Century-Old Balete Tree: The Symbol of Canlaon City

Avisala!

Since I was young, I already made a promise to myself that I would explore the island where I grew up: Negros. I even memorized my province's cities and municipalities from south to north. I also saw all the tourist spots of each city and town through the pamphlets and calendars given by the provincial government. You see, Negros Oriental is really untapped and underrated when it comes to tourism. But then life happened and we transferred here in Cebu. My world suddenly became bigger I forgot my promise to explore Negros.

I already made a few posts about our Canlaon City trip which hinted about this 1300+ years old Balete tree:

I never thought I would post about a single tree in the middle of a farmland, but that single majestic tree is worth it, at least for me. As it is the symbol of Canlaon City, tourists would really find a way to visit even if some parts of the road leading to the property are not paved. Calling it a century tree is a misnomer considering that according to the studies conducted by the botanists of Silliman University, it's already 1328 years old. Some hinted that it might be way older if we are to base it on historical texts.

Upon reaching the property, the imposing tree will greet you and you really can't help but marvel at its towering canopy. It has witnessed the pre-colonial era, Spanish occupation, wars and insurgency, and it's still standing as a sentinel of time and nature.

There's an entrance fee of about Php 50.00 (I'm not sure because it was already shouldered by our host in Negros. Thank you Villaester family!). I tried separating from the group by going to the opposite side of the tree. Take note that it takes 42 people, hand-in-hand, to encircle the tree. It's that huge!

As I reached the opposite side, I lay down on one of the benches there, and all I heard were the soothing chirps of birds. I noticed that it's not from one species. It felt like I was in the middle of a forest. It's really possible to have one tree that will act like the whole forest. According to the botanists, they observed that the tree is home to many species of birds, insects, small rodents, and reptiles.

Parking Area - this area is near the entrance and Mt. Kanlaon can be seen from here. However, when we were there the volcano was hidden behind a thick cloud. It was also quiet back then, unlike now that the volcano is continuously spewing volcanic materials. Anyway, the parking area is spacious and can accommodate a lot of cars at a time.

View from the Cafe - It's more like a garden setting with the Balete tree in the background. It's really nice and spacious and can even accommodate weddings and other events. With the sound of the birds, it's a perfect place to relax and just let the afternoon pass.

Cafe Area - There's a smaller Balete tree near the cafe and they've built a platform around it where chairs and tables are placed to have an overlooking view at the back of the cafe. The area is slightly sloped with a forest view.

Did I mention that a Balete tree is not one but a different species of figs? Yes, sometimes they're called weeping figs, but most of the time they're called strangler figs. They're under the same genus Ficus and the same as the living root bridges in India (which I would love to visit one day). I think the reason why there were a lot of birds there is because the fruit provides food for the birds while its branches provide shelter.

Forest View - As I've mentioned above, there's a small patch of trees at the back of the cafe. It's not too big because the whole area is surrounded by rice fields, but the trees are towering.

I guess that's all for this post. I'm just happy that I was able to document the place that became my calm amidst the turmoil inside my head. I guess the tree absorbed a little bit of my negativity and imparted its stillness to me. I'll leave with you the trunk of this majestic tree.

Kim Ybañez

_{Welcome to Kim's small corner in Hive. He is a chemical engineer by profession but a blogger by passion. He is a wanderlust and an adventure seeker. Join his quests as he visits remote destinations, climbs mountains, tries new and exotic dishes, and explores his country (The Philippines). He's also a trying-hard photographer, so stay tuned as he shares his photos and his thought process while creating them.}

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