we were trekking over a range of rocks and flowing waters under the heat of the sun. dust storms tends to stop us from walking down the canal.
days before the trek, i monitored the weather forecast just to assure that we will be trekking on a good weather. high pressure area was observed in the Northern Luzon area and this means it will be good for trekking but we shall also expect high temperature.
we arrived at the skyway drop off point by 10:43am and started trekking down the Pinatubo's canal. the gigantic walls of pyroclastic materials leads the trekkers to its caldera.
plants of various types along hills continues to grow 17years after the major eruption. as the path becomes narrower, the vegetation gets denser. it's also a sign that we were getting close to the crater.
just soon after we reached the height overlooking the crater lake, we were simply awed by its majestic caldera forming a basin holding a cyan-colored lake. our effort was finally rewarded with a stunning view.
it was my second time to see hike up this crater, yet it never failed to amaze me of how beautiful it is. definitely a wonder every Filipino should see.
a hill partly sliced formed a viewing deck for the trekkers. down to about fifty feet is another site where one can spend time and be one with the lake's serene waters.
we had our lunch down there and our guide lead us to our area, where there were less people. the main flat area was occupied by a large group of foreign tourists, who were already swimming as if they were on a beach.
when i last visited the crater lake, we stayed there for an overnight but i didn't dare to swim in the lake. but this time, it was one of the reasons why i am trekking back here. it was time for me to swim the crater's lake.
the cyan colored lake is tempting but you'll also realize that it is deep. just a few feet away from its shoreline is an abyss. i swam to just about a few meters and tried floating.
next to swimming, i did took photos of the crater from different views. lighting was quite challenging because of the clouds passing over the lake. 
after two to three hours, we all assembled back and took our last shot as a group. it was one great trip to be with bloggers, photo enthusiasts and some new good friends.
[what you shouldn't miss there]>>> the crater lake is absolutely the best thing there but try not to miss swimming in the lake's cyan colored lake. [why i should go back] >>> to kayak around the lake crossing to the other side of the lake.
trip rate:trekking: 4.0
mountain view: 5.0
lake view: 4.5
for more photos check out related posts of bloggers who were with us in the team:
"pinatubo 4x4 experience"
"trekking the crater lake"
"mount pinatubo trip"
"off to the crater"
"the crater lake"
"pinatubo trek"
"mount pinatubo"
this post is also dedicated to the rest of the pinatubo team:
Jonee (my high school classmate), Nico, Rowena, Dang, Agee, Manny, Kit, CJ, Ron, James, Jeff, Raymund, Kristian, Mike, Dayon, Rick, Meio and Luiza. i hope i got my list right. thank you for being part.
80 comments:
Looks like such a fun trip!
what! i'm still not the first? :)haha. meron na akong inside info but still.... hahah.. i'm meant to be the muse..
aba, hindi ka lang backpacker, sumasideline karin pala sa pag-asa! :)
nice views. badtrip! hahha.
I've been to mt. pinatubo vicinity before but not at the crater lake...wow, ang ganda pala...ang linaw ng tubig.
dong, nandoon ka ba sa group photo?...I am trying to guess kung sino ka doon...he! he!--imbis na where's waldo...where's dong ho? *teehee* :p
btw, thank you sa continued visit mo sa blog ko :) have a great week! ingat lagi sa mga trips mo.
beautiful! ganda ng tubig.
looks like you really had fun. and talagang nagswimming ka pa ha.
Wow.. Adventure!!!! How much does it cost all in all?:D Oh btw, have another blog. I update that more lately. Hehehe. Update your link :) -> http://littlemisswanderlust.blogspot.com
balik Pinatubo na naman kayo---grabeh---- kainggit
at ang dami nyo---pati si Bry ba kasabay? a new saga?
kelan kaya ako makaka-akyat dyan----I love the view---is this the best time to hike Pinatubo?
Gorgeous! Parang ang sarap mag hiking jan ah!
Real backpacker trip..wow!!the picture tell the story..beautiful & Thanks for sharing.
>luke, it really is a fun trip.
