The volcano is the central feature of the Sorsogon Province and is located about 20 km south of the provincial capital. Buses from Manila through Legazpi and down the Maharlika Highway pass by the park. It's about 2-3 hours from Legazpi where the nearest tourism office is located. The town of Irosin is a good jump-off point -- the Mateo Hot Springs Resort is nearby.

Bulusan Lake lies at the heart of the National Park. Getting there from the capital, Sorsogon City, one has two options. First would be to take the Maharlika Highway up to the town of Irosin passing thru the towns of Casiguran and Juban. From Irosin it is another ten kilometers to the site. The other is passing thru a very scenic route overlooking the Pacific Ocean (San Bernardino Strait) thru the towns of Gubat, Barcelona and the centro of Bulusan town. The road is not that good although some portions are now being paved and concreted. From the main road which connects the towns of Bulusan and Irosin is a two kilometer path which is very accessible even for big buses that leads to the lake itself. As one enters the dilapidated gate to the lake one is welcomed by the view of Bulusan volcano at the background and the lake at the foreground. Thanks to the absence of development, the area retains much of its pristine environment as one can experience while taking a 45 minute walk around the lake

Bulusan Volcano National Park is near the tip of the Camarines (Bicol) Peninsula, at the south-eastern extreme of Luzon Island. There are three main peaks within the park, the active Bulusan Volcano, the highest of the three, which is characterized by numerous deep ravines and caves, and Sharp Peak and Mt Jormahan. The center of the mountain complex forms an undrained area known as the Aguingay Lake, which dries up during summer. Another lake in the Park, Lake Bulusan, is a famous tourist destination. This region lies within the typhoon belt and is subject to severe storms between September and November. A substantial area of forest remains in the park, including both montane forest around the peak, and lowland forest on the slopes. Other habitats include secondary grassland, freshwater lakes and pools, small settlements and rural gardens, abandoned farmland and disturbed ground. The park supports the needs of the nearby communities through its forest products, watershed and recreational values. Local communities utilize the lower slopes as agricultural land. It is the source of water for several communities and for the irrigation of surrounding agricultural land, and it provides natural protection from calamities such as typhoons and flashfloods.

Many birds of the threatened and restricted-range species of the Luzon Endemic Bird Area have been recorded on or near to Mt Bulusan, and the relatively extensive forests which are reported to remain there are likely to support important populations of some of these species.

Philippine Duck (Anas luzonica)

Philippine Hawk-eagle (Spizaetus philippensis)

Flame-breasted Fruit-dove (Ptilinopus marchei)

Philippine Eagle-owl (Bubo philippensis)

Conservation issues The natural habitats of the park have declined over the years as a result of extensive kaingin activities, fuelwood gathering and the illegal cutting of trees. Intense, uncontrolled hunting further impacts on the biodiversity of the park. As a result, for example, the Philippine Deer, which used to abound in the area, is now so rare that it is seldom caught. Wild plant collectors also frequent the park, and commonly collected species include ground orchids Phagus sp., and two Mt Bulusan endemic plant species, Prenephrium bulusantum (a fern) and Schefflera bulusanicum.