Zambales | Mt. Pinatubo Day Hike in Photos: The Crater

the beautiful Mt. Pinatubo crater
It was almost 29 years ago when one of the world's largest and most explosive volcanic eruption happened. I was then a part-time sewer in a small garment sub-contractor in my hometown. I, together with my co-workers, were stay-in sewers; that is, we live in the same building where we work. The night before June 15, we slept leaving our windows open, just as we normally do. In the morning of June 15, we woke up having sands (ashes) in our mouth. I looked out the window and saw thick ashes in our window sill and on the streets below.

There's no cellphones (smartphones) back then so we don't know what's happening. We went down and check out newspapers. Then we found out that Mt. Pinatubo, a stratovolcano located in the mountains of Zambales erupted. This hometown of mine is in Bauan, Batangas; around 172 kilometers from Mt. Pinatubo. Imagine that! Actually, it reached as far as the Indian Ocean (source), that's how explosive Mt. Pinatubo eruption was.  This wrath from Mt. Pinatubo and the Baguio earthquake (earthquake was felt in Batangas, too) are the two most unforgettable disasters I've experienced in my teenage life.

Mt. Pinatubo crater, at another angle
Fast forward 2015, I was with friends who are into mountain climbing, when I finally saw with my own eyes Mt. Pinatubo, a magnificent beauty created by a catastrophic disaster. It's such a beauty that it lures many tourists, both local and international alike. With the onset of dry season here in the Philippines, I'm quite sure Mt. Pinatubo will again be one of the top tourist destination in Northern Luzon. Most likely, blogs and IG posts will again be flooded with Mt. Pinatubo photos.

For those who are into nature tripping and photography, Mt. Pinatubo is a place to be. Going here is kinda pricey but it's all worth it. It's also quite an adventure riding a 4x4 along lahar-laden field surrounded by ash/sand walls and then concluded with a 2-hour trek to the crater. Come and see this beauty that is Mt. Pinatubo. 

By the way, in this post are various Mt. Pinatubo crater shots I took during our 2015 adventure. I hope these photos inspire you to go visit and see Mt. Pinatubo, too.

Welcome to Mt. Pinatubo
Mt. Pinatubo crater and my hiking buddy
foreign tourists, enticed by Mt. Pinatubo beauty

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