Filipinas Mag

Many Filipinos and Philippine visitors have been to the scenic ridge of the city of Tagaytay to gaze at Taal Volcano, once nominated as one of the country’s entries to the “New Seven Wonders of the World” (it has since been outvoted online by the other natural wonders of the Philippines). But I’m betting my bottom peso that most of [the visitors] don’t realize the richness of Taal Lake and the attractions of the surrounding towns.

More than an hour’s drive away from Metropolitan Manila, Taal Lake, the country’s third biggest inland body of water, embraces a sizable area of Batangas province. Formerly known as Lake Bonbon, it can be reached by descending a scenic zigzag road from Tagaytay called Ligaya Drive, which is akin to Baguio’s famed Kennon Road. At some point down the road, a white Greek-inspired house juxtaposed against the placid sparkling water seems to transport one to the Hellenic island of Santorini in the Mediterranean.

The mystic lake cradles the famous Taal Volcano, the smallest and one of the most active in the world. Every decade or so, it shows signs of activity, if it doesn’t actually erupt. Believed to be the crater of a bigger volcano, Taal was once part of Balayan Bay but was closed off from the sea after a series of major eruptions centuries ago.

Lake Taal is sanctuary to endemic fish species such as the tasty finger-sized tawilis, the seasonal maliputo, which abounds in the nearby Pansipit River, and tilapia, the Fili-pino signature freshwater fish.

The lake has three major islands—Bubuuin, Napayong and Taal Volcano Island, which has the tongue-twisting and mind-boggling distinction of being “the largest island within a lake on an island within a lake on an island.” I suggest you don’t bother to figure it out; just see it for yourself when you’re in the Philippines.

Day trips to the Volcano Island are offered to local and foreign tourists in Tagaytay. Boats emanate from the lakeshore town of Talisay, the gateway to the volcano, situated right below the ridge city.

At the island, visitors ascend on foot or on horseback to the view deck or the crater lake to take a dip in its sulfuric pool water noted for its therapeutic properties. With the serene environment, rugged terrain and the rejuvenating water, it’s easy to lose oneself in the pleasure.

The House on the Lakeshore

While Talisay has been the nearest jump-off point to the volcano, the dearth of first-rate lodging facilities has deterred the progress of the local tourism industry. The opening in 2007 of Club Balai Isabel, an 11-hectare world-class lakeshore resort village, changed the landscape and has put this sleepy town in the radar of both local and foreign tourists hunting for new getaways. The property is both a resort hotel and a residential village with units for sale, lease or timeshare.

“We saw the potential of the area for tourism because of its long stretch of lakeshore ground. We transformed the idle lot that has changed hands several times, into a unique world-class development that is truly Filipino,” says Nelson Terrible, a native of Talisay and president of Techno Asia Construction, the resort’s mother firm.

Being the builder and operator of the resort has given Balai Isabel a huge elbow room to develop the property and defy the global crunch. It recently completed five clusters of five-story condotels and spa suites, their top-of-the-line room which features a queen-sized bed and a private jacuzzi in a lush pocket garden setting.

The resort also takes pride in the state-of-the-art French Mobideep, a multi-million peso inflatable swimming pool module, the first of its kind in the country.

Terrible said that despite all the amenities already in place, Balai Isabel is still a work in progress with new developments such as new hotel clusters, a commercial area, watersports center, and recreational fa-cilities still in the pipeline.

He added that the resort will soon procure a German-built twin-hulled vessel and unveil cruises in the lake. This development, which is another first in the area, is expected to make Taal Lake a tourist hotspot.

As a proof of its global allure, local officials and businessmen from the Slovakian town of Vysoke Tatry recently inked an accord with Talisay officials, and made Balai Isabel the base of operations of the bilateral partnership.

Sights Around the Lake

Unknown to many, the surrounding countryside of Taal abounds with exciting sights as unique and plentiful as the tawilis in the lake.

Mount Makulot in the town of Cuenca is a household word as no true-blue adventurer or nature lover will pass up the chance to scale this 835-meter peak, which is considered an initiation for novices. After about three hours of trekking, mountaineers are rewarded by an exhilarating view of Taal Lake, Mount Makiling and Batangas villages. At Makulot’s shoulder is a rocky hill called “rockies,” separated from the shoulder by a deep gorge.

