Taal Lake is a freshwater lake in the province of Batangas, on the island of Luzon in the
Philippines. The lake fills Taal Caldera, a large volcanic caldera formed by very large eruptions between 500,000 and 100,000 years ago. It is the country's third largest lake after Laguna de Bay and Lake Lanao.
Volcano Island, the location of Taal Volcano's historical eruptions and responsible for the lake's sulfuric content, lies near the center of the lake. There is a crater lake on Volcano Island, which is in Lake Taal, which is located on Luzon Island. That crater lake is the
World's largest lake on an island in a lake on an island, and it in turn contains its own small island, Vulcan Point.
Protected Area and Management
The Taal Lake basin was first declared as a national park, the Taal Volcano National Park, by Proclamation no. 235 on July 22, 1967 covering 62,292 hectares (153,930 acres). Under Republic Act 7586, otherwise known as the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992, the area was reestablished as the Taal Volcano Protected Landscape by Proc. 906 on October 16, 1996.
The protected area is managed by a Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) and has a Chief Operating Officer called a Protected Area Superintendent. A Management Plan was crafted and approved by the PAMB in 2009 and now serves as the blueprint for lake conservation.
Tourism
Regular tours of the lake are available to tourists. After crossing the lake, visitors travel to the top of Volcano Island on horseback. During their trip up and down the mountain, visitors are treated to a stunning view of the lake and its surroundings. In mid-2007, controversy ensued when the Korean firm Jung Ang Interventure was given clearance to build a health spa on Volcano Island itself along the lake's edge.
Over the course of the next few weeks, several government officials expressed their disapproval of the construction project. On June 28, the DENR suspended the Korean firm's environmental clearance certificate, rendering them incapable of pursuing further construction on the island until they secure other necessary permits. Because of the unpopular public reaction to the project, the Korean company's permit was permanently revoked by the DENR in early July 2007.
Hiking at Lake Taal
Hiking at Taal Volcano is a very popular and outstanding outdoor adventure activity in Luzon. However, It requires hiking permits before trekking Taal Volcano. This mountain site is considered as one of the most picturesque sites of this region. Although an inactive volcano, Taal offers some really amazing and very interesting natural views as it is situated right amidst the Taal Lake.
Hiking at this magnificent site provides an opportunity to enjoy the stunning and mesmerizing views of the lake and valley. The windy atmosphere at the top of the mountain is very calming and refreshing and will take away all the strain and stress of hiking. Hikers can also go for camping within this area in order to explore the natural beauty of this region through several interconnecting hiking trails.