>hi reena, hahaha... oo lagi talaga akong bumibista sa pagasa pag bumabyahe ako. gamit na gamit yon.
>hi rebecca, yes ang linaw ng tubig i really recommend that you visit the crater.
yes nasa photo ako. nasa bandang likod. natatawa ako sa where's dong ho.
ikaw din ingat. salamat din sa pagbisita lagi dito.
>hi blue rose, yes we had fun there. i really have to swim or else it gives more reasons why i need to go there again the soonest.
>hi cza, it depends on the number of people. going there in a group of five will be good to optimize the 4x4 rental. just email me at i.dongho@gmail.com if you need details.
ill drop by your other blog.
>pusang-gala, yes kasama ko sina bryan at mel. ngayon ang season sa pagpunta doon bago pa pumasok ang summer dahil sobrang init na.
>hi andy, yes. that's one good activity there. you should try!
>uncleawang, thanks! it really is a perfect backpacking day trip.
Ha??? ang ganda pala. Hindi ko akalain na may crater ang Mt pinatubo. akala ko dry na ang mountain after na sumabog.
Napakaganda talaga Dong. gandang tourist attraction yan . Thanks for sharing.
it rained when we went here before. so our way down was hard-core creepy. we only got 3 feet visibility, and you seem to be walking alone. =p
Homaygath! Ang ganda, i love love to go there. It is amazing that after 17 years, Pinatubo has become a tourist spot enticing trekkers and tourists to enjoy its beauty.
I definitely would love to visit it someday.
grabe, breathtakingly beautiful! pwedeng mag-shoot dito ang indiana jones!
thanks for the pics. para mo na rin kaming isinama sa adventure ninyo. :)
kagagaling ko lang ng batangas, sayang wala pa akong camera!
hehe.
ayos talaga ang mga kuha mo!
Wow. Indescribable. God is really a clever creator.
Thanks for sharing ha.. Those pictures are worth a thousand words.
Pwedeng magswim? Ang init na eh
Nihahanap kita dun sa photo, hmmm, nandun ka ba? Curious lang, hehe..
Kaw ba yung naka black shirt sa likod with eyeglasses and a cap? :D
wowwwwww! the lake is absolutely beautiful! lahat ng shots mo dito actually magaganda. mukhang exciting ang Pinatubo trek! kakaiba ang scenery. dapat mapuntahan 'to.:D
Very inviting ang tubig kaso parang nakakatakot kse mamaya biglang pumutok yon at higupin ka :)
Wow, I'm touched. May naka-reserve pa lang space para sa magiging Pinatubo post ko. :) Salamat, Kuya Doms. Gagawa ako ng post sa lalong madaling panahon - yun ay after ng load ko dito sa office. :D
My God! It's so beautiful!
hai..hope ur not tired with the trip.how beautifull the picture was,imagine if being there in person,right?
anyway,just want to say,the picture is amazing,keep up the great job..and enjoy life,k
take care
wow--really really really nice......
never been to mt. pinatubo. at ngayon ko lang din nakita ang mt. pinatubo sa ganitong view. kaka-inggit ang trip nyo kuya dong...
btw, thanks sa bday pic greeting. i really liked it...
Pinatubo and its crater lake is majestic! And I actually like that it has those dark areas — a powerful reminder that it is still a volcano after all.
ang ganda ng lake!! tama ka tempting na languyin!! never been there pero these pixs take me there!! ang ganda!! wow philippines!! ^^
That crater lake is a mesmerizing sight. It's beautiful! Everyone in your group must have enjoyed this trip. Nice to see you in the group shot. :)
W-O-W !!!! Picture perfect!!!! You do have a nice blog too! Thanks for dropping by my site... Thanks to Engilberto for featuring my blog =)
Fantastic photos! Is there still a danger of lahar while you're trekking in Pinatubo in bad weather? When I went there last 2001 the lake looked like it was surrounded by rust, dahil sa high sulfur content siguro. We weren't even allowed to swim in it. Now the crater looks absolutely fantastic and very inviting! I really have to go there again. sigh... :)
Wow the crater lake is so huge and so does the whole volcano. No wonder when it erupted the ashes flew right over to us leaving thick ashes on our cars. Thanks for sharing these wonderful pictures.
