Zambales
Site of the 1991 eruption, one of the 20th century's most powerful, whose collapsed crater now holds a turquoise lake reached via a lahar-carved riverbed on a 4x4-and-hike route. The area is Aeta Mag-Antsi ancestral domain; swimming in the crater lake is now banned.
Best months: December–February for the clearest crater-lake color; avoid May–September (lahar flood risk).
Permits: Register at the Capas Tourism Office; 4x4 rental and a guide are both required per group, plus a Capas eco fee and a separate ancestral-domain ("Botolan") fee. Foreign nationals need a PAF Visit Clearance booked well in advance (former Crow Valley bombing-range airspace).
Current closure: Reopened June 23, 2025 after a roughly month-long closure tied to Aeta/Ayta ancestral-domain protests; the reopening added the current ancestral-domain fee and incorporated Indigenous Peoples as guides.
Not connected yet — planned to combine a live weather feed with the crowdsourced reports below, not replace them.
Difficulty 2/9 · ~45 min 4x4 ride + 1.5–2 hrs hike one-way
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