My kids are adventurous by nature, but I guess most kids are. When I told them we were going to ride horses up a volcano, they basically scream with excitement. I am sure they didn’t know much of what they were going to see but I know for sure that they wanted to see a volcano, a first for them. And when I said we are going to one of the smallest volcanoes in the world, they kept quiet. And I left it at that.
Well… would you dare to trek up even the smallest active volcano is the world? It has been recorded to have erupted 33 times and the last eruption was 40 years ago, which is probably why people don’t hesitate to visit this beautiful tiny beast. If you are interested to know about our experience then continue reading and if you happen to have a daring kind of personality then hit me up and I would love to help you plan your next volcano adventure.
LOCATION
About 40 miles south of Manila, you will find the town of Talisay, which is where most people get a boat ride across the lake to the base of the Taal Volcano. Traffic getting out of Manila can be heavy so your best bet is to get on the road as early as possible. A day trip to Taal is about the best adventure you can do if you have an extra day and want to get out of the hustle and bustle in Manila.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Once you arrive in Talisay, you’ll have to rent a boat to get to Taal Volcano Island. I had some help from a local friend who organized our trip. When we arrived at the boat, we had to fill some paperwork and pay for the boat, the tour guide, a docking fee and an entrance fee. After a 20-minute boat ride, we were greeted by the tour guides and their horses at the base of the volcano.
There were 8 adventurous souls with me in this journey: my 2 kids and my husband, my friend from Dallas with her son and my cousin with his husband. It was definitely a day to remember!
Tip: They are pretty strict on the maximum number of people on a boat which is typically 6-7. There were 8 of us (5adults and 3 kids) and so we had to rent two boats.
The Guides and The Horses
You have 3 options on how you continue your adventure up to the crater rim: on horseback with a guide, hike on foot with a guide or hike it alone. Our group didn’t hesitate to choose the horseback ride and we thought it would be fun for everyone. Well… it was raining and much of the trail was muddy and uneven so it was a wise decision to go up by horse.
There was a heavy downpour as soon as we got to the island; we were getting ready to go up but decided to wait in the hope that the rain would ease up. And yes it did stop after maybe 20 to 30mins.
Tip: Wear quick dry or light clothing (good when it’s raining and when the sun is too hot) and comfy shoes. Bring Sunblock, extra clothes, lots of water.
The Trail
Horseback riding is so fun and to me, it’s the best way to go up the crater on any day with the kids. However, if you are an avid hiker and want a moderately difficult hike then it may be perfect for you and give you more time to soak in the scenery. Apparently, there are various trails to choose from but we went to the standard trail where most people go. Best to inquire when you are filling in the paperwork which is the right trail for you.
Here are few videos to see how the trail looks like
We made it to the TOP!!!
The VIEW
It was raining that day but it turned out to be a gorgeous day to go up the crater; the temperature was just perfect and it wasn’t that crowded. Nature never fails to amaze me… to amaze us.
It was a fun-filled adventure day with my family, my cousins, and our friends from Dallas.
Tip: Take your adventurous spirit and have a fantastic time!!!
By the way, to those who asked me if kids are good to go up to the crater. Check this out, my friend’s 2yr old made it to the crater!!! YES, you heard it, a 2-year-old little explorer.
One last note for anyone from the Philippines Tourism Board reading this blog, please have some people clean up the garbage and clean those horses poop on the trail. “It’s more fun in the Philippines” if we clean our environment!!! Also, please take good care of those horses, they deserve better treatment.
it’s so cool that you actually need to take a boat to the location. i think kids and adults will find that so adventurous!
This looks like it was a long, adventurous journey for 8 people to try together including little kids! Glad you all made it and enjoyed.
You gave us more reasons to visit Phillipines. Since its closer to india, we shall plan a trip soon. I think just like your kids even i would have loved a horseback ride to the crater. Highlight of this trip would be Vulcan point island within a lake within an island within a lake within an island. I hope i got that right or there is one more lake and island. Haha. I would have loved to be there with your kids and make friends with them.
WOW! This place looks amazing with breathtaking views!! Great videos. The journey uphill looks like an adventure, but worth the majestic views. Great you enjoyed this adventure with kids! Thanks for sharing the beautiful experience! 🙂
It was an epic adventure… the kids had a blast:) Rain or shine, this place is magnificent!!!
If this is how you spend your free time with your kids i want to be one of them lol 🙂 i LOVED THE AVENTURE! did a volcano trek in tenerife and the views were spectacular.
Are toy guys based in manila? i must visit the phillipines one day – they are really high on my bucket list.
Hahaha… My kids are such happy-go-lucky kids, they love adventures in the wild, the beach but they also don’t mind just staying home. BUT yeah… we want them to see and learn from the outside and not from the comfort of home:) We are based in Dallas, TX:) Buzz me though if you plan to visit the Philippines, I am a Filipina and I have local contacts:) Please don’t hesitate.
