Mount Banahaw is an active volcano located on the Philippine island of Luzon on the border of the regions of Laguna and Quezon. The height of the Banahau volcano is 2158 metres, and the crater at its summit has 1.5x3.5 kilometres and 210 metres deep. Nearby are the volcanoes of San Cristobal, Mayabobo, Masalacot Domes and Banahau de Lucban.
The word "Banahaw" itself has to do with shrines, it is close to the Tagalog word "banal", which means "holy, sacred, divine". According to linguists, "banahaw" can mean "supposedly holy place".
Local tribes consider the mountain and its surroundings a special place because of the "holy water" - the many hot springs that they believe have healing properties. In addition, there are many "holy sacred places", which are also considered sacred, are various natural sights, such as rocks, caves and springs, in which altars are built. These places were discovered during the Spanish colonisation.
Today, Mount Banahaw is visited by a steady stream of local pilgrims, who hope to find health and well-being here. In addition, the mountain is popular with climbers and mountaineers who are attracted by its height. It is, incidentally, the closest mountain to Manila with over 2,000 metres in height. During Holy Week, the number of visitors here numbers several thousands. There are at least 4 trails to the summit from Dolores, Saraya and other communities in Quezon province. The average journey to the summit takes from 5 to 9 hours. Aside from the viewpoints located at Mt. Banahaw, tourists are attracted to the Cave of God the Father and the spring near Kinabahayan, which is rumoured to have healing powers.
