Tourist Spots in Legazpi - Philippines

Here are our top 5 tourist spots in Legazpi - Philippines. These are family friendly destinations where you can bring everyone along. You can consider these the highlights of the any visit to this city in the Philippines. Some of these tourist spots feature natural attractions while others present manmade sites.

The Mountain They Call Beautiful

Once youre in Legazpi City, or even on the road heading towards the city, it will be very hard to miss this colossal beauty. The name Mayon really means beautiful.

Mount Mayon has been described as a near-perfect cone on more than one occasion. Its shape being slightly deformed by minor explosions, it stands towering over Legazpi and the entire area of Albay. It will only take one major eruption to restore Mayons perfect conical shape. Its last major eruption occurred during the Spanish era, which actually devastated the little town of Cagsawa leaving only the remnants of its church.

The best view you can get out of Mayon is on an observatory in the Mayon Rest House. You can get to the observatory by taking the road heading for the town of Tabaco. The rest house itself is in a park with several hot springs, plantations, and an observation deck. All you have to do is drive to the park since entrance to the park is free.

Cagsawa: Remnants of Mayons Fury

The 1814 eruption of Mount Mayon is one of the most catastrophic ever among its many eruptions. Cagsawa was a town then where people fled to the church for safety.

Unfortunately, the raging lava and debris from the volcano destroyed the entire town leaving only the present remains of the Cagsawa Church. What you usually see in the photos of this site is only the upper portion of the church's bell tower. It is reported that there were 1,200 people who died in this location.

Entrance to the Cagsawa site is only ten pesos. You buy souvenirs from small stands and street vendors selling trinkets. Cagsawa is only a 30 minute drive from Legazpi City proper into the town of Daraga. The ruins and the remains of the bell tower tell a tale of life then and are testaments of nature's destructive power.

Picnic Time in Legazpi City's Wildlife Center

The Albay Park and Wildlife is in our top 5 tourist spots in Legazpi - Philippines. This is the city's wildlife center where several wild animals are kept in captivity. It's also the place in Legazpi to bring kids for a picnic. It's right by Lignon Hill and is near the airport so the place is really not that hard to miss.

The entrance to the Albay Park and Wildlife is only around P20, which is really cheap. There are food stalls and a picnic area with tables and chairs. They feature hundreds of animals, but most of them are birds with some reptiles and mammals. There are boats and bikes you can rent and at certain scheduled days you can even go fishing.

Early Morning Jog with an Astounding Panoramic View

This place is a popular place for a short hike or jog. You'll find locals going up the hill to the observatory to get an astounding view of the city and entire countryside. The best time to go up Lignon Hill is in the early morning or in the afternoon when it's not that hot.

Lignon Hill is also a great place to view Mayon Volcano. The hike up the hill will take half an hour until you get to the view deck. If ever you do get hungry or just want something to drink there are food stalls up on Lignon Hill with alfresco dining areas to complement the ambience.

The Dark Eerie Japanese Tunnel

Lastly on our top 5 tourist spots in Legazpi - Philippines is the Japanese Tunnel. The tunnel itself isn't really that dark neither is it exactly that eerie. The path is actually lighted using light bulbs. The interior of the tunnel is quite cool since its walls and ceiling are made of stone and are a bit damp. The men of the Japanese Imperial Army used this tunnel as a place to store their arsenal during World War II. This is a rare glimpse into war torn Legazpi back then.

These are our top 5 tourist spots in Legazpi - Philippines. You'll enjoy touring the natural and man made attractions. Visitors will enjoy the natural beauty of the place and the heritage of its people.