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A Warm Welcome from Lake Mainit


Lake Mainit is one of the deepest and largest lake in the country. In fact, It ranked as the fourth largest lake in the Philippines. It has an area of 173.40 square kilometers. It has a maximum depth of about 223 meters and an elevation of 37 meters above sea level. It is one of the natural ecosystems in the region that possesses a great potential to compete with other more famous natural wonders.

by Jhaypee Guia on May 31, 2012


Overview

Lake Mainit is one of the the deepest and largest lakes in the country. In fact, it ranks as the fourth largest lake in the Philippines. It has an area of 173.40 square kilometers. It has a maximum depth of about 223 meters and an elevation of 37 meters above sea level. It is one of the natural ecosystems in the region that possesses a great potential to compete with other more famous natural wonders.  Lake Mainit's aquatic resources are highly diverse; it is a home of different fish species – the main source of livelihood of the townspeople. Tilapia is very common in the lake.

The name of the lake, “Mainit,” is a common Filipino word which means hot or warm, a fitting description of the temperature of the water. Its unspoiled waters are surrounded by a variety of hot and cold springs. The lake is described as pear-shaped, but some say that it looks like a teardrop.

This is one of the most beautiful spots in the province. Before, it wasn't really visited or popular to the tourists, but today, it's starting to become one of the tourist attractions in the area.


There are boats that are for rent, if you want to explore the whole lake up close.  The boats used for tours are different from the boats used for fishing, but these fishing boats are also available for rent. The tour boat is big and can contain 40-60 persons; it can be hired for as low as 3000 pesos per day. So, if you are traveling with a large group, this tour boat is best-suited for you.

Flora (Plants & Trees)

  • Fire Orchid
  • Narra tree
  • Molave tree
  • Philippine Rosewood or "toog"
  • Kamagong
  • Water Lilies
  • Mancono
  • Malabayabas
  • Indian Lotus

Fauna (Animals & Fishes)

  • Mindanao Forest Kingfishers
  • White-breasted Sea Eagle
  • Monkeys
  • Wild pigs
  • Fishes
  • Casili or Eel
  • Mudfish – "hayuan or halwan"
  • Catfish
  • Carp
  • Gurami
  • Bolinao
  • Ducks

Activities

  • Boating
  • Fishing
  • Bird Watching
  • Bathing

About the Name

There was once a tribe escaping from Moro pirates, a terrible group of pirates in the olden days. With a long travel, the tribe reached a big body of water bounded by mountains where a hot spring was located, and the people called it "Mapaso" meaning "to burn". They lived there and built a village in the riverbanks. As time went by, the name of the lake was changed to "Mainit" and it has stayed until now.

Location

Its unspoiled waters are surrounded by a variety of hot and cold springs. Lake Mainit can be found at the northeastern part of Mindanao and located between the beautiful provinces of Surigao del Norte and Agusan del Norte.

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