Located 56 kilometers south of Manila, this idyllic ridge city in the southern part of Cavite is blessed with crisp and cool mountain air all year round. Considered as the country's second summer capital after Baguio City, Tagaytay has an average temperature of 22.7 degrees Celsius. Located 2,250 feet above sea level, Tagaytay offers many residents of Manila an opportunity to escape the heat and bustle of the busy city. For tourists, this city on a ridge is a convenient place to spend a day or a weekend in the countryside. It is also a popular spot for viewing Taal Volcano, reputedly the world's smallest active volcano.

Tagaytay City is the first chartered municipal corporation in the province of Cavite. The Philippine National Assembly granted its city charter in 1938. Before this, Tagaytay was just a small mountain village of some 300 families. Development came only in the 1970s when rich investors began putting up posh condominiums, modern townhouses and multi-story establishments. To this day, there are conflicting versions on how the city got its present name.

Described as the country's top tourist destination, Tagaytay attracts all types of visitors - local picnickers, foreign tourists, adventure seekers and religious individuals. As a center of spiritual retreat, Tagaytay offers invigorating relief from the mayhem of city life.

Traveling by private care, air-conditioned bus or by jeepney, Manila residents take a 90-minute drive to Tagaytay on weekends for pleasure activities. Amusement centers are spread across the 65-square-kilometer city. World-class playgrounds, golf courses, picnic huts, skating rinks, horse trails, bars, restaurants, hotels and resorts and just among Tagaytay's well-planned tourist complexes, which offer the visitors an exciting stay.

Recently, the city has seen the rise of many congregational houses and retreat centers. Religious groups find Tagaytay conducive to spiritual meditation, owing to the serenity of the surroundings. Furthermore, sprawling flower farms, coconut groves and pineapple plantations enhance the natural scenery of the city.

More than anything else, Tagaytay is the city that offers an unobstructed view of Taal Volcano, a natural wonder sitting on a tranquil lake, which was formed after centuries of volcanic eruptions.

Taal Volcano

The hotels and restaurants stretched along the Aguinaldo Highway in Tagaytay City offers a breathtaking sight of Taal Volcano, reputedly the world's smallest active volcano. Often described as "a crater within an island within a lake", the 406-meter-high Taal Volcano stands as an island on Taal Lake, an immense caldera formed when a much-larger crater of an ancient volcano collapsed into deeply eroded hills and cliffs.

The ridges around Tagaytay and surrounding towns are in fact believed to be part of the crater of the old volcano. Today, these ridges form part of the border of the 18-mile-diameter Taal Lake and stretch 32 kilometers from Mount Batulao to Mount Sungay.

Taal Volcano is considered as one of the world's most active volcanoes. Since 1572, the volcano has had over 20 violent eruptions, throwing rains of lava and mud into surrounding villages.

During its lull period, the volcano is an ideal place for adventure seekers and nature sightseers. The upper part of the volcano, which is visible as an island, is made up of hard rock and sand. Its crater lake formed by hardened lava creates menacing patterns on cinder dunes. Beyond the crater are green, hilly meadows that cover the slopes.

A visit to Taal Volcano can be arranged through the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), which maintains a station on the island. Visitors can take a boat ride around the volcano or visit small farming communities nearby. The more athletic tourists trek to the rim of the volcano during its sleeping lull.

A word of caution may be in order. Around the Tagaytay area numerous touts operate selling Taal lake tours. These appear to be fixed prices (quite expensive) and give the impression to may tourists that you have to pay their ticket price if you want to visit Taal. These touts - and the people behind them (they are well organised) - are a complete rip off! They promise a lot but deliver very little. Unlike other places where the tourist traffic is well organised and regulated, at Tagaytay, it appears that the objective is to fleece as much as the market will bear. If you want to visit Taal, best go with a knowledgeable local and pay only for the services you want once you get to the lake.

Palace in the Sky

Tagaytay City is a conglomerate of fun-filled destinations. Aside from the unobstructed view of Taal Volcano, the city has a lot more to offer. Situated at the top of the highest ridge in the area is the amazing "Palace in the Sky" complex built during the Marcos administration. Originally designed as the presidential guesthouse, the complex is now known as the "People's Park".

The complex features a large building complete with luxurious amenities. Its picnic huts andrelaxation areas now serve as the prime vantage point for viewing the whole of Cavite and Batangas. It also affords visitors an unobstructed coverage of the Taal Lake and surrounding ridges.

The spot can be reached after traversing a long winding road uphill. At the gate of the complex, visitors are greeted by the vista of the vast expanse and the cool mountain breeze coming from different directions.

Other Attractions

Along Aguinaldo Highway in Tagaytay City rise hotels, restaurants, bars and resorts. These festive joints provide a magnificent view of Taal Lake. The Rancho Freba, Taal Vista Lodge, Days Hotel, Casino Filipino and Residence Inn Hotel also have facilities for amusement and sports. Visitors can also go skating and horseback riding in the nearby facilities. Also nearby, a mini-zoo, with a rich collection of varied fauna, is open to the public.

The 13-hectare Tagaytay Picnic Grove is the most visited complex in the city. Operated by the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA), it offers picnic huts for a fee. For visitors who intend to stay overnight, the complex has basic dormitory-type and cottage suites. It also has facilities for skating and horseback riding.

Just beside the Tagaytay Picnic Grove is the well-maintained Japanese Friendship Garden. This 1,200-square-meter park relaxes the weary visitors with its finely manicured lawn, lush ornamental plants and blooming flowers. It also has a small fountain area under the heavy shade of mango trees.

Another interesting spot is the Tagaytay Highlands International Golf Club, Inc. This estate boasts of a modern cable car facility that affords members with a stunning view of the lush greeneries of Tagaytay City.

Tagaytay City teems with playgrounds, gardens, flower farms, seafood restaurants, bars, and souvenir shops. Among the most notedman-made structures in thecity are the Lourdes Church, the Franciscan Sisters' gray chapel, the Saint Anne Shrine, and the 11th Airborne Monument on the Silang Rotonda area.

For souvenir items and great buys, the ideal places to visit are the Mahogany Market behind the Tagaytay City Hall, the Picnic Grove souvenir shop, and the cluster of fruits stalls along Aguinaldo Highway. More items are available in Taal, Batangas and other lakeside towns.

Going to Tagaytay

Tagaytay City is just a 1 ½-hour drive from Metro Manila. It can be reached via the Coastal Road or the South Superhighway. Public buses with terminal station in Pasay City ply the Tagaytay route. BLTB buses bound for Nasugbu or Balayan and Batangas also pass the Aguinaldo Highway in Tagaytay.

For private cars, the shortest road to Tagaytay is the Carmona route (via the South Superhighway). This leads through Baccor, Imus and Dasmarinas to the town of Silang and on up to the entrance of Tagaytay. An alternative route is the Coastal Road from Pasay City to Las Piñas, which leads eventually to the Aguinaldo Highway.

For further details on Tagaytay you can visit www.tagaytay.com.