Vulcan Point Island inside Main Crater Lake. (Image: Getty)
The world is full of , but very few of them are tongue twisters.
However, that’s exactly the case when it comes to a very that can be described as an island in a lake on an island in a lake on an island.
The place in question is Vulcan Point, a small rocky island sitting inside Main Crater Lake, which itself rests within , located on Taal Lake, which is part of .
This rare geographical phenomenon, known as a third-order island, is one of the very few in the world.
is one of the most active volcanoes in , and has shaped the landscape over centuries through its eruptions.
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Taal Volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in the Philippines. (Image: Getty)
Vulcan Point on the map. (Image: Google)
The Main Crater Lake formed inside the volcano’s caldera after a massive eruption in 1911 caused the land to sink, allowing rainwater to accumulate over time.
Vulcan Point is actually the exposed tip of a submerged volcanic cone, making it the only visible remnant of what was once an active part of the volcano.
In January 2020, Taal Volcano erupted again, temporarily drying up Main Crater Lake and leaving Vulcan Point sitting on dry land.
The lake disappeared after fissures formed, likely draining the water into underground cavities.
Extreme heat from the eruption may have also caused the lake to evaporate. However, a series of typhoons refilled the lake, restoring its unusual island-in-a-lake-in-an-island status.
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Taal Volcano is a popular tourist destination. (Image: Getty)
Taal Lake itself is a unique body of water. It is the only place in the world where tawilis, a species of freshwater sardine, can be found.
The lake is also home to Garman’s sea snake, one of the few sea snakes that have adapted to a freshwater environment.
Vulcan Point is not the only third-order island on Earth, but it is considered one of the most famous.
A similar formation exists on Victoria Island in Canada, though it is much larger and less well-known.
Located about 30 miles south of Manila, Taal Volcano is a popular tourist destination, with visitors taking boat rides across the lake before hiking up to the crater for a closer look.
However, due to its volatile nature, access to the volcano is restricted at times for safety reasons.