Mayon rises 2,462 m (8, 189 ft) above the Bicol Region of the

Philippines and has a base circumference of 62.8km (40mi).

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.