Location: Gawahon Eco-park, Barangay XI (Gawahon), Victorias City, Negros Occidental
Types: Slide horsetail, Segmented, Tiered

Still not feeling well, an after-effect of my June 7-12 Eastern Visayas Trip, I insisted to pursue my ambitious Chasing Philippine Waterfalls Project. Negros Occidental‘s Victorias City was my immediate next destination.

After PAL Express’ Flight 2P 909 rrived on time, I did a quick walk tour around Silay City. Then I hailed an Escalante-bound Ceres bulilit. When I arrived in Victorias City, as usual, I went straight to the City Tourism Office to get information and assistance I needed. The staff were helpful and I appreciated it.

Preparing for an expected physically strenuous activity, I need some carbo loading. So I went to the public market and there I ordered a nilagang baka. Namit gid! It instantly boosted my energy.

Gawahon Eco Park is found at the northwestern part of Mount Silay, which is in the upper half of the vast North Negros National Park. Gawahon in fact is Hiligaynon for “to look over”. Within the eco-park are seven waterfalls, their beauty and splendor are distinct from the other.

At the park office, a staff was tasked by the officer in charge to guide through all the seven falls. And 30 minutes of walking along a paved road, my guide and I finally reached the first one. A ten-minute walk/climb from the first is the second waterfall. Still another ten minutes of walk and climb is the third falls. There was no clear path going to the fourth waterfall so I was just contented outside looking in. Not far are the twin falls.Then the most famous of them all, the Cigarette Falls. It is so named because it resembles a cigarette of course. Too bad though that there was little amount of water that day.

I was really spent that I told my guide I had to take a siesta to recharge myself. And it did! Overall, this trip was again rewarding. I realized that Victorias City is not only about sugar. That our forests are still being protected and managed, too. And that Negrenses are a wonderful bunch of people.

How To Get There:

• From Manila (air): take any Bacolod (Silay)-bound flight of PAL, Cebu Pacific, Zest Air, and SEAir.
• From Silay: take a Ceres bus going to Escalante. Drop off at Victorias City. Travel time is an hour or so.
• From Victorias: take a habal habal or look for the mini-bus going to Gawahon.

Note: This is part of LegendHarry‘s ambitious travel project: Chasing Philippine Waterfalls. Also, this is part of his June 18-23, 2012 Negros Occidental Trip.

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