NEGROS '10: Balanan Lake and Falls

NEGROS '10: Balanan Lake and Falls (April 30, 2010)

Our Negros tradition started back in 2008, when we graduated from College. Every year since then, we find ourselves going back to this beautiful island west of Cebu. This is partly because Bulay lives there now and we only see her once a year, but it's also because there’s so much more of Negros to discover. This year, our Negros tradition lived on as we packed our bags, hopped on a bus, and went on a 4-hour journey to the  best Labor Day weekend yet.

The journey started with a 3-hour bus ride to Santander, the southernmost part of Cebu. I was with Adel, Billy, and Mayr, and the bus was quite full. From the port in Lilo-an, Santander, we rode a 30-minute ferry to Sibulan, Negros Oriental. During trips like this I barely get any sleep, partly because the bus ride is bumpy, partly because I’m not exactly seated in the most comfortable position, but mostly because I’m all hyped up and I can’t keep my mouth shut. When we finally made it to Negros, it was already a little after 5AM. We then took an Easy Ride (jeep for hire) to Dumaguete City, hoping that we would make it in time to catch sunrise at the Rizal Boulevard.

D U M A G U E T E  S U N R I S E

Sunrise at the Rizal Boulevard

I’ve always loved watching the sun rise, but watching it at the Rizal Boulevard is an experience in itself, and it’s something I look forward to every time. The Dumaguete bay is just lit up, gradually, by a beautiful blend of colors that just takes your breath away. The orange, pink, and purple sky is reflected in the sea, and the colors just blend perfectly. We walked the length of the boulevard and the sea breeze softly caressed our faces. Other people, mostly joggers, enjoyed the beauty of the sunrise with us. The best thing about the Dumaguete sunrise is it’s never exactly the same, but all Dumaguete sunrises are similar somehow. Needless to say, it was the perfect way to start the morning. From the boulevard we went to the public market and had the most authentic Dumaguete breakfast anyone can ask for – freshly-made puto and sikwate. 

S O U T H E R N  R O A D T R I P

Puto and sikwate

After a short stopover at Bulay’s house, we made our way further south. Our original plan was to go to Antulang right away, but because we’re spontaneous and crazy we decided to check out Lake Balanan, since we were in the area already. I took the driver’s seat, using a car that has witnessed a fair share of our crazy high school adventures. While the charming countryside lazily rolled by, the sun was shining down on us brightly and the sky was as blue as can be.

The Negros countryside

The Negros countryside is quite diverse, and the best thing about it is you don’t really know what to expect. Of course there’s the sea, with the occasional mangroves and the beautiful blend of blue hues. But aside from that there are mountains, valleys, plateaus, dried-up rivers, rice paddies, sugar cane, lush greeneries, and gorgeous wintry trees.

Scenic view on the way to Balanan

Every now and then we would see a cow, and for some strange reason they were all really thin, as if it’s the “in” thing in the secret world of cows. Around 1 hour south of Dumaguete, there’s a sign that says “Balanan Scenic Drive 10 KM” with an arrow sign to the right, and the drive is just that – scenic. It is, however, a dirt road, so that drive took around 40 minutes.

B A L A N A N  L A K E

Balanan Lake

We finally made it to the lake, but by that time we were so hungry that we unanimously decided to move the boating to after we’ve eaten our lunch. Lakes have always fascinated me, because they have a mystery to them that I can’t point my finger on. The mirror-like stillness of the surface is something that’s just so peaceful (and at times eerie), but the beauty of the lush greenery surrounding the lake is a pleasurable sight indeed.

A scenic boat ride

Balanan Falls

From the boat we can see mountains and an ancient forest lined up by century-old balete trees and giant ferns. There’s a walkway around the circumference of the lake, for those who want to discover it in a different way. The birds were chirping and the experience was enchanting, even if we crossed the lake at just around noon and it was scorching hot. When we finally made it to the other side, we had to trek for around 10 minutes to get to the waterfalls. Due to the dry season (and El Nino as well), the Balanan Creek was dried up, but the Balanan waterfall was still there, waiting for us at the end of the trek. Some of us were wearing dresses, but that didn’t stop us from climbing the huge boulders to get to the top of the falls. We used to be girl scouts after all.

Boating in Balanan Lake

All in all, our little side trip to Lake Balanan turned out to be quite an enjoyable experience. Lakes are beautiful and underrated (as compared to beaches, for instance), and I’m glad we went on this little detour.

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A FEW TIDBITS ABOUT LAKE BALANAN:

* The freshwater lake can be found in Barangay Sandulot, Siaton, Negros Oriental.

* The lake is fed by three streams: Lamarao Creek (with two waterfalls), Balanan Creek (with one waterfall), and Nasig-id.

* A 6.8 tectonic earthquake shook the island in the 1920’s, caused a landslide, and resulted in the formation of a 25-hectare humerus-shaped dam. The dam blocked off the waters of the Balanan river and eventually formed the Balanan lake as we know it today. Shaped like the figure 8, the narrowest point at the middle of the lake is only 90 metres wide.

* The lake and surrounding forests are currently being managed as a Watershed Area by the Bureau of Forest Development.

* Entrance is Php50/head, and boating is Php100/hour.