A popular destination of mountains climbers in Iloilo, Tinagong Dagat, is a mountain lake, situated on high plateau, rising some two thousand feet above sea level, located in brgy. Cabatangan.

How did Tinagong Dagat get its name? According to the Legend, in one of the sitios in Lambunao there lived a handsome, industrious, good natured and strong young man who was the favourite of old folks because of these qualities. His name was Nabong.  One afternoon while Nabong was coming home from the farm he met a girl whose beauty rivaled that of the goddess. Their eyes met and Agat, who by natrure was a shy girl, lowered her eyes. But they could deny their feelings and instantly fell in love. Agat’s father however, was a very strict man and a wary of any man his daughter would talk with. So Agat told Nabong to meet her in a place near a river. Every afternoon   they would meet near the river and their love grew deeper. But one day, Agat’s father caught them talking sweetly to each other and he slapped Agat and warned her not to see Nabong anymore. Nabong was beside himself with anxiety when, for several days, he did see Agat. Unknown to him Agat’s father imprisoned her in their house. So one night he gathered his courage and went to Agat’s house on the way he met Agat’s mother who was looking for Agat who, that same night, had escaped from her room. Together they looked for her and found at the place where they used to meet. They decided to elope and wen to place far away. Life was but they were happy. One day Agat got sick and died. Nabong was so heartbroken thet everyday he kept vigil beside Agat’s grave, weeping and lamenting his loss. Not long after he, too, got sick and died. The tears that Nabong shed miraculously flowed and formed into a lake. And the people near the place, called the lake Tinagong Dagat.

(Research and Published by the Municipal Tourism, Culture and Art through CEC info center)