>hi nanaybelen, kaya nga kung minsan mapapaisip ka na may maganda din naman palang naidulot ang pagsabog. pero kakalungkot pa rin yung mga namatay nung panahong yon. kaya ngayon sinusulit na ng mga taga doon para makapaghanap buhay na ulit sa paraan ng turismo.
>pao, astig! yon din ang gustong kong masubukan. delikado pero kung minsan yon din yung pinaka exciting.
>hi sheng, you'll even be amazed when you really see it there. i guarantee you that.
>aris, pwedeng pwede ang indiana jones doon. salamat din sa pagbisita.
>ax, salamat. ok lang yan. kahit point and shoot ok na rin. ok pa din naman mga kuha mo.
>hi dylan, yes pwedeng pwede lumangoy sa crater lake. nakaligo nga kami at dami na ring naliligo at lumalangoy doon. yes ako yon.
>hi luna, it's really worth visiting. it is a little bit tiring but enough exercise before the trek will definitely help.
>kegler, parang safe naman. hehehe... pero hindi rin natin masabi. dapat mo talaga itong puntahan.
>hi mel, no pressure. nandun lang yon para lang handa na para pag may napost ka ng related sa pintaubo.
>borneo, it definitely is.
>baboon, thanks a lot! i checked your blog but it seems that it was already deleted. you must have a new blog by now. thanks for dropping by.
>myslykemeh, ganda talaga.
>beero, ito rin ang isa sa mga lugar na hindi mo dapat palagpasan pag punta mo dito. you're welcome. belated happy birthday ulit.
>hi hilda, that's true! very well said.
>cyndirellaz, wow philippines indeed! the crater is beautiful and it's something we can promote to foreigners who loves hiking and adventure.
>hi rachel, we all did. it was one awesome trip as both the beautiful crater and some really good company that made the trip really good. hahaha... you definitely where i am in the photo.
>warfairy, thanks a lot for taking some time to drop by my blog too. let's keep in touch.
>garando, it's safer now. although it should be avoided during the rainy season or during the hottest month. swimming in the crater lake is already safe. you should visit it again.
>hi alicesg, i can remember that. even australia experienced it's wrath. but looking at it now reminds us that there's always a bright new day after every storm.
ganda! anu ba yun... lagi na lang yun ang sinasabi ko tuwing nagcocoment ako sa blog mo... hehehe
pero sa totoo lang... ang ganda talaga! =)
a mouth gaping wow ... wow ... wow! what a gorgeous place. a must see place in the Philippines.
dong, we should travel more often! invite mo ako ulit sa ibang travels mo. :-D
oohh! wow ang taas pala ng mga rocks na dinaanan nyo....hehehehe
it's like fusing all of the natural elements into one trip...
amazing!
who will not be amazed of that picture of the crater? it's a heavenly sight! but it is the trek going to that destination that will stop me to try. it must be a difficult trek.
wow ganda dre! feel na feel ko yun cyan na tubig!...lol ang laki pla ng crate na yun - dba buhay payan volcano?...great shots dre! tc
wow breathtaking views! i've never seen close-ups of the pinatubo before..so this one is really a special treat!
wish i was there too =(.
Did you passed by Angeles City? If you did, I missed you. I was planning to ask you if I could go trekking with you but I totally forgot to ask you bcoz I had things tied me up.
Great photos! Yup it's hard to take photos outdoors for you will need to consider the clouds covering the rays of the sunlight and to take clearer photos for viewing.
When are you planning to go back there? I haven't went there.
I'm anticipating for watchmen but I don't know if I can watch it in widescreen. Also wolverine. I don't know about T2.
ang panget nga ng mga kuha ko eh!
hehe.
ano ba work mo kuya at patravel travel ka na lang!
Dong, you are right about after each storm it's a new day. I enjoyed these photos very much, something different.
