Valencia Waterfalls and the Twin Lakes
This guide is for drivers and riders who want a day in the cool hills behind Dumaguete: the waterfalls, hot springs, forest pools and viewpoints around Valencia, and the two crater lakes above Sibulan. Everything is within about an hour of the city, but several of these roads are steep, so the page tells you honestly which vehicle each one needs.
The lie of the land
Valencia is a highland town about 8 km and 15-20 minutes west of Dumaguete, noticeably cooler than the coast. The waterfalls and springs fan out on the slopes of the Mt Talinis range above it. The Twin Lakes are in a separate valley: you go back to the coastal highway, north to the turnoff at San Jose, then up a mountain road. Fuel up in Valencia or Sibulan; there is no fuel on the mountain.
| Place | From Dumaguete | Fee (reported; confirm) | Road to it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casaroro Falls | about 15 km, 35-45 min | 20-30 pesos; guide from about 200 | Concreted, steep and narrow at the end |
| Pulangbato Falls | about 14 km, 30-40 min | 50-100 pesos adult, 50 child; cottages 300-600 | Paved, winding |
| Red Rock Hot Spring | near Pulangbato | About 100 pesos; cottages from 400 | Paved |
| Forest Camp | about 10 km, 20-25 min | 80-100 pesos day entrance | Paved, on-site parking |
| Tierra Alta | about 9 km, 20 min | 50-70 pesos, waived if you eat | Paved |
| Tejero Highland Resort | 8.5 km, 15-20 min | 60-90 pesos; zipline about 150; ATV 200-250 | Paved |
| Japanese Shrine | 20 min to Valencia, then 30-40 min climbing | Check locally | Steep; motorbike or SUV, dry season only |
| Twin Lakes | turnoff 14 km north, then 14 km; about 1 hour | 100 pesos visitor, 50 Filipino non-local, 30 resident | Narrow, steep, winding concrete |
Casaroro Falls
Casaroro is the famous one: a 30 metre single-drop waterfall in a narrow gorge. From Valencia the road to the trailhead at Barangay Apolong is concreted but steep and narrow at the end, with parking at the entrance by the restaurant. From there it is roughly 335 concrete steps down, then bamboo bridges along the river. The bridges have been rebuilt and the path is much easier than it used to be. Entrance is reported at 20-30 pesos, with an optional guide from about 200 pesos.
Allow 1.5 hours. Go in the morning for the light, carry water, and remember that the climb back up the steps is the hard part. Do not go after heavy rain; the gorge is prone to flash floods.
Pulangbato Falls and Red Rock Hot Spring
Take the Valencia-Malaunay road, paved and winding, and you will pass a sulphur vent area where the ground steams and smells of rotten eggs; there is a cafe stop for the view. Pulangbato means "red rock", and the twin falls are stained rust-red by the sulphur. There is no trek: you park at the gate and walk in to swimming pools and cottages. Entrance is reported at 50-100 pesos for adults and 50 for children, with cottages at 300-600 pesos. Red Rock Hot Spring nearby has 37 C pools, entrance about 100 pesos and cottages from 400. Both have parking at the gate. Weekday mornings are quietest.
Forest Camp
Closer to town, Forest Camp is a spring-fed river resort in the forest with pools, cottages, a restaurant and rooms. Day entrance is reported at 80-100 pesos. The road is paved and there is on-site parking, so it is the easy option for families and for a small car.
Tierra Alta viewpoint and lighthouse
A hilltop resort with a "Santorini-style" white lighthouse tower and a cafe, 20 minutes from the city. The view takes in Dumaguete, the strait, Cebu and Siquijor. A sightseeing fee of 50-70 pesos is reported, waived if you eat; confirm on the day. Come at sunset on the way back from the falls.
The Japanese Shrine and Camp Lookout
The Filipino-American-Japanese Amity Shrine, built in 1977, is a hilltop memorial on the Second World War battleground where Japanese forces on Negros Oriental surrendered. It is 20 minutes to Valencia and then 30-40 minutes of steep climbing, passing the Camp Lookout viewpoint on the way. This is a dry-season trip on a motorbike or SUV, not a sedan. The fee was not confirmed at the time of writing.
Tejero Highland Resort
Pools, a kiddie waterpark, a zipline (about 150 pesos) and ATV rides (200-250 pesos), 15-20 minutes from town on a paved road, open daily 9 am to 6 pm. Entrance is reported at 60-90 pesos. Good for children who have had enough of waterfall steps.
The Twin Lakes: Balinsasayao and Danao
Lake Balinsasayao and Lake Danao are two crater lakes at about 1,000 metres in the Mt Talinis range, protected as a natural park. The turnoff is on the coastal highway at San Jose, about 14 km north of Dumaguete; from there it is about 14 km of narrow, steep, winding concrete mountain road, so allow an hour in total. The park is open 8 am to 5 pm. Entrance is reported at 100 pesos for visitors, 50 for Filipinos from outside the area and 30 for residents. A boat with boatman is 250 pesos an hour for 1-7 people, kayaks 100-150 an hour, and a guide about 300 pesos per group.
At the car park there is a restaurant and a viewing deck; a second deck is reached by a 1 km trail, and the Olayan waterfall by boat plus a 10-minute walk. No swimming (the lakes are the city's water source) and no drones. Go early in the morning before the cloud rolls in; it is often foggy after 2 pm.
The mountain road
The road is fine for cars in dry weather. On a scooter you need to be confident on steep hairpins, and low-powered scooters struggle on the grade. There is no fuel on the mountain, and rain makes the concrete slippery, so check the sky before you commit. If you are combining the lakes with the Valencia falls, do the lakes first while the morning is clear.
A sample day
| Time | Plan |
|---|---|
| 7:00 am | Leave Dumaguete north for the San Jose turnoff; up to the Twin Lakes for a clear-air boat ride |
| 10:00 am | Back down and across to Valencia; fuel in Sibulan or Valencia |
| 11:00 am | Pulangbato Falls and Red Rock Hot Spring, lunch at the sulphur-vent cafe or a cottage |
| 2:00 pm | Casaroro Falls (allow 1.5 hours) or Forest Camp if legs are tired |
| 5:00 pm | Tierra Alta for sunset, then down to the city |
Expect about 80 km and 3 hours of driving in a car. Cars and scooters manage it in dry weather; add 20-30 percent to the times on a scooter.
Getting there and parking
Head west from the city for Valencia (15-20 minutes) and follow signs for each site; the falls and springs all have parking at the gate or entrance. For the Twin Lakes, take the coastal highway north to San Jose and the signed turnoff, then the mountain road to the car park at the lake. Mountain fog and rain slow everything, so start early and leave by mid-afternoon.
Which vehicle to book
- Small car for the paved sites. A Vios or Ciaz reaches Casaroro, Pulangbato, Forest Camp, Tierra Alta and the Twin Lakes in dry weather without fuss.
- SUV for the shrine and wet days. The lifted Montero 4x4 or Innova is the right choice for the Japanese Shrine climb, and gives a margin on the Twin Lakes hairpins when the concrete is wet.
- Scooter: pick the bigger engine. Confident riders enjoy the mountain road; choose the NMAX 155 rather than a 110-125 cc bike for the grade, and skip it in the rain.
Plan your trip
Browse the full fleet and contact us to book; this day pairs well with the South Coast Drive on the following day. Facts last checked September 2026; fees, schedules and road conditions change, so confirm locally before you go.