On our first day in Bicol, Mayon showed her beauty right away.
It was during our van ride from the airport heading to our first stop. I knew I'll have all the time to take pictures when we get to our destination, but I still kept snapping with my phone anyway. It was a bumpy and swivelling ride, so my camera roll accumulated a lot of blurry excited pictures and videos taken from our van hehe. I was just so happy to be welcomed by this majestic view!
Just like the myths associated with Japan's Fuji San, seeing an unobstructed view of Philippine's Mayon Volcano also translates to a lot of good things. Some people say it meant the visitor has a good heart and pure intentions, while others take it as a sign of good fortune.
Either way, I am just glad to see the World's Most Perfect Cone with my very eyes, mysteriously showing up even on that cloudy day!
There are many ways you can enjoy the view of Mayon Volcano while in Albay, and we were able to experience 2 during this trip. First is by visiting the Sumlang Lake, or the chill version (will talk about the adventure version on a future post hehe).
About Sumlang Lake
Formerly a murky lake in Camalig, Albay where residents source fish for livelihood, the Sumlang Lake was developed into a tourist destination where guests can dine at the Socorro's, and then ride a kayak or bamboo rafts at the lake while sightseeing and taking pictures.
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| I read on their Facebook page that you can even hold prenups in Sumlang Lake for a minimal fee |
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| We discovered a nice Mayon photo spot just outside the second floor of Socorro's! |
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| Had snacks and drinks before heading to our next activities |
With the cool breeze of the late afternoon, Sumlang Lake is a nice place to chill on the first day of your trip, tired after a long bus ride or coming straight from the airport. In our groups' case, it also provided the perfect ambiance to break the ice as most of us just met in this trip for the first time!
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| Enjoying the bamboo raft with Van 3 + New friends! |
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| Kung maganda daw ang araw, you can even achieve a photo of Mayon reflected on the lake! |
Currently, I can't find Sumlang Lake's official website except for their restaurant Socorro's, but here are some useful information about the Sumlang Lake I've gathered online. Will update these in case I get more info!
Operating Hours:
Monday to Thursday - 8am to 6pm
Friday to Sunday - 6:30am to 6pm
Rates:
Entrance Fee: Php 20
Parking: Php 20 (4 Wheeler), Php 10 (2 Wheeler)
Activities:
Balsa: Php 25 / Adults, Php 20 / Kids
Kayak: Php 50 / 30 minutes
Aqua Bike: Php 50 / 30 minutes
Floating Cottage: Php 300 / 1 Hour (Good for 8-10 persons)
Fishing
How To Go:
From Legazpi, take a jeepney to Daraga LCC Mall or Public Market.
Take another jeep heading to Polangui, Guinobatan or Camalig, and ask driver to drop you off Agri-Village near Sumlang Lake.
Ride a tricycle or take a long walk to Sumlang Lake.
Book A Tour:
In our case, we were part of a tour group with a van pick-up from the airport so no need to commute. In case you want the same convenience for your own trip, you can inquire rates and packages with Donsol Eco Tour on Facebook or check the Camalig Adventour on their website.
Our whole trip was organized by this tour operator, and everything went smoothly (plus everyone's super nice and friendly!). I highly recommend booking with them!
Finally, after our time at the lake, we also went to different stations to catch a snapshot of Albay's colorful culture. You can pre-book these experiences too!
A local chef demonstrated how to make Camalig's local dish pinangat. Bicol region's version of the pinangat includes coconut milk, taro leaves, chili, and fish. Our tour guide Ate Faith told us that Bicolanos usually enjoy this delicacy for breakfast with hot bread (instead of rice).
We also watched a demo on how an abaca tree is cleaned and stripped and prepared for weaving. Bicol region is known for these beautiful handicrafts made from natural leaf fiber abaca, created meticulously into beautiful home and fashion products. Kung Team Kahoy-Team Puti ka din, you'll love their baskets and floor accents!
So much to see and learn about Bicol, and it was just our day 1! Our Sumlang Lake visit made me want to plan a solo trip here right away, so I can chill more (with a hot cup of coffee?) while enjoying the perfect cone's company. Ang ganda talaga ng Pilipinas!
Special thanks to:
Sir Noel Amata, for some of the photos used in this post
TPB Philippines, for having me on this trip!
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