I Look LIKE A fun holiday, Those views are simply breathtaking. I have heard that the Philippines definitely have amazing natural beauty.
YES!!! Visit and you’ll see how beautiful this country is:)
I have to say as somebody who has climbed a couple of active volcano’s and also volcano boarded down the side of a semi-active volcano in Nicaragua I was the same as your kids haha. Full of excitement and even giddy when i saw one erupt with my own eyes. I’m planning on going to manila in the next year sometime and I will definitely be bookmarking this post for reference, thank you 😀
WOW!!! There you go…. an Adventurous spirit. Not sure about seeing a volcano erupt though. I’ll be packing and zoom away. Anyways, when are you planning to Philippines? Hit me up and I can hook you up with Locals. Follow me on IG so we can stay in touch, bonbonmontero:) Thanks for dropping by. Happy travels and keep those adventure spirit up:) xoxo
The journey looks amazing in itself. the views are beautiful and it must be such a nice experience to actually climb an active volcano too! such a hidden gem in the philippines
Thank you. Hope you get to visit the Philippines one day!!! Happy and safe travels.
The views at the top are stunning and beautiful scenery. Horse riding seems like a great way to see the island. What a great trip for the kids.
Taal Volcano Island looks like great place to visit and it looks like you had loads of fun. I can certainly imagine myself visiting the next time I’m in the Philippines.
Looks like you and the kids had a great time! I’ve never seen a volcano before, so I’m excited to go to Santorini next week where I’ll hopefully witness one for the first time:) Horseriding towards it definitely sounds like a fun way to do it:) Awesome photos of the views:) Thanks for sharing!
What an adventurous family! I love how you just go for it even with young children!
Looks like such a fun trip! I definitely agree with you that it looks a lot more manageable on horseback than on a hike. I would not have wanted to hike that! Poor horses, I did notice they looked a bit scrawny :/
i loved Philippines during y last visit but couldn’t do this bu your post have given me new bucket list.thanks for sharing
i’m so impressed you did this with your kids! I love that you guys explore and do adventures as a family. The scenery there looks beautiful, its great you could take it in as a family
This looks like such a great trip, and I think it is just wonderful that you are able to do this with your kids! What brave kids and parents!
Wow! What a cool adventure and so great that you got to enjoy it with the whole family. The pictures are great!
THAT DEFINITELY IS A GREAT PLACE TO VISIT. Horse backing is so fun and those views and boat ride IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO GET INTO. THANKS FOR SHARING
Amazing looks!! A better way to put smile on children’s face. Hope they loved it?
I can see that this was a great family outing and getaway and everyone including the kids had a great time. Another beautiful location from the Philippines. I am always amazed at the sheer range of the natural treasures of your country. yes, I am sure the horses need to be taken care of.
What a cool trek! I’ve never climbed a volcano before. I’m glad you included the information about climbing it with Kids, as I always wonder if somewhat little kids can handle it!
I do have a question about the horses, though. Are they mistreated?
Thanks for dropping by and thank you for the concern. PETA Asia is helping endured horses and making sure they’re taking cared of; thank goodness or else it will be so sad and wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. I am hoping that the tourism board will get to read this post and get things done the right way. Happy Travels!!! xoxo
Gosh what aN AMAZING JOURNEY YOU TOOK YOUR KIDS TOO! iT’S SO GOOD THAT YOUR KIDS CAN GET TO EXPERIENCE HORSE RIDING AND NATURE SINCE YOUNG.
Yeah… it was their 1st time seeing a volcano and horseback riding:) So cool…
I’m not a fan of hiking in the mud, so I like the option of riding a horse instead. Based on the smiles in your photos, it was a good choice for you and your family. What a wonderful experience!
Same here… LOL Horseback riding is fun, definitely.
Wow! This looks amazing! I love horseback riding too, and you really can’t beat that scenery. Is never heard of this volcano before, but I’m definitely going to have to try that if I ever get to visit the Philippines.
Yes please, visit my beautiful country and let me know when it happens, I can help plan your trip. Thanks for dropping by. Happy travels.
Your photos of the Taal Volcano lake and the view from the top are lovely. I ove to hike so would probably choose to walk up, but not in the rain. It looks like you and your kids had a lot of fun going up on horseback.
We all had a BLAST!!! It’s a beauty to behold:) Hope you get to visit one day:)
What a magnificent adventure. I like how you included tips with this travel article, like your group of 8 persons had to take 2 boats. That really helps with planning.
Yeah, small things like this often got neglected and glad you mentioned it:) Happy travels and hope you get to include the Philippines in your list:)