Bulusan Volcano Natural Park

Bulusan Lake sits in a bowl of rainforest on the flank of Bulusan volcano, at the southern end of Sorsogon, and it is a small, dark, cold body of water fringed by trees that come right down to the edge. A boardwalk and a footpath run around part of the shore, kayaks and pedal boats are for hire, and the forest is thick enough that the noise is mostly birds and cicadas. Trails lead further into the park towards the volcano's upper slopes, and at the centre of the mountain complex lies Lake Aguingay, a plain that floods and dries up in summer. Bulusan is genuinely active and puts up ash and steam from time to time, which closes the higher trails at short notice; the lake area itself usually stays open.

What you'll find

• Bulusan Lake - the dark forest-ringed crater lake with a shoreline boardwalk and kayaks.
• The rainforest trail - the loop path under dense canopy with buttressed trees and vines.
• Lake Aguingay - the seasonal lake that floods the plain at the centre of the park.
• The volcano above - Bulusan's forested cone seen from the lake and the surrounding roads.

When to go

March to June is the driest stretch, and even then Sorsogon is a wet province. From July to November typhoons cross Bicol regularly and the trails turn to mud. Mornings are clearest; cloud settles on the cone by early afternoon. Check locally before planning any walk above the lake, since the upper trails close when the volcano is restless.

Things to know

The lake is small and a circuit takes under an hour, so it does not fill a day on its own. Rain is frequent and the trails are muddy and leech-prone in the wet months. The upper trails and the crater are closed whenever ash activity is reported, sometimes for long spells. Facilities are basic and the road down from Legazpi is slow.

Nearby

Bulusan town, the Dancalan coast and Donsol are all within reach in Sorsogon.

Key facts