The Rocky Road to the Front Foot of Mt. Mayon

Layout Design and Text by Katherine C. Eustaquio

The lava trails make for the perfect ATV tracks, that’s for sure. Starting early at the ATV ride towards the lava front at the foot Mt. Mayon is absolutely a rewarding adrenaline rush experience.

After a brief introduction, a handful of instructions, and a brief test run the adventure kicks off at Brgy. Pawa. The ATV is fairly easy to navigate but the roads are the true test of faith. The rocky trail is packed with a fair amount of obstacles that riders need to pass in order to reach the campsite hut.

While on the trail, you can see the vast lava trail and the actual rocks, boulders, and deposits that came straight from Mayon Volcano. The trail is quiet, except for a few workmen on several hauling sites and a few kids from the village, the only sound you will hear is the roar of the ATV motor.

Guests are instructed to ride in one row and are advised not to race with one another to avoid accidents on the trail. The trail to the campsite is about fifteen to twenty minutes away from the start point, so you better bring a small bottle of water to avoid getting dehydrated and maybe a handy sunscreen to avoid getting sunburned.

At the campsite hut, guests can take a short rest before getting on the rocky trail towards the helipad that sits right on the lava trail. Up close, you will notice that the volcanic rocks are either reddish, raven black, and dotted. The climb up the helipad could take you 10 to 15 minutes depending on your stamina but the rocky climb is worth every drop of sweat the moment you reach the massive helipad.

Certain areas of the lava trail are relatively flat. ATV riders can stop at any point for a brief rest or a quick photo shoot.

There are two ways to get down from the lava trail helipad. You can either hike you way down that could take another 15 minutes or zipline from the helipad area back to the campsite hut. Unfortunately, there are no stores nearby where you can buy water or small snacks but it’s a good thing that the ride back to the start up point in Brgy. Pawa has a shortcut across the village that usually takes about 10 minutes.