Lake Mainit

Lake Mainit spreads across the boundary between Surigao del Norte and Agusan del Norte, the fourth largest lake in the Philippines by area and the deepest of the big ones, filling a basin ringed by hills with four municipalities on its shore. It is a working lake rather than a tourist one: fishing is the economy, and the pijanga and other endemic fish taken from it appear in every market around. Visitors come for the setting - the view across the water to the mountains, the boat trips out from Mainit or Jabonga, the hot springs at Mainit town that give it its name, and the small waterfalls in the hills behind. Bird life along the shallow margins is good in the early morning. There is little formal tourism infrastructure, and the lake is generally seen as a stop on the road between Surigao and Butuan rather than a destination in itself.

What you actually see

• The open lake - the wide water with hills behind.
• The fishing boats - the working craft of the shore towns.
• The hot springs - the thermal water that names Mainit.
• The shore margins - shallow edges good for birds at dawn.

When to go

December to May for the driest roads and calmest water. Early morning for birds and mist on the lake.

Honest expectations

There is little in the way of tourist facilities - no resorts of note, few restaurants. Boat trips are arranged informally at the shore. It suits a stop on a longer drive rather than a destination visit.

Nearby

Surigao City and the Siargao ferries are north; Butuan and the Agusan valley are south.