Balinsasayao Twin Lakes

Two crater lakes, Balinsasayao and Danao, sit side by side about a thousand metres up in the mountains behind Dumaguete, separated by a narrow forested ridge that you can walk over in a few minutes. The water is dark and still, the surrounding slopes are covered in old growth that comes right down to the edge, and the air is noticeably cooler than the coast below. A viewdeck near the arrival point looks over both. Kayaks and small boats are for hire on Balinsasayao, and a trail circles part of the shore. The protected area holds hornbills and flying foxes, and the birdlife is the reason a lot of people come.

What you actually see

• The ridge viewdeck - the platform looking down on both lakes and the forest between them.
• Balinsasayao - the larger lake, paddled by hired kayak from the landing.
• The shore trail - the path through dense forest along part of the lake edge.
• The birdlife - hornbills and other forest birds in the canopy, best heard early.

When to go

March to June is the driest stretch and the most likely to be clear; the lakes sit in cloud a great deal of the rest of the year. Mornings are best, before the afternoon build-up. Bring a layer, since it is cool at this altitude and colder on the water than the drive up suggests.

Honest expectations

The access road is brutally steep concrete with rough sections, and habal-habal motorcycles struggle with two passengers; small cars sometimes cannot make it. Rain and cloud are frequent and can hide both lakes entirely. Facilities are minimal, food is limited to a small canteen, and kayak hire is charged by the hour on top of entry. Leeches appear on the trails after rain.

Nearby

Dumaguete is under an hour below, with Casaroro Falls at Valencia nearby.