And the ‘City in the Sky’ is calling
CANLAON CITY — As Holy Week begins, it marks the formal ushering of the summer season in the Philippines. Its peak, the summer solstice, will be at 10:42 am on Saturday, June 21, but the heat of summer is already felt everywhere.
I have been wondering why the hills called Hinakpan, situated in the peak of Guihulngan, is not yet a popular destination. These trippy swath of nearly-identical mountains have their green grass turning yellow, then brown as they start to dry, the small brown mounds making them look like the Chocolate Hills in Bohol. This could be a possible side trip on your way to the City in the Sky: Canlaon, currently globally famous for the recent eruptions of Mt. Kanlaon souring 8,087 feet above sea level. (There is nothing to fear; the direction of the winds bring the ashfall of the eruption away from Negros Oriental.)
Let’s hear it from our tour guide: The city of Canlaon is named after Kanlaon Volcano. “Kanlaon” can be translated as “the land that belongs to Laon” or “the place of Laon,” a Visayan tribal goddess of creation, agriculture, and justice. The name Laon actually means “the ancient one”; in Binisaya, it refers to “the one who is already old.” There is much respect for nature here among the old folks as they believe they are well-guarded by the “mountain fairies” of Laon.
Five best things to do here in this ‘’City in the Sky” in Negros Oriental:
1) Chasing waterfalls, as there are more than a dozen waterfalls here. With the restrictions set around the Permanent Danger Zone around Kanlaon Volcano, not all waterfalls are open to tourists this summer;
2) A visit to the island’s oldest tree, the Dalakit, also known as the ‘Century Tree’, inside the OISCA Japanese Farm. Is estimated to be around 1,300 years old. Aside from the birds giving you the music of the forest, one gets to see lizards, bats, and various colorful insects. There is a coffee shop nearby prior to your afternoon siesta;
3) Rice terraces are everywhere. Be ready with your Instagrammable bright color summer fashion as photography here will provide you the picture-perfect frames from all the green angles;
4) Canlaon as the Vegetable Basket of Negros Island. Visit the public market and the farms to have a harvest of veggies, strawberries. and more. You can buy some, and look for a local carinderia whose cook would be kind enough to prepare for you a good lunch out of your market harvest;
5) Scenic ‘overlooking’ spots for more rewarding picture-perfect frames, as you drive towards San Carlos or down the slopes towards Vallehermoso.
Where to eat: F&C Restaubar offers a variety of lutong-bahay choices – a celebration of the Filipino cuisine.
Where to stay: Kalaparan Farm House. I recently stayed overnight there with the Miss Earth entourage, led by the reigning queen Jessica Lane from Australia. Jessica and I both agreed that from the inviting swimming pool to the garden in the middle of the rice farm, this home away from home is a perfect place to find peace. It is the corner for you to have the much-needed silence when you want to undertake a creative work inspired by the gifts of nature, like writing a poem. My memory of a cascading mariposa orchid from a tree was so precious.
If you want to stay within the City, the collection of rooms above the F&C Restaubar is the best option.
On your way back to Dumaguete, you can have tranquility moments in the traditional Visita Iglesia, a visit to old churches around Negros Island. Then have a relaxing moment by the sea at Lalimar Resort – the pool, the rooms, and pizza are among my recorded best sweet memories. Then continue with the old church-hopping.
Historically, the church in Tayasan is among the oldest, but the they have not preserved the original architecture. So maybe it would be more memorable to go to the famous chicken place for lunch.
I find the old church in Amlan with more character. But the reason why I had to stay longer in Amlan was the relaxing view at Cafe Margarita, and the swim in the Amlan River, I would say the cleanest river in all of the Visayas. My experience of white sand and rocks along the riverbank challenging me to explore more beyond where I started.
This is a Must-Do in Negros Island for a weekend escapade this summer.
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Author’s email: karlmike@yahoo.com
