Lignon Hill

Lignon Hill rises about a hundred and fifty metres above Legazpi, and the walk up the paved road takes twenty to thirty minutes - or you can be driven. At the top is a viewing deck facing Mayon straight on, with the city, Albay Gulf and the Cagsawa plain spread below, and the volcano filling the northern view when the cloud is off it. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology maintains an observation station on the hill, monitoring Mayon continuously, which gives the place a working purpose beyond the view. Around the deck are a zipline running down the slope, a hanging bridge, a rappelling wall and a restaurant, all charged separately - the hill has been developed as an activity site as much as a viewpoint. Sunrise is the reason to make the climb early: Mayon spends most afternoons in cloud, and the first hours after dawn give the best chance of seeing the cone whole.

What you actually see

• The Mayon view - the cone directly north, cloud permitting.
• The city panorama - Legazpi, the gulf and the Cagsawa plain.
• The observatory - the volcano monitoring station on the hill.
• The zipline - the run down the slope from the deck.

When to go

November to May, at or shortly after sunrise, for the best chance of a clear volcano. Afternoons are usually clouded.

Honest expectations

Mayon is hidden more often than not - plan for the possibility. Activities are charged on top of entry. The walk up is short but steep and hot after early morning.

Nearby

The Cagsawa ruins, Daraga church and Sumlang Lake are all within half an hour of Legazpi.