Tagaytay | Taal Volcano Boat w/ Guide | Hidden Waterfalls (3in1)
Description
Begin your adventure with a convenient hotel pickup in Manila, then travel south to the refreshing highlands of Tagaytay. Your first stop is the picturesque Tagaytay Picnic Grove, perched 665 meters above sea level. Take in sweeping panoramic views of Taal Volcano, dramatically set in the middle of Taal Lake. Your driver will gladly help you capture stunning photos with this iconic natural wonder in the background. Next, embark on a 2+ hour boat sightseeing tour around Taal Volcano. Although the island itself remains off-limits for safety reasons, you’ll cruise within 10 meters of its shores—close enough to witness sulfur dioxide (SO₂) rising from the main crater. Then, visit a tranquil Korean temple, known for its peaceful ambiance and beautiful surroundings—a perfect way to end your day before heading back to your hotel in Manila. Next Adventure: Hidden Waterfalls Please disregard any reviews mentioning crater trekking. These tours were discontinued following the 2020 eruption.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Following pickup from your hotel in Manila, head straight to the Taal Volcano ridge called Picnic Groove in Tagaytay City for the Taal Volcano eruption sightseeing tour. Taal Volcano suddenly erupted at 2:36 PM on Sunday, January 12, 2020, forcing all to flee from the island. For the next 24 hours, ashes coming from the crater traveled to Metro Manila and nearby areas as 150,000 people fled from their homes.
Enjoy the 2+-hour boat sightseeing tour around the active volcano and experience the unique island ten meters from the boat. See the volcano emits Sulfur Dioxide. A total of 18,638 tonnes/day of volcanic sulfur dioxide or SO2 gas emission from the Taal Main Crater was measured every day. Taal has averaged approximately 10,331 tonnes/day for the year and has been continuously degassing voluminous concentrations of SO2 since the eruption 2020. Note that the Island Volcano itself including the Crater is still restricted by the National Government as the Philippine Volcanology raised the eruption Alert to Level 1 until today. No setting foot on the island policy is still in place. DISCLAIMER: Please disregard all the reviews regarding the Crater Trekking Tour before the eruption on January 12, 2020.
After your boat tour, Continue your adventure with a short and refreshing river hike to a hidden waterfall tucked within lush greenery. Formed after a powerful landslide years ago, this natural wonder reveals a newly shaped landscape that highlights nature’s raw and evolving beauty. Experience the refreshing beauty of these pristine waters—perfect for a cool, natural shower. Feel free to bring your towel and a change of clothes if you’d like to freshen up.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
This tour requires a minimum of 2 adults per booking. Hotel pickup is included for your convenience. Just share your hotel name when booking (in the Special Requirements section, via private message, or on WhatsApp). We’ll send your vehicle and driver details the night before your tour, so you’ll know exactly who’s greeting you in the morning! Our tours depend on the weather — sunshine makes it perfect! In case of bad weather, we have an alternative and/or we may reschedule or cancel for your safety, so it’s a good idea to check the forecast before booking. Itinerary Summary: 5:30 AM – Hotel pick-up (lobby) ___Stop 1: Coffee break at Starbucks / McDo / Jollibee / 7-Eleven (1.5+ Hrs) Frontal View of Taal Volcano above sea level. ___Stop 2: Hidden Waterfalls (2+ Hrs) ___Stop 3: Taal Lake & Volcano Boat Ride (2+ Hrs) ___Final Stop: Return to hotel (drop-off) Travel Note: Stops 2 and 3 can be interchanged depending on the weather.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- This requires a minimum of 2 people per booking. The tour is weather-dependent. We offer convenient pickup and drop-off services directly from your hotel lobby or the airport.
Reviews(19)
An interesting journey to the countryside south of Manila, combining nature and history to educate and entertain us. We took in the hilly views and a boat ride around the lake while learning of its volcanic history and the fishing industry that perseveres despite recent eruptions. And we wrapped up with a local Buddhist temple before returning back to Manila. Good day.
Driver was prompt and friendly but not really a tour guide. He basically drove to each site and dropped us off. There was no commentary while driving either. While the vehicle was clean, it struggled so much going up from the lake that the air conditioning had to be turned off.
This tour was a fantastic way to explore Taal Lake and its volcanoes. The boat ride was peaceful, and our guide shared so much interesting history about the area. We also visited the Tagaytay Midlands, where the views were absolutely stunning. Our driver, Edwin, was incredibly kind and helpful throughout the entire trip. I highly recommend this tour for anyone wanting great scenery, local insights, and a smooth experience.
Very cool experience. Marvin went the extra mile to provide an excellent tour. Would recommend if you are around Manila.
The tour was great! We we able to take horses up to the top of the volcano and learn about Filipino culture as well as enjoy some fresh coconut juice. Afterwards, they took us to Josephine restaurant for lunch. Very safe tour; highly recommend!
What a great day! We started early to avoid traffic, and also had a much less crowded visit at the volcano as we arrived earlier than most visitors. The heat was also not so bad earlier in the day. The hike is a bit strenuous but I enjoyed it tremendously. Our guide at the volcano was knowledgeable and approachable, and answered all our questions readily. I felt safe and in good hands! I also had options to stop at various places after the hike, such as for lunch, to see a few more things, or to shop a bit, and I appreciated this flexibility. I wish I had taken more cash for Buko pies! The volcano itself is the most incredible site, I'm infinitely glad I made this trip and would recommend this tour company happily!
It was amazing, really well organized, the driver was very nice and explained us a lot of things about the trip and the country in general. The volcano is really beautiful - you can find a lake in the lake there. worth it.
Very nice and well organized tour with a guide who spoke very good English. The view is simply beautiful and the explanations clear. The little extra: we'll pick you up at the hotel or he'll be in Manila. I recommend.
Absolutely loved it - especially when we got to the top - breath taking views of the sulfur lake & crater. We also saw some steaming, small active volcanoes!!! We enjoyed a refreshing coconut drink at the Paradise restaurant at the top! I'd advise you take a horse up unless you are super fit. The trek is very steep, and coupled with the humidity, can be quite challenging. Jobelle, our guide, was super friendly, and so knowledgeable! A must do! Driver was on time picking us up from Crimson Hotel at 540am - very courteous and drove us safely from the hotel and back. My daughter bonded with her horse, Patricia, and titled her MVP of the day! Thanks for a wonderful visit!
Driver was lovely. He worked hard. I was the only one who tipped him, despite being the first and last pickup. Because of this, we spent additional hours in a tour can that would not have been necessary had each hotel has their own pickup with a central Makati location. Traffick was terrible. It rained all the way home. Why pick up Pasig tourists when we live in the Luneta Park area. The heavy traffick and rain caused an additional two hours drive from the other tourists hotel. Still we tipped our driver 500 Philippine pesos. It wasn't his fault....but the inconvenience soured our tour which had been lovely until that point. Could not the driver had made a decision to meet at a more central Central point and drive us three home? Yes, Viator and all the local providers could have made that 21st century call. We were the larger party too. And, guessing the others didn't use Viator the 5 times this week we did?