I agree with Scud! We should travel more often. Hindi ko nga lang siguro kaya yung mga 6 hours na trek. Siguro beach :)
hehehe
Nice Shots talaga, I noticed that you're very eager to take a pic. Tinamad ako kasi nalowbatt yung cam ko. binili ko pa naman talaga yun pampractice sa Pinatubo... hehehe
i cant get tired of seeing pinatubo pics.
17 years ago? that long? it felt just like yesterday when the earth shook and our roof and the trees were covered with ash!
wooow, I had goosebumps just looking at the photos.
astig! isang araw makakapunta rin ako jan heheh..
Wehehehehe. Ang ganda ng pictures!
Kainggit naman. Napakaganda pala ng crater ng pinatubo. Ok din naman ako sa baguio eh, nagkasabay pa kasi hehehe. Next time bro , sama talaga ako.
>lalaine, thanks a lot! ganda naman talaga ang crater.
>eki, yes it is a must-see wonder in the country. but there's a right season to go there.
>scud, hahaha... sure.
>greg, tataas talaga. kung nagugulat ka na sa photos lalo na kung nandun ka.
>hi bingskee, the trek was made simpler because of the skyway route. it shortened the trekking time from the usual three to four hours to an hour and a half. just a little exercise before the trek will do.
>darkhorse, thanks! not sure though. but in case it reupts again, it might not be as gigantic as it was years back.
>dennis, thanks! im glad that these photos in one way helped you appreciate it even more. you need to see it.
>theo, hahaha... let's talk about it.
>justkyut, thanks a lot! we dropped by dau but not in angeles city. im setting up a second batch and ill inform you of the details.
you shouldn't miss transformers two as well. this one you should watch in the big screen.
>ax, hindi naman. knowing that you only used your camera phone. right now, i should say that traveling is part of my job.
>hi alicesg, thanks a lot!
>bryan, hahaha... oo beach naman. im thinking of caramoan, calaguas and cagbalete. ill inform you once i decided to visit one.
pareho pala kayo ni mel. sa susunod ihanda nyo yung lahat para mas sulit. maganda ngang practisan yung pinatubo.
>photo cache, so you were still here during those times. im sure you experienced the wrath.
the crater today is really majestic. something you shouldnt miss. im telling you the photos here are far from really seeing it there.
>hi aracir, what more if you're there. you'll be stunned.
>jessforget, i highly recommend you this. one every pinoy should see.
>earvin, thanks! ganda din lang talaga ng crater.
>oman, may sineset up akong second batch. you might want to join. email or text mo na lang ako.
The first photo already wowed me. But I'm absolutely mesmerized by the crater shots. Ang ganda! It must be fun to kayak and swim on the waters.
fantastic pic. what an irony for such beauty to come from a such huge tragedy.
WOW! Look at the color of that water. The shots of the lake are breathtaking!!
Tsk tsk. Isa lang ang masasabi ko. Super nainggit ako. For the first time, nabasa ko na nagswimming ka talaga sa trip mo. Where's the next destination?
Fantastic trip and images, Dong. The landscape of the crater lake is really astonishing!
wala na akong ma-say sa mga shots mo dong, they're really WOW!
and it's really a wow philippines travel.
That is a great trip!!! Wow. Wonderful photos dong! That looks like place that I'd really enjoy.
That water is so very beautiful And the shadows of the clouds on the water are gorgeous.
i have been wanting to do this for the longest time
too bad
lahat ng kasama mo magplano puro drawing
at least, sa blog mo pwede ko na i-relive ang pinatubo experience
thanks, dong!
the water is unusually green. ang gandaaaaaaaa!
The crater lake is stunning!I must visit Mt Pinatubo the next time I go to the Philippines! It's a must visit for me.
Thanks for showing me the beauty of this place.
What an amazing ride you did! the lake is fantastic!
unbelievable..=] kainggit.hehe..
good job on those photos..agen & agen
wow!!! very beautiful... i love to come there...i wish the god, one day i should go there and enjoy
That water is so seductive! You truly are exploring the Philippines!
