The Enchanting Twin Lakes and Sulfuric Vent of Mt. Talinis
December 03, 2010
Hiding in its thick forests are fascinating sights we never knew existed.
Mt. Talinis is the first mountain I climbed in the Visayas area. Also known as Cuernos de Negros (Horns of Negros), it is the second highest in Negros Oriental, after Mt. Kanlaon at 1,903 meters.
Our jump-off point was in Magsaysay, Dauin. We spent the night at the Kamabe Bunkhouse and started our trek at the Bediao Trail very early the following day.
After a few hours of trekking, we reached the ridge line which gave us a sweeping view of the nearby Apo Island, Siquijor and Cebu.
It was lunch time when we reached Lake Nailig, one of the twin crater lakes of Balinsasayao. It was so tempting to stay there longer than prescribed in our itinerary. I was charmed by the serenity of the lake, which mirrors the verdant surroundings of the place.
After lunch, we packed our bags again and continued to hike to our campsite, the twin sister of Nailig, which is Yagumyuman.
It was dark already when we reached the camp site. The following morning was glorious. Our early risers had their photo opps, the rest spent the morning preparing breakfast and packed lunches.
We were back on Mt. Talinis' lush and sometimes seemingly mystical trail immediately after breakfast.
We passed by one of the peaks but there was not much to be seen. We also had some misunderstanding with our guides in the usage of term "rolling." For them it meant steep descent. We even got to invent a word, to keep ourselves amused. The opposite of assault? Dessault (as in ascent and descent).
In Talinis' roster of otherworldly sights, the Kaipuhan Sulfur Vent seems formidable.
Different possible movie scenes crept in my mind, from the terrifying to the magical. Dead trees covered in white were all around, with a slight scent of sulfur.
We rested in a house a few minutes away from the sulfur vent. There was flowing water so we decided to load up our water bottles and eat. A few were daunted on the trail up ahead and decided to spend the night in front of the house. It was actually a good campsite, with flowing water and comfort room, except that there limatics all over. So, we were very careful in opening and closing our tents.
We rested in a house a few minutes away from the sulfur vent. There was flowing water so we decided to load up our water bottles and eat. A few were daunted on the trail up ahead and decided to spend the night in front of the house. It was actually a good campsite, with flowing water and comfort room, except that there limatics all over. So, we were very careful in opening and closing our tents.
The day after, with little food left, we were up early. The next part of the trail was actually easy and wide. In no time, we were already boarding a truck, which took us back to the main road, then back to our inn in Dumaguete.
(photos by Jong Navarro)
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