Balinsasayao Twin Lakes
National Natural Park
in Sibulan, Negros Oriental Province,  Philippines;  NW of Dumaguete City
Our Visit in February 2011
The main area, only "civilization" around both of the lakes, and the only access-point from
the single road in.  You can see the boat-dock, the five grass-roofed pavilions for
picknicing, and -- up on top of the entrance-pass -- the lone simple restaurant.
a verdant cloud-forest teeming with wildlife, deeply up in the Southern Negros Mountains
Our Gang ready-to-roll, in our 'EasyRide' truck.  It's a rough and steep 12-km one-hour
semi-paved road, and some said that our little engine and tires couldn't make it -- but we did.
Ranger Station  -- just after this, you have to park and walk over the ridge to the main lake
Resettlement Village across from the Station, on the very steep side of Mt. Balinsasayao
There is no commercial place to stay overnight here, only a simple lakeside campground.
Picnic area by a pond next to the Station
a topographical model at the Ranger Station shows the location of this park
<--- Twin Lakes
<--- Ranger Station
<--- Sibulan Town
Dumaguete
<-- our house
<--- Ranger Station
<-- Lake B.
Lake Danao -->
Sibulan Town -->
<--- road goes up
this ridge
<--- Twin Lakes
Park
Mt. Guidabon on the western shore of bigger Lake Balin-sasa-yao
dock area, where you can rent picnic tables and boat-rides
there is a trail all the way around the big lake, but after heavy rains parts of it are
underwater! -- as it was on this day.  April-June are good months for that hike.
the boat took us to the stairway of native-style pavilion on the narrow ridge separating the two lakes
smaller Lake Danao, from the pavilion
bigger lake, from the pavilion
Lake Danao, from the pavilion -- you can climb down to it and swim, but there's
no civilization anywhere around it, no fishing permitted  -- it's kept totally wild!
freshwater lakes rest 1000 feet above sea level.   They are separated by a narrow mountain ridge, in a hollow
between four mountains: Mount Mahungot to the south, Mt. Kalbasan to the north, Mt. Balinsasayao to the east
(the steep round one above-right) and Mt. Guidabon to the west.  Lake Balinsasayao is the bigger and touristed
one to the northwest of the ridge, and smaller Lake Danao lies to the southeast.
All in the Family:  Tecson (white T-shirt on left) and Jerrom (purple T-shirt) are cousins, both nephews of
Lourdes (and both will soon join the national police); their fiancees Marilyn & Loren Villo are sisters!  
Lideow (back / highest) is Lou's youngest brother and housemaid Rowena (red) is her 2nd-cousin...
Guidabon