BALINSASAYAO TWIN LAKES, DUMAGUETE CITY, NEGROS ORIENTAL

The Happy Trip

Going to a place for the first time is always fun — just like in the recent trip
we have in Dumaguete.  The city proper is relatively small and laid-back, but
Dumaguete offers great and amazing spots which will surely give every traveler an
exciting experience. One of the spots we’ve visited recently were Dumaguete’s
Twin Lakes: Balinsasayao and Danao.

Located in the mountains of the south-eastern half of Negros Island, 12 km

west of the town of Sibulan, Negros Oriental peacefully lie the captivating Lake
Balinsasayao and its twin lake, equally breathtaking Lake Danao.

If you are traveling from Dumaguete City, the town of Sibulan is 6 kilometers
away and about 20 minutes of road travel time. From a certain point, you head up
to the mountains, a steep and winding path, until you reach the area for
disembarking. Finally, you make a short descent to the lake by way of a man-
made stairway made from flat stones. The majestic and serene lake slowly unfolds
before your eyes as with the silhouette of the mountains behind it.

Getting there can be quite a challenge. Along the way, we’ve spotted some
travelers taking the Habal-habal (motorbike). Some parts of the road going to the
mountain are rocky and undeveloped so I am sure it would be bumpy. But if
you’re traveling alone or with a partner, I suppose the Habal-Habal is quite a
practical choice of transportation.

In our case, we took a private 4-wheel drive car owned by our host in
Dumaguete, so that was a comfortable trip for us. But according to our host,
resorts and hotels in  Dumaguete City also offer a trip to the Twin Lakes.

We headed towards Lake Balinsasayao. Being one of the major tourist

attractions in the Dumaguete, Lake Balinsasayao is a protected Natural Park,
home to an expansive ecosystem and great biodiversity.
 The lakes are two small but deep crater freshwater lakes rising 1000 feet
above sea level and separated by a narrow mountain ridge, situated in a hollow
between four mountains, Mount Mahungot to the south, Mount Kalbasan to the
north, Mount Balinsasayao to the east and Mount Guidabon to the west.

The Twin Lakes show no visible outlets to the sea. Lake Balinsasayao lies to
the northwest of the ridge and Lake Danao to the southeast.   Due to the limited
time we have, we were not able to really explore Lake Danao, instead, we just
content ourselves enjoying Lake Balinsasayao. The lake seemed to me to be
mystical. It looked green and seemed to be very deep. But I  still opted to swim
for a few minutes. I have spotted some visitors doing fishing and boating. The lake
is teeming with fish making it an ideal fishing ground. Some of my friends went
trekking, but I didn’t go with them as I love more water. We went kayaking after a
while.

For some who are not really into active activities, doing nothing and just
sitting under one of the small huts to enjoy the view and the fresh mountain air
will already be enough when you are in Lake Balinsasayao.  It’s a wonderful spot
also for photo enthusiasts. Unfortunately, what I am sharing with you right now
are just photos from my cell phone.    Lush tropical greens and vegetation blessed
the Twin Lakes.  Age-old trees, giant ferns, and other exotic plants and orchids are
among its natural inhabitants. You can spot the wild rare vines freely cling to the
barks of the trees. The Almagica Tree, the tallest tree of the Philippines growing
up to 60 meters tall, can still be found here. According to the locals, the Twin Lake
area is also the habitat of many rare species like the Japanese Night Heron whose
presence in the vicinity was recorded in the 1970s.

There is a canteen selling drinks, bottled water, and light snacks. But we
brought our own packed meals for lunch and just rent a cottage.  A small
restroom is also available.