Luzon travel tips and tourist attractions guide, where to go and what to see in luzon

Luzon's area is 104,688 square kilometers, making it theSoutheast Asia, the Laguna de Bay (Old Spanish, Lake
world's 17th largest island. It is the fourth mostof Bay town). This 949 km² lake is drained by the
populated island in the world. Located on Luzon are thePasig River into Manila Bay. Pasig River is one of the
country's capital, Manila, and its most populated city,most important rivers in the country due to its historical
Quezon City. The island is very mountainous and issignificance and because it runs through the center of
home to Mount Pulag, the third highest mountain in theMetro Manila.
country and Mount Pinatubo, Mayon, and Taal Volcano,Located just 20 km southwest of Laguna de Bay is
Luzon's most famous volcanoes. To the west ofTaal Lake, within the southwestern portion of the
Luzon island is the South China Sea (Luzon Sea inisland. This caldera of a lake contains the smallest
Philippine territorial waters), to the east is the Philippinevolcano of the country, Taal Volcano, which rises on
Sea, and to the north is Luzon Strait containingthe island in the center of the lake. The volcano in turn
Babuyan Channel and Balintang Channel.has a lake in its crater. All the surrounding areas of
The main part of the island is roughly rectangular inTaal Lake were once part of a massive prehistoric
shape and has the long Bicol Peninsula protruding tovolcano that covered the southern portion of the
the southeast. The northern part of the island containsprovince of Cavite, Tagaytay City, and the whole of
the large mountain range, the Cordillera Central which isBatangas province.
covered in a mixture of Luzon tropical pine forests andOff the southwestern portion of Luzon is the island of
Luzon montane rain forests. Mount Pulag, the highestMindoro, separated by the Verde Island Passages. The
mountain in Luzon is located here, rising 2,922 meters.passages connect the South China Sea to the east
To the east of the Cordillera Central is the largewith the Tayabas Bay. To the south of the bay is the
Cagayan Valley, which serves as the basin for theisland of Marinduque.
Cagayan River, the longest river in the Philippines. ToThe southeastern portion of Luzon is dominated by the
the east of the valley rises the Sierra Madre mountainBicol Peninsula. This is a mountainous and narrow
range, easily the longest range in the country.region that extends approximately 150 km southeast.
The Sierra Madre snakes southwards into the centralAlong it are numerous gulfs and bays. In the north is
and southern part of the island. Between it and theLamon Bay, which contains Alabat Island and is south
Zambales Mountains to the west is the largest plain,of the Polillo Islands of Quezon province. Other bays
the Central Luzon plain. This plain, approximatelyand gulfs include San Miguel Bay, Lagonoy Gulf, Ragay
11,000 km² in size, is the country's largest producerGulf, and Sorsogon Bay.
of rice. Among the rivers irrigating this plain, the longestTo the east of the peninsula lies the island of
are Cagayan to the north, and Pampanga to the south.Catanduanes. Leading to it is the Caramoan Peninsula.
In the middle of the plain rises the solitary MountOff the southeast tip of Bicol is Samar island,
Arayat. To the west, in the Zambales Mountains, risesseparated by San Bernardino Strait. Bicol Peninsula is
Mount Pinatubo, made famous because of itsconnected to the main part of Luzon through the
enormous 1991 eruption.Tayabas Isthmus. Extending south from the isthmus is
The Zambales mountains extends to the sea in thethe Bondoc Peninsula.
north, forming Lingayen Gulf, home to the HundredThe Bicol Peninsula is also home to numerous
Islands National Park. To the south, the mountains alsovolcanoes. The most famous is Mayon Volcano in
extend into the sea, forming the Bataan Peninsula,Albay. This 2,460 m high volcano is symmetrically
which encloses the Manila Bay. This natural harbor isshaped, rivaling that of Mount Fuji in Japan, and is a
considered to be one of the best natural ports in Eastsymbol of the Bicol Region. Other notable mountains
Asia, due to its size and strategic geographical location.are Mount Isarog and Mount Iriga in Camarines Sur,
To the southeast of Manila Bay is the largest lake inand Mount Bulusan in Sorsogon.
the country, and also the largest inland lake in