Thanks for visiting Norwich Daily Photo and leaving your comment. Come back tomorrow!
joy
A Pinay In England
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Superb images ! This is really beautiful !
Ooops! I thought you were referring to Terminator 2 when you said T2 kase T2 ung Terminator 2 eh hehehe
okay po i'll wait for the details. Thanks
Katuwa ko naman nahulaan ko, at least nakita ko na yung taong walang hilig magbyahe't mamasyal, wahahaha! Sana mkasama ako minsan sa mga nature trip mo..
ingatz!
huwaw...speechless*
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sa wakas at nasinagan na din ng ilang bloggers ang iyong ngiti=D
Dong, nag uumapaw ang inggit ko ngayon sa mga pics mo! Sobra. Waaaaaahhhhhhhhh. Wanna go there tlga. Been to Mt Apo na but i know Pinatubo is a must try also.
impressive photos! salamat for sharing them.
wow, dreamy naman nung lugar. I can just imagine how much time you spent waiting for the clouds to clear up, pero it's worth it. postcard perfect ang mga pictures!
*sighs* wow!
Nakak-miss ang jokes ni Kuya Jon sa 4X4 ride namin. Hekhekhek.
breathtakingly beautiful! :)
couldn't believe na ganyan ang naging resulta ng pagsabog ng mt. pinatubo.
ganda talaga dong! :)
>witsandnuts, the crater is really stunning. youll appreciate it more when you really see it there.
>sleepless in KL, who would imagine it will be that beautiful. nature's beauty!
>hi karen, yes. truly breathtaking!
>redlan, hehehe... oo kailangan kong lumangoy kasi hindi ko nagawa dati yon. next destination? right now, tinitingnan ko ang dalawang option. but definitely it'll be a beach. but im still posting some of my remaining trips in the coming days before i start featuring the beaches.
>pietro, you'll just have to point and shoot. the crater is really beautiful!
>hi nyl, thanks a lot! i agree. it's really wow Philippines!
>hi layrayski, thanks! you'll definitely like it. i actually even wonder who won't.
>hi sandy, simply beautiful. being there makes you appreciate everything.
>raft3r, ganun ba? matutuloy din yan. dali lang naman magplano dahil dami ng access doon. salamat!
>allen, the water is really something youll be astonished.
>hi eastcoastlife, yes. you should see it. it's a must-see wonder of our country.
>hi helena, it really is. the ride was fun.
>hi bid yan, kakatuwa at nandyan ka lang pala. hehehe... salamat! salamat!
>friendz, need more reason to visit the Philippines? hehehe...
>hi joy, true. so many to discover in our country.
>sidney, thanks a lot! you should go there. need a companion? i can join you.
>hi justkyut, kaya pala. oo nga hindi ko naisip yung terminator. update kita kung tuloy. hopefully.
>hi dylan, ill definitely invite you on some of the future trips.
>hi doc, salamat! parang sunset ah. nasilayan ang ngiti. hehehe...
>olan, hehehe... im sure ganda rin ng apo. daming mga taga manila na gusto talgang akyatin ang mt apo.
>hi thess, thanks for dropping by. you have beautiful photos in your blog.
>brotherutoy, thank you! thank you! that's true because while waiting for the clear skies, we spent time swimming and chatting.
>hi acey, thanks!
>earvin, hehehe... akala ko nga tinulugan mo lang siya.
>hi teacher vic, yes. ganun na kaganda. isa ng natural wonder na dapat makita ng marami.
wow, galing naman ng mga kuha mo, Dom. I will go on a hike before this month ends! :-D
nindota oi!
These are really beautiful shots bro. and I'm sure you had a whale of a time with the buddies :)
Oh my, those pictures are breathtaking! The wonder of it would probably be hundred times more powerful when I'm actually there. Someday, Dong Ho, someday.
superb work of the nature (as usual)..hinintay ko nga to..
kaingit kayo dong, txs for bringing this superwonder work of nature to us.:)
galing brod ng blog mo!
great shots!!
keep it comin'!
followed you.
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