Mount Pinatubo's crater
Your writer, having an FHM moment in Mount Pinatubo's crater
I think it’s obvious from this article’s title that the trek to Mount Pinatubo’s crater was not easy as pie. It took 3 hours, give or take. We hiked through rocks and sand and several small pools of water, in the heat of summer. The 1 liter of water I took with me was not enough to quench my thirst. We had an option to take the “skyway” on a 4×4, which would have cut our trekking time to just 20-30 minutes. But being the adventurous and eager souls that we are, we chose the long way and trudged to the crater. And boy, did we regret our decision! By the time we reached the entrance to the volcano, we were sweaty, grimy, and breathing laboriously.
But the moment I saw what the volcano was hiding within its crater, I felt that it was all worth the effort and the sweat. This sight welcomed me:
One of the most awesome things I've ever seen in my life (and I have seen the Grand Canyon)
But wait! I’ll start from the beginning. Here’s the story of our Mount Pinatubo trek, told through pictures.
In Capas, Tarlac
Mark, our patient tour guide
What they call the old way
4x4's taking tourists to the point of no return 
Gi and I, eager to start trekking
Gi and one beautifully shaped rock
Other trekkers
Batis
The rocks look majestic, don't they?
An image that might convince some trekkers to take the old route instead of the skyway
A warning near the entrance to the crater
The lake
Mamamangka na kami!
Did you even know that a volcano's crater could be this breathtaking? I did not!
Ang mga mamamangka
Yet another view of the lake...we just couldn't get enough of its beauty
Our boatman
Our fellow bangka-riders
The view from the other side of the lake
About to swim on the other side of the lake
Your formerly photophobic writer, sunbathing
Campers' tents
Taking the 100 steps back to the crater's entrance
In the 4x4 that would take us back to civilization
Passing a group of Aetas, the indigents of Zambales, on the ride back
The spa, back in Capas, Tarlac - a massage costs 500PHP
In front of the place where they slather people with volcanic ash (cost:500PHP)
An oriental wishing well?
Just in case you’re wondering, we DID NOT take the long way back. We were so freaking tired, we would have slipped or fallen if we had chosen to ignore the skyway again. We just trekked for 30 minutes to where 4×4’s were parked. I slept on the way back to Capas, but it was a rather turbulent sleep. Man, that was one bumpy ride! The road that they call skyway is still rather unpaved. But the ride back was still heavenly compared to the trek to the volcano!
If you want to have your own Mount Pinatubo experience, you may want to join a tour group. That’s what we did. Here’s a breakdown of the damage:
- Tour fee: 2000PHP (Lunch is included.)
- Boat ride: 350PHP
- Skyway fee: 1500PHP
With regard to the skyway fee, it’s not 1500PHP per person. It’s 1500PHP per 4×4. 5 people can fit in the 4×4, so if you can get 4 other people to join you, you can divide the fee amongst yourselves. With regard to the tour fee, you will be charged an extra 500PHP if you’re a foreigner. I have no idea why. But that would make your total tour fee 2500PHP.
Crosses & Redirects