HomeAsiaPhilippinesLuzonAlbayCagsawa Church Ruins at Dusk: Mayon Madness Take 3 By Marcos Detourist on May 7, 2011The Mayon Volcano was finally clearing up and just in time for sunset! I rushed to the Cagsawa ruins in Daraga, Albay to get the famous shot of Mayon showing off the ruined bell tower of the ill-fated Cagsawa Church. From the Daraga town proper, I hailed a jeep and dropped off at the highway intersection going to the Cagsawa Ruins (there’s another jeepney route, which goes the other way to Ligñon Hill, so better inform the driver where your headed). There were a lot of tricycles parked at the drop-off point but I chose to walk the way to the Cagsawa ruins since I wanted to take photos along the way. Great thing I did because I wanted to take photos of the Mayon Volcano with Albay’s natural countryside scenery. A carabao grazing at the grasslands surrounding the iconic Mayon Volcano.I spotted this carabao along the way and I just had to stop for a photo-op. It was minding its own business, grazing mindlessly on the field, but I wanted it to look at the camera. So I waived my sarong to catch its attention … consequentially, it did look at my direction and also started walking hastily towards me. I must have irritated the poor thing.Cagsawa Church Bell Tower RuinsMoving on, it took me around 15 minutes walk from the highway to the entrance of the Cagsawa Ruins. Entrance fee was minimal at P10. The bare structure of the bell tower is among the remnants of the ruined Cagsawa Church, which was destroyed during the violent eruption of Mayon on February 1, 1814. I can’t imagine how the people of Cagsawa could’ve felt when they trooped to the church for refuge that fateful day. According to local stories, 1,200 people died within the confines of the church alone. They were hoping for a miracle, that a divine intervention was prepared to spare the Cagsawa Church from the devastation.There were open rice fields at the edge of the Cagsawa church grounds. I loved the lushness of the palay (rice plant), soft colors of dusk, and most of all, the clear view of the Mayon Volcano. Everything was finally falling into place. I just had to set-up my tripod for a souvenir photo with Mayon. I love the faint “poof” of smoke coming out from Mayon’s crater[gmap]Don’t leave yet. There’s more!Daraga Church, Albay DIY Sidetrip - Mayon Madness Take 2Ligñon Hill View Deck: Mayon Madness Take 5Sorsogon to Legazpi City: Return Flight to ManilaOne Week in Bicol - Solo Backpacking & DIY Tips7 Days Bicol Itinerary - Camarines Sur, Legazpi, Albay &…Legazpi City Seawall at Sunrise: Mayon Madness Take 4Comments Batang Lakwatsero saysMay 7, 2011 at 7:44 amganda ng shots.. idol!!!! chymera00 saysMay 8, 2011 at 5:19 pmthanks Batang Lakwatsero. Nice to see you drop by :D tina saysMay 7, 2011 at 10:45 amSoon we will meet Mayon.Very nice shots :) chymera00 saysMay 8, 2011 at 5:19 pmThanks tina. Enjoy Mayon :D lakwatsera de primera saysMay 7, 2011 at 2:09 pmNaglakad ka lang pala papasok sa ruins, Medyo malayo din yun from the highway. chymera00 saysMay 8, 2011 at 5:13 pmYep I just walked the whole way. It’s a bit far but the views along the way are a good distraction … also I went there during sunset so it wasn’t so hot. Carla saysFebruary 7, 2012 at 6:06 pmheey i really enjoyed this blog series on Mayon. punta dn ako dun this March for a solo DIY so i’ve been reading a lot abt it. this post is a great help! Thanks! Marcos saysFebruary 7, 2012 at 9:58 pmthanks din Carla for visiting :D Turista Trails saysJanuary 15, 2013 at 8:11 pmamazing shots of mayon. lalo ako na-excite to go there this weekend. Posting of new comments is disabled temporarily.Connect with Marcos on:Detourista.comMarcosDetourist.comFacebookInstagramTwitterDetourista.comDiscover more travel guides and blogs about the Philippines and beyond by Marcos DetouristChoose your next destination: Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
lakwatsera de primera saysMay 7, 2011 at 2:09 pmNaglakad ka lang pala papasok sa ruins, Medyo malayo din yun from the highway.
chymera00 saysMay 8, 2011 at 5:13 pmYep I just walked the whole way. It’s a bit far but the views along the way are a good distraction … also I went there during sunset so it wasn’t so hot.
Carla saysFebruary 7, 2012 at 6:06 pmheey i really enjoyed this blog series on Mayon. punta dn ako dun this March for a solo DIY so i’ve been reading a lot abt it. this post is a great help! Thanks!
Turista Trails saysJanuary 15, 2013 at 8:11 pmamazing shots of mayon. lalo ako na-excite to go there this weekend.