Mayon Volcano

Mayon Volcano is a stratovolcano in Albay, Bicol Region, Philippines, rising 2,462 meters (8,077 feet) above Albay Gulf. The cone consists of layers of andesite and basalt built up by repeated eruptions over the centuries.

The year 1814 marked the most devastating eruption, when lava flows and pyroclastic surges buried the town of Cagsawa and killed roughly 1,200 people. Since then, the area has been evacuated multiple times, most recently during the 2000 and 2018 eruptions.

The name comes from the Bicolano word meaning beautiful, and families in nearby towns still grow crops on the dark volcanic soil that spreads across the lower slopes. Farmers plant rice and abaca in terraced fields that follow the natural contours of the terrain.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology operates monitoring stations around the mountain and issues alert levels when seismic activity increases. Visitors should check current warning levels before traveling close to the slopes.

The Cagsawa church ruins stand a few kilometers from the summit and show only a bell tower rising from the 1814 lava blanket. Photographers often use the spot to frame the tower with the cone in the background.

Location: Albay

Location: Bicol Region

Elevation above the sea: 2,462 m

Made from material: andesite, basaltic andesite, basalt, picrobasalt

GPS coordinates: 13.25667,123.68500

Latest update: December 4, 2025 11:00