IT FEELS like it’s been eons since any of us have ready gotten to travel (safely).
To help scratch that itch to travel, we’re going on a virtual trip tonight—from the safety of our own homes! Grab your imaginary bags, people!
Next stop—Balinsasayao Twin Lakes in Negros Oriental—where you can easily get to the next time you visit Dumaguete.
WHERE AND WHAT?
A few kilometers away from Dumaguete is the Balinsasayao Twin Lakes National Park—a nature-filled park with two small crater-lakes, Lake Balinsasayao and Lake Danao—both enveloped by little mountains and lush forest scenery.
The park requires a small entrance fee (something about or a little under 100 pesos) per person before entering. After parking your vehicle, you can trek down to the lake, take a boat ride to the space in between the two lakes and hike up to the top of the viewing deck to take in the enchanting view.
It looks like something made of Philippine mythical legends—especially on days where the mist lingers around the lakes. The magical place looks straight out of a fairytale.
TIPS ON SURVIVING (AND ENJOYING) THE TREK IF YOU’RE NOT A TREKKER:
Wear stable but comfortable shoes. The way down to the lake is a steep one and most of it is made out of rocks under shady areas so some parts of it are mossy. This makes it a little bit more slippery and a lot more dangerous if you’re not wearing the right shoes. It’s safe to say that high heels are a big no-no!
Bring water. Athletic or not, you need to hydrate when you do any sort of physical activity and—believe me—walking from the bottom to the top of the viewing deck can take your breath away both figuratively (because the view is beautiful) and literally (because it is quite a lot of steps to climb).
Take breaks to breathe, take in the view and snap lots of pictures. It’s a beautiful place so make sure you take as much time as you can to drink up your surroundings. Snap pictures, make memories, and just take it all in because the Balinsasayao Twin Lakes are truly an enchanting sight to behold.
Take a breath because the air is fresh and the breeze is cooling—with the hike we pay to witness nature’s beauty, you’ll probably need it.
There are so many wonderful places to go when visiting the peaceful city of Dumaguete. And Balinsasayao is just one of them.