Canlaon, Guihulngan and the North Coast
This page is for drivers who want to go further than Bais: the long coastal run north through Bindoy, Ayungon and Guihulngan to Vallehermoso, and then up into the hills to Canlaon City at the foot of the volcano. It is a two-day trip at a sensible pace, with an overnight in Canlaon, and the volcano is currently off limits for trekking, so read the alert-status section before you set your heart on the crater.
The coastal highway north
The national highway up the coast is fully paved and generally in good shape, but it goes through the centre of every town, with tricycles, markets and school zones, so real average speeds are 40-50 km/h. Local advice is to take the map time and add half again. Sugar-cane trucks are heavy from October to April, and the mountain approaches to Canlaon collect fog and downpours.
| Town | Road km from Dumaguete | Driving time |
|---|---|---|
| Sibulan | 7 km | 15 min |
| San Jose | 16 km | 25 min |
| Amlan | 25 km | 35 min |
| Tanjay City | 30 km | 40-45 min |
| Bais City | 45 km | About 1 h |
| Manjuyod | 58 km | 1 h 10 min |
| Bindoy | 70 km | 1 h 30 min |
| Ayungon | About 80 km | 1 h 50 min |
| Tayasan | About 88 km | 2 h |
| Jimalalud | 97 km | 2 h 15 min |
| La Libertad | 105 km | 2 h 30 min |
| Guihulngan City | 116 km | 2 h 45 min to 3 h 30 min |
| Vallehermoso | 152 km | 3 h 30 min |
| Canlaon City | 166 km | 4-5 h |
Stops on the way up
Amlan
DreAMLANd Nature and Adventure Park, known locally as the Amlan Zoo, has camel, crocodile and bird feeding, and is open daily 8 am to 5 pm with entrance about PHP 100 (check locally). Amlan also has St Andrew church (1853), Naibid Falls and the Tambojangin River.
Tanjay
St James the Greater Parish, founded in 1580, is the oldest parish in the province; park at the plaza and walk the heritage buildings around Rizal Park. The Tanjay Boardwalk is a seaside promenade good for sunset. Pal-ew Lake, a small mountain lake, is 45 minutes from the market by 4WD or motorbike on a rough road. Bais, the next city up, has the dolphins and the sandbar - see Bais Dolphins and the Manjuyod Sandbar.
Manjuyod town
Himampangon Cave, the Candabong forest and mango orchards; the town fiesta is 4 October. Remember the sandbar is reached from the Bais wharves, not from here.
Bindoy and Mantalip Reef
Mantalip Reef Marine Sanctuary sits about 2 km offshore with a stilted visitor station and self-catering inn, good for snorkelling and diving. The municipal page (May 2025) says it is best from May to November. Boats go from the Domolog seawall. Older published fees were PHP 2,500 for the station and boat plus PHP 25-50 per person, with no 2025 price published; an older contact for Bindoy Tourism is 0906 478 9981. Bindoy also has Mantahaw Falls and the Libod-Sayaw Festival.
Ayungon
The Pagsalsalan (Maaslum) Twin Falls are 8 km inland, about 25 minutes from town; the last stretch is rough, so take a scooter or an SUV. There are also the Mabato caves and the Karalaon Bird Sanctuary.
Tayasan, Jimalalud and La Libertad
Tayasan has Soquib and Guincalaban Falls, Cabulotan Springs and Tambulan Lake, all inland and reached by habal-habal (motorbike taxi). Jimalalud holds its Sinulog every 13 January. La Libertad has Mambulotan Springs, the Pacuan and Danao caves and Marble Cave, plus the Pandanyag Festival.
Guihulngan: Hinakpan hills and the Kansalakan river
The Hinakpan Mystical Hills, nicknamed the "Chocolate Hills of Negros", are conical limestone hills with a Stations-of-the-Cross stairway up to a viewpoint. Entry is free; sign the logbook. They are 30-45 minutes from the city by habal-habal, about PHP 150 one way. The Kansalakan Enchanted River at Banwague/Balogo is a deep, clear jump-pool river, also free. The hill roads are steep concrete and gravel, so take an SUV or a scooter rather than a sedan, and bring water because there are no facilities.
Vallehermoso
The last coastal town before the turn inland has Sayaw Enchanted Falls, Pinucauan Falls, Maglahos Cave, La Playa beach and the "Lover's View" lookout on the road toward Canlaon. The Kanglambat Festival runs 13-15 May.
Canlaon as an overnight
From Vallehermoso the road climbs inland to Canlaon City at about 500 m; the last 20-30 km are hilly and wet. Canlaon calls itself the "Summer Capital of Negros Oriental" and the "Vegetable Capital of Negros", and the nights are noticeably cooler. It is wettest from June to October. Sleep in one of the pension houses rather than trying to drive back the same day. From Canlaon you can also continue 94 km to Bacolod, which crosses into Negros Occidental and so needs RODG's per-vehicle "Drive Outside Negros Oriental" add-on chosen at booking. The city fiesta, the Pasayaw Festival, falls around 18 March.
Mt Kanlaon: alert status and the no-trekking rule
As of 7 September 2026, PHIVOLCS has Mt Kanlaon at Alert Level 2 (increased unrest), with an ash emission recorded that day. An explosive eruption on 9 July 2026 sent ashfall as far as Cebu. The 4 km Permanent Danger Zone is closed, and DENR suspends all trekking whenever the alert is at Level 2 or above. Trekking to the crater is not currently allowed. Check the PHIVOLCS website the week before you travel, and be ready to change plans if the status rises.
What you can still do in Canlaon
With the crater closed, these are the sights that stay open; confirm on the day, since access can change with the alert level.
- OISCA Farm and the Century Balete (Dalakit) Tree in Brgy Lumabao, about 1,300 years old; free.
- Padudusan Falls, a natural water slide in Brgy Masulog, 25 minutes by habal-habal plus a 10-minute walk; free.
- Quipot Falls, about 100 ft high, and Sudlon Falls, reached on foot.
- Camp Mapot base camp in Brgy Maiba, a pine plateau with springs; it lies inside the natural park, so access may be restricted while the alert stands.
Getting there and parking
Fuel is not a problem on the coast: major-brand stations in Sibulan, Tanjay, Bais, Manjuyod, Bindoy and Guihulngan. Fill up in Guihulngan before the climb to Canlaon. Most of the inland sights - falls, hills, river - are last-mile by habal-habal, so plan to park in the town and ride pillion for the final stretch; the Guihulngan hill sites have no facilities at all. Do not drive the mountain sections after dark: they are unlit and fog closes in.
Which vehicle to book
This is SUV country once you leave the coast.
- For Canlaon: an SUV or van. The lifted 4x4 Montero or Montero 4x4 White handles the hilly, wet last stretch and the Guihulngan hill roads; a Toyota Innova suits a family with luggage for the overnight.
- As far as Guihulngan: a small car such as a Toyota Vios or Hyundai Accent is fine on the coastal highway; leave it in town and take habal-habal to the hills and the river.
- Scooter: a Yamaha NMAX 155 makes sense for the Sibulan-Tanjay-Bais stretch as a day trip, but Canlaon is long, hilly and wet and is not a scooter day.
Plan your trip
Give this route two days, book a Canlaon pension house and choose an SUV. Browse the full RODG fleet or contact us to arrange a multi-day rental. You can pair the trip with the caves in Mabinay, or return to the Explore Negros Oriental hub for other ideas.
Facts last checked September 2026; fees, schedules and road conditions change, so confirm locally before you go.