Our favourite places to stay on this sleepy Cebu island.
Malinab Lagoon in Sipalay City is just one of many natural paradises in the Philippines which you can add to your list. Here’s everything you will need to know when going to this scenic pool of water.
Also read: Laswitan Lagoon: Getting Splashed in Cortes, Surigao del Sur
To get to this gorgeous lagoon, you must first go to Sipalay City. Fortunately, there are many routes which can take you to this city. You can travel by land and air, depending on where you’ll be coming from.
You can take a bus from Bacolod City to Sipalay. There are hourly trips on this bus which will take around five hours of travel time. Boarding vans yield much shorter trips but are more expensive. Alternatively, you can board a bus to Kabankalan and transfer to a bus, jeep, or van to Sipalay.
If you’re travelling to Sipalay City from Dumaguete City, hourly bus trips are also available but are limited compared to Bacolod. Travel time is also around five hours. Alternatively, you can ride a bus to Hinoba-an and transfer to buses or vans going to Sipalay City.
Sipalay City also has a local airport, commercially served by Air Juan in Cebu.
Once you arrive in Sipalay City, you’re only a short distance away from the paradise that is Malinab Lagoon. The lagoon is located in Baranggay Cambadiangan and will take about 15 minutes from Sipalay City Plaza via multi-cab or motorcycle. Hiring a taxi to take you there will cut the trip shorter by around nine to 10 minutes.
Also read: Bacolod Tourist Spots: 10 Things to Do for Foodies & History Buffs
What awaits visitors of Malinab Lagoon is truly something to behold: clear blue waters shining like jewels, framed and canopied by overhanging trees. The freshwater is cool and harmless, made even more tranquil by the surrounding forest. This beautiful combination of green and blue is refreshing to the eyes and doubly so once you take a dip in the water.
If you’re not convinced, locals can easily persuade you to pay a visit. Many families spend their weekends and vacations lounging around the freshwater pool. They would usually bring pre-cooked food especially when they stay for long hours.
The lagoon may be modest, but there are spots where locals would swim for leisure or pose for pictures on shallow parts of the water. There is also a cluster of rocks that are submerged in the lagoon where people can sit and enjoy the water while being shaded by the trees from the sun.
To enter Malinab Lagoon, you have to pay a fee. Luckily, its beauty can be enjoyed for only ₱5! And if you just want to float around the lagoon like a drifting leaf, swimming rings are available for ₱20. Only in Malinab Lagoon can you experience something close to sanctuary and paradise but practically paying for nothing. Just make sure to do your part when it comes to its cleanliness!
Also read: 12 Stunning Villas in the Philippines Where You Can Stay Right on the Water
Malinab Lagoon in Sipalay City is only one of the many places that you can visit for a refreshing vacation. It will rejuvenate your senses and refresh your body all while you revel in its inherent beauty.
Looking for a nature-filled vacation spot near Manila? Drive to Lake Mapanuepe in Zambales! Or if you want to see paradise after a gruelling hike, camping overnight at Lake Holon in South Cotabato may just be what you’re looking for.
If you have secret vacation spots in the Philippines that travellers need to know, you can share them with us on our official Facebook page!
All images credited to Wow Sipalay | Official Facebook Page
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