In the province of Negros Oriental, not far from the city centre of Dumaguete, lies a hidden gem of nature: Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park. This natural park consists of Lake Balinsasayao and Danao, two small crater lakes separated by a narrow mountain ridge surrounded by different mountains that span across the municipalities of Valencia, Sibulan and San Jose. The name Balinsasayao came from the native birds “Balinsasayaw” (Swiftlet) which is believed to have inhabited the lake in the past and the main ingredient to the famous Nido Soup (birds-nest soup) from the bird’s saliva.
The place is so serene making it perfect for a day of finding peace and tranquillity. What’s nice about this attraction is that it is not yet known by a lot of tourists. In fact, some of our relatives residing in Dumaguete were not familiar with the place or haven’t been. That’s why you can take advantage of admiring its beauty and take pictures without people photo bombing your shots. If you are lucky, you can actually have the whole place to yourself! Just like the time when we went there. We are close to cancelling our plan to visit the Lake because we are somehow not prepared for it. We just really wanted to make the most out of our vacation. Our “last hurrah” as we call it and yet it was one of the best decision we made!
So, if you plan on visiting this untouched place anytime soon, you better not think twice, and here’s why!
1. Haggle, haggle, haggle!
My sister and I asked one of my cousins to come with us so we could have someone who was more familiar with the place. It’s nice because we have someone that can really talk the “Bisaya” language. She also gave us one tip, and that is to haggle all of the time. In Dumaguete city, even if you are going to the beach renting a cottage, renting a boat or riding a motorcycle, learn to bargain to save on cost. She laughingly told us, even renting a cottage valued at 250 pesos (approximately 5 dollars), could still be negotiated. More saving, more fun!
Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park
Address: Sibulan, Negros Oriental
Website: Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park
2. Prepare for an extreme motor ride
Calling all adventurous people here! I would say, this is a part of the trip that I undoubtedly liked! I love riding motorcycles. For me, it’s fast transportation that cuts the excitement short when going to a new place. Dumaguete city is known for being “The Motorcycle Capital of the Philippines” because of its narrow streets, making it convenient to use a motorcycle as a means of transportation to roam around the whole city and its neighboring towns. One thing that also surprised me is that, even though the natural park remains untouched, the road going to the lake is smooth and well-paved. There are also houses and hotels on your way up and I think most of the owners are foreigners. You have two options to reach the lake - by car or by motorcycle. I would suggest the latter! :)
3. Admire the scenic view
Aside from the great view of the lake, there’s a bonus stunning panoramic view of the mountain range surrounding the natural park. I was surprised and amazed by the view’s beauty. It’s such a great sight while being able to smell the fresh air. Remember when I said that we were almost close to cancelling this trip? Well, this is one reason we are happy we didn’t!
4. Bring food or snacks
Please don’t forget to bring at least light snacks and most especially water with you. We were not able to even bring water with us, that’s why I am sharing this with you so you won’t also forget. Before reaching the lake, you are going to trek for a little bit. It was kind of easy going down but going up is really a challenge. You may need to drink a lot of water for this activity. There are no convenience stores or mini supermarkets to cater to your basic needs. Plus, it is nice to sit in the small huts for free while munching some snacks you have.
5. Ride a boat to see the other side (Lake Danao)
You can do a lot of activities on the lake but I just opted to enjoy its beauty. If you want to see Lake Danao, you can ride a boat for only 250 pesos (5 USD) good for 7 people. It’s a very nice activity considering that you can also see the other side of the natural park and be close to the calm waters of the lake. Other activities include swimming, snorkeling, camping, diving and kayaking.
6. Relax!
This is one thing that nobody can stop you from doing in the lake. Plus it’s free! So you can sit or sleep in the small huts however you like! Take advantage of it, because it’s not every day that one can just sit and see the beauty of nature. It’s a nice quick getaway, far from the hustle and bustle of the city and a good place to find peace or bond with someone you love privately.
Getting around
From Dumaguete city, you can ride a bus at Ceres Liner Terminal and ask the bus conductor to drop you at the jump-off point to the lake. The fare will vary depending on the type of bus you will ride (ordinary or air-conditioned) and may take 20 minutes. From there, polite motorcycle drivers are there to be hired and that is the start of your adventure!
History
Get Trip101 in your inbox
Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data
Create an account to