Mount Arayat is a potentially active volcano located on the Philippine island of Luzon. Its height is 1,026 metres. So far, no eruptions have been recorded. Arayat is considered a mystical mountain, the habitat of the legendary wizard Aring Sinukuan or, as it is also called, Mariang Sinukuan.
The volcano is located in an agricultural region - in the heart of the plains of Central Luzon. The southern part of the mountain is part of the municipality of Arayat in the province of Pampanga, while the northern part is in the municipality of Magalang in the same province. Ten miles to the to the west is the city of Angeles City and the former U.S. military base Clark. Also located there is the active volcano Pinatubo, which last erupted in 1991.
At the very top of the mountain you can see a round volcanic crater about 1.2 kilometres in diameter. However, much of it in the western and northern parts has been destroyed by erosion. Although there's no record of eruptions at Arayat, small jets of steam occasionally erupt to the surface from the most eroded parts of the crater on the north-west side. It's thought that one of the ancient eruptions of the volcano formed the Lava Dome on the mountain's western slopes. Today it is one of the main tourist attractions of Arayat and a field practice site Pampanga Agricultural College students.
There are two trails leading to the top of the mountain. One starts at the Mt. Arayat National Park and leads to South Peak - it takes 3-4 hours to get there. From there, there are views of Central Luzon and the Pampanga River valley. The Zambales Mountains can be seen to the west, and the Sierra Madre range to the east. The Northern, higher Peak can be reached from the town of Magalang - the journey will also take 3-4 hours. This trail passes through the rock formation of the Arayata Amphitheatre and the Lava Dome, home of the legendary Aring Sinukuana.
The word "Sinukuan" in the language of the local tribes means "the end" or "the one to whom the "to whom others have submitted. According to legend, in ancient times, Mount Arayat was located in the middle of a swamp, and because of that, its inhabitants always suffered. And only Sinukuan was able to move the mountain and free its inhabitants from their misery. The wizard was very powerful - his only rival was the wizard Namalari of Mt. Pinatubo. It is said that Ayala Falls near the town of Magalang served as the "bath" for Sinukuan - today they are often visited by tourists and locals. And he lived in the very same Lava Dome with its shimmering vaults. It is believed that the wizard must return to respond to the "attack" of the Namalari, which is how the locals interpret the 1991 Pinatubo eruption. Another theory is that Sinukuan will return when it's time for the final battle before the end of the world.