The Mabini Shrine in the town of Tanauan marks the birthplace and final resting place of Apolinario Mabini, known in history books as the “Brains of the [Philippine] Revolution of 1896” and the “Sublime Paralytic.” Designed by National Artist Juan Nakpil, the shrine contains his memorabilia and fiery writings which fanned the flames of the Revolution against Spain and later, the War of Independence against the U.S. Its centerpiece is a replica of the typical bahay kubo (nipa hut) where he was born in 1864.

A few miles away is Awilihan Resort, previously the private residence of a scion of the prominent Laurel clan, which was recently converted into a team-building resort. The family also owns a quaint resthouse in Napayong Island, where the resort’s guests can visit.

The ruins of the Spanish-era Taal municipality of San Nicolas stand as mute witnesses to the devastating eruption in 1754 which buried much of the town. As it is the nearest point to the Volcano Island, the new town center was moved out of harm’s way to its present site facing the sea.

Meanwhile, exotic-sounding Mataas na Kahoy, an upland interior lakeshore town, is host to the equally exotic resorts of La Virginia and Shercon which afford visitors a soothing view of the lake. In neighboring Balete town is Marian Orchard, a prayer garden which forms part of the circuit of religious spots in Batangas.

Sailing Mecca

Taal Lake’s strong winds which blow whole-year-round have made it an ideal sailing haven. It was this natural magnet that lured Manila-born Italian-American Peter Capotosto to establish the Taal Lake Yacht Club (TLYC) in Talisay, his playground and weekend home.

Born to a family of sailors, he introduced hobie cat sailing and holds regular regattas, which has attracted the best sailors, both in the Philippines and abroad. TLYC is the home of the Philippine Hobie Fleet as well as an assortment of sailboats and kayaks for hobbyists.

The guidebook Lonely Planet took note of the flurry of activities in the lake and bestowed it the moniker “mecca of sailing in the Philippines.”

Taal Heritage Village

The Taal experience will not be complete without visiting Taal town, the heritage village of Batangas. Situated on the western side of the lake, the town was nominated to the prestigious Unesco World Heritage List because of its historic, religious and cultural treasures that have survived the ravages of time. Once the Spa-nish-era capital of the province, Taal then encompassed the equivalent of four present-day municipalities

The town’s core attractions are the rows of century-old ancestral stone houses or bahay na bato which give visitors a glimpse of a glorious bygone era. Patterned after Castillan architecture, these houses are made of stone in the lower floor, and wood and other light building materials on the upper floor, making use of natural sunlight and ventilation when electricity was yet a pipe dream.

Many of these homes, where heroes and history dwelt, have been preserved by their descendants, but many more have been left to the elements, making restoration a very costly and oftentimes impractical proposition. These dilapidated homes were eventually demolished as they became health and safety hazards. This collective neglect cost Taal its bid for the prestigious Unesco accolade in 1989.

Despite the disappointment, Taal continues to tantalize visitors with its old-world charm. Among those worth visiting are the homes-turned-public museums of Marcela de Agoncillo and Leon Apacible, and the private mansions of Gregorio Agoncillo and Gliceria Marella Villavicencio, all whom figured in the country’s struggle for freedom from Spain.

In the heart of the town is the Basilica of St. Martin of Tours which once held the distinction of being the biggest church in East Asia. A few steps away is Escuela Pia where the town’s gentry were schooled and which now functions as a multi-purpose hall.

Other must-sees are the Shrine of the Our of Lady of Caysasay and the nearby Wells of Sta. Lucia which can be both reached by the 125-step stone staircase traditionally called “hagdan-hagdan” and now named after San Lorenzo Ruiz.

Best buys in the market are exquisitely hand-woven barong cloth, balisong (fan knife), the tasty “tapang Taal” beef steak, and Batangas delicacies, among others.

All told, a trip to Taal—the lake, the volcano and the town—is a journey like no other. It is simply tantalizing.

Author’s credit: Bernard L. Supetran writes from Manila.

Useful Contacts:

Club Balai Isabel

balaiisabel.com.ph

• Taal Lake Yacht Club

(For aquasports & volcano trips)

tlyc.com

• Provincial Government of Batangas

batangas.gov.ph

• Metropolitan Mountaineering Society

(For climbs to Mt. Maculot)

Metropolitanms.org

Going to Taal (heritage town):

Take a bus bound for Lemery at these following terminals:

Taft Ave cor Gil Puyat Avenues, Pasay City

EDSA cor Timog Ave., Quezon City

Going to Taal Lake (Talisay):

Take a bus bound for Tanauan at the above bus terminals. Alight at Tanauan town and walk towards the jeep terminal bound for Talisay near McDonald’s Restaurant.

Public transport is generally reliable with round-the-clock trips.