Cagsawa Ruins
A silent testament to Mayon's fury
Saved under Sightseeing, Top Destinations
Tags: Cagsawa Ruins, daraga, Historical Sites, National Museum
In February 1, 1814, Mt. Mayon began its most violent and deadly eruption to date. During the eruption, some 1,200 people took refuge in the stone church of Cagsawa. Unfortunately, all perished when lahar and pyroclastic flows engulfed the church. Only the belfry of the Cagsawa church remains as a grim and silent reminder of that fateful day. For almost two hundred years, it has withstood the test of time and the elements to become one of the most recognizable landmarks of Albay Province.
Cagsawa Ruins | Photo by Dex Baldon
Today, the site of the Cagsawa ruins is now a park managed by the municipal government of Daraga. It is actually the most visited tourist spot in the town. Visitors can enjoy the classic postcard view of Mayon Volcano with the Cagsawa belfry in front. Aside from the ruined belfry and the huge volcanic boulders around the area, visitors can also find several souvenir shops offering a colorful assortment of native products such as handbags, mats, shirts and handicraft made from indigenous materials like abaca. Exotic flowers and orchids are also on sale.
Old Photo of Cagsawa Ruins
One can also find young vendors selling postcard-perfect pictures of Mayon Volcano for P25 a piece. Some even provide informational guided tours of the area, which is quite amusing since most of them are still very young. The fee for the guided tour depends entirely on the generosity of the tourist.
A visit to Albay would not be complete without a stopover at Cagsawa. The town of Daraga is committed to keeping Cagsawa in the itinerary of all visitors to the province. In fact, the municipal government will rehabilitate the area around the ruins, which were heavily damaged during the recent typhoons.
Late Afternoon in Cagsawa | Photo byStorm Crypt
How to Get to Cagsawa Ruins:
From Legazpi City: Cagsawa is approximately eight kilometers away from the Legazpi central business district. Take a jeepney (preferably the ones going to the third district (Camalig, Guinobatan, Ligao, Libon, Polangui, Oas) and ask the driver to drop you off at the junction of the highway and the road going to Cagsawa in Barangay Busay, Daraga. Look for the large Cagsawa signage at the right side of the road.
Location of Cagsawa Ruins
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53 Responses to Cagsawa Ruins
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Climbing Up to Mayon’s Base Camp
Climbing up to the summit of the Philippines’s most active volcano is truly an experience of a lifetime. Climbing up to the level close to the summit or an area commonly referred to as the knife’s edge is for the intermediate-expert climber or for one who is very fit. It normally takes two days and one night to reach the summit and it is essential that one have a competent and knowledgeable local guide.
very nice pictures of cagsawa and mayon…we will be going to legazpi next week and we will definitely go to cagsawa ruins…i read from the above how to get to cagsawa ruins…got one question, is cagsawa ruins walking distance from the junction of the highway and the road to cagsawa? thanks.
Yes, you can walk from the highway to Cagsawa itself. I think it’s a 10-15 minute walk. The area around Cagsawa was destroyed during the 2006 typhoons but the road is passable.
yes its a walking distance from a highway.
ITS REAL BEAUTY IF WE TREAT SAME OURS IT WILL SEE NEXT GENERATION
talagang maganda dyan sa lugar n yan…nung bata pa ko madalas kami pumunta dyan … kakalungkot nga lng nung bumagyo ng 2006 dami kamag anak nmin nmatay sa flash floods .. ….
maganda tlaga yan sa personal..
i remember nung pumunta ako sa albay:))
kahit ndi ok ung road suliiiiiiiiiit parin..
nyahahah
UNBELIEVABLE ung story nyan..
dmi namatay..
nku.nku.nku..
BICOL EXPRESS anghang!!!!
haha
albay is my province.. . and i swear to bring back home my family when i succeed. . reming is really shit thats why we’re now here in manila.. and i do now missed my friends!!!!!!!!
to all my friends wanna text me up”’ here’s my no. 09072370471, amor/tristan yaeh…. …. . .
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NATURE IS SUCH A GREAT ARTIST, IT CAN MANAGE TO CREATE ITS OWN MASTERPIECE..WHO WOULD IMAGINE THAT REMNANTS OF DESTRUCTION WILL AMAZINGLY BE REKNOWNED TO THE WORLD!THE SCENERY OF CAGSAWA RUINS IS ONE OF A KIND EXPERIENCE TO TREASURE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE…. ANYBODY WILL TRULY BE INLOVE IN THIS PLACE…YOU WILL FEEL THAT YOU ARE WELCOME BECAUSE IT SEEMS THAT NATURE IS SMILING AT YOU….
thanks for the info on how to get there. Will be going there on the 19th and I’m still researching about the places I would probably go to in Legazpi. Thanks talaga!!
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