Day 1: Guangzhou – Manila – Legazpi (Daraga)
Day 2: Legazpi
Day 3: Legazpi (Daraga) – Manila – Bangkok – Guangzhou
1. Once the itinerary is confirmed, buy the tickets as soon as possible. The later you buy domestic flights in the Philippines, the higher the price. If you buy early, a round trip from Manila to Legazpi can be done for less than 500.
2. I didn’t exchange money in China, and brought RMB to exchange at the Metro Bank right after exiting T3. The exchange rate was good; it was 7.94 in mid-July. You can see it right after coming out of the arrival gate.
3. The mobile signal in the Philippines is really bad, and you cannot make calls back to China with China Unicom, as the call function is restricted.
4. The food in Legazpi (and all of the Philippines) is not very good and expensive. A casual restaurant will cost over 100 for two or three dishes. I didn’t dare to eat street food, and many places do not accept card payments, so remember to bring cash.
5. Renting a motorcycle (BRB Travel & Tours is located in a rather remote alley), you need to bring your driver’s license (a car driver’s license is acceptable, no need for a motorcycle license).
They do not accept photos, an electronic driver’s license might work but it’s not guaranteed, so it’s safer to bring the physical license. A deposit of 3000P is required, or you can use your passport. Over three days, I drove about 200 kilometers and refueled with around 300P.
6. A two-night or weekend trip is enough, as there are no other attractions besides the volcano.
7. When going from Manila to Legazpi, choose the left side, and the right side on the way back to see the volcano.
8. In the morning, there is usually less obstruction of the volcano, while in the afternoon, the obstruction rate is higher. The clouds move quickly, sometimes blocking and then revealing the view.
Unless the weather is very bad, with patience, you can always see it.
9. I stayed at Your Brothers House, which I found to be just average and not highly recommended. It’s inconvenient if you don’t have your own car, as it’s quite remote. If you take taxis, the cost will add up. Also, there is no mobile signal there, and the Wi-Fi is poor.
10. From the airport, you can take a minibus to SM City for 150P per person. I went there for a meal and then walked to rent a motorcycle. On the way back, I couldn’t find a minibus, and a taxi quoted 500P, but I managed to negotiate a tuk-tuk for 300P to the airport.
11. For sightseeing, Mayon Skyline View Deck is a winding mountain road.
When I went, the weather was cloudy and rainy, but on a clear day, the scenery should be nice, with a close view of the volcano, the farmland below, and the coastline.
12. Puro Boulevard by the sea is a place to watch the sunrise, where people take pictures of the sea and the volcano together. Highlands Park is also a good spot for both sunset and sunrise, and there are restaurants where you can eat, though there is a 50P entrance fee.
If you arrive early to catch the sunrise, you might find that there’s no one at the entrance to collect the fee, allowing you to enter freely.
At the Cagsawa Ruins, there’s a 20P parking fee, and I can’t quite recall if there’s an additional entrance fee. Honestly, I didn’t find it particularly remarkable, but it does have historical significance and is worth a visit for those interested in the area’s past.
Since I was on a motorcycle, I didn’t get the chance to try the ATV rides, but they looked like a thrilling way to explore the surrounding landscape.
