Albay Islands Philippines
Land Of The World's Most Perfect Cone

Albay Mayon Volcano...

* Mayon rises 2,462 m above the Bicol Region of the Philippines and has a base circumference of 62.8km.

* It is located right in the center of the Albay Province, 460km south of Manila. The Mayon is visible from nearly all cities and towns in the Albay Province. It is also visible from neighboring provinces.

* Mayon is a stratovolcano known for its almost perfect symmetrical triangle shape. It is commonly referred to as one of the natural wonders of the world.

* The upper slopes of the Mayon are steep, reaching up to 40° in angle.

* The name Mayon is derived from the Bicolano word Magayon, which means "beautiful."

* She is one of the most active volcanoes in the Philippines.

* There are 49 eruptions since the first documented activity in 1616.

* The worst recorded eruption occurred on February 1, 1814. Some 1,200 people from the nearby town of Cagsawa sought refuge inside the local church, but had lost their lives, as the whole town including the church was completely destroyed by the lava. Only the church tower remained standing.

* To this day, the Cagsawa Ruins still stand upright as an eerie reminder of the power behind Mayon's beauty.

* The Mayon has been restless since 1999, when it unexpectedly emitted a large plume of ash startling the local residents. A series of eruptions followed in 2000 and 2001. Prior to this, the last major eruption of the Mayon was in 1993, causing the death of 70 people and evacuation of 50,000 residents.