Cagsawa Ruins in Daraga, Albay

The most visited tourist attraction in Albay is the Cagsawa Ruins. It used to be a church on a separate town of Cagsawa, but was buried by Mayon volcano's destructive eruption in 01 February 1814. The whole town was buried with about 15,000 residents, including an estimated 1,200 people who took refuge inside the Cagsawa church. Since that catastrophic year on their town's history, the remaining Cagsawa survivors decided to include Cagsawa as part of the municipality of Daraga.

From Tabaco church, we travelled back on the way to Daraga. Along the way, we saw many "padyak" bicycles ferrying people between Tabaco and Malilipot town. According to our driver, this is the country's padyak capital, where this particular mode of transportation had started before it spread out on Manila and other places.

Here's a snapshot of Mayon volcano along the way. We are hoping that the clouds will clear by the time we arrive at Cagsawa. From the northwest road that leads to Naga and Manila, we turned right to Cagsawa Ruins, I think less than 500m from the national road.

There are many shops selling souvenirs inside and outside the Cagsawa Ruins compound. Entrance and parking fees are Php 10 each. Here's the view that will greet the visitors upon entering the park. This is the typical shot of Mayon volcano with the Cagsawa belfry, the signature tourism photograph of Albay.

Fortunately, the clouds have almost cleared up, offering us a nice view of the majestic Mayon volcano, with almost perfect cone crater. It really is "magayon", the root word of Mayon which means beautiful in Bicol language.

There are local teenagers offering their services to take your photo. They are very good in doing camera tricks like the one shot below.

Our photographer-cum-guide also showed us the back of the belfry. Here's another shot of the belfry from the back, the sole reminder of the Cagsawa church built in 1714.

The historical marker on the belfry with the volcano as a background.

To commute from Legazpi City to Cagsawa Ruins, ride the jeepneys plying the route to Camalig, Oas, Polangui, Ligao, or Guinobatan.