascinating thing related to travel in the country, get familiar with the Philippines kilometer 0 and learn how to read the road markers.
Update: January 12, 2020 Taal Volcano’s main crater is spewing ash. Take note of these recommended actions in dealing with volcanic eruption hazards by the Philippine College of Physicians. Be careful especially those who are in the affected areas!
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