Page 212 - Volcano and Geothermal Tourism

Volcano Tourism in the Philippines 189

Active volcanoes can, once erupting, heavily • monitoring of volcanoes: crater activity,
affect people, buildings, agricultural areas and fumaroles, solfataras, eruptions, lahars,
infrastructral settings. The influence of several pyroclastic flows, lava flows;
cataclysmic historical eruptions on the world’s climate • walks and treks on the slopes for monitoring
and the desire to observe an eruption is well-proven. and determination of animals and
Despite the fascination derived from volcanism, plants;
volcano tourists should always consider that both • sampling of volcanic rocks and minerals;
active and ‘sleeping’ volcanoes may be more than a • bathing in hot spots and mud pools; and
‘beast of beauty’ but in fact a danger to life. • photography and painting.
Volcano tourism to volcanic active areas that
are related to the ‘Ring of Fire’ subduction zone Volcano tourism is part of ecotourism, a trend in
mechanisms is primarily endangered by: tourism that has been developed worldwide since
the 1990s. Almost the whole of the Philippines, as
• eruptions from craters and vents; well as some of its volcanoes are potentially to be
• hot and toxic volcanic gases; seen as a focus for ecotourism and its replacement
• ash and pumice fall; discussed elsewhere in this book, geotourism
• hot pyroclastic fallout from plinian eruption (Dowling and Newsome, 2006). The Philippines is
columns; regarded as one of the top 25 biodiversity hotspots
• surges and blasts; in the world in view of its high percentage of
• pyroclastic flows; endemic plants and animals which are threatened
• acidic crater lakes; by extinction. On Mt Mayon (Albay province,
• lava domes; and Bicol region), for example, the Mayon Volcano
• lahars.
Ecotourism Project was established at the
beginning of the 21st century. Recognizing the
Secondary dangers that should not be
underestimated are: diverse natural and cultural resources of the
country, Executive Order No. 111 was issued on
• heavy rainfall; 17 June 1999 to establish the guidelines for
• typhoons and thunderstorms; ecotourism development in relation to the
• slippery trails; Philippines volcanoes and the national park
• straying from marked tracks; and system.
• carelessness. Seen from a touristic point of view, the
volcanoes of the Philippines can be divided into
Though lava flows are universally considered to be two categories:
dangerous, in the subduction zones lava eruptions
are mostly much less physically devastating than 1 popular and easily accessible volcanoes; and
other volcanic dangers (such as pyroclastic flows) 2 volcanoes for the more adventurous.
due to their mineralogical content and structure
and their cooler temperatures compared to the hot While the first category includes such well known
basaltic magmas produced in the rift zones (Chapters volcanoes as Mt Pinatubo, Taal, Hibok-Hibok and
2 and 3 this volume) and their resulting slow speed Mt Apo, the second comprises more remote and
of advance when travelling down slopes.
harder to access fire mountains, such as Mts
Volcano tourism in the Mayon, Kanlaon, Bulusan, Isarog, Parker and
Philippines Kalatungan. This classification obviously differs
from a serious scientific classification but is
Volcano tourism in the Philippines covers a descriptive of tourist behaviour and motivations.
variety of different activities, such as: The following short descriptions of some active
volcanoes in the Philippines should help to make
• climbing active and potentially active volcanoes; the access to this fiery matter easier and safer.

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