Kawasan Falls Canyoneering - Moalboal, Philippines
This all-day canyoneering excursion was an absolute highlight of our trip! The breathtaking scenery of the canyon & waterfalls left us in awe & our guides kept us safe while taking tons of photos & videos for us to remember our trip by. This experience is a MUST for anyone traveling to Moalboal.
To start our day, the van picked us up at 08:30 from our resort. This made things easy since it was our third day in the Philippines & we definitely did not know our way around. We were the first group to be picked up & the van spent another 30 - 45 minutes picking up all the other groups on the tour. After picking up the last group it was another 40 minutes drive to the home-base of PH Kawasan Canyoneering where we were debriefed for the day ahead.
At their home-base we were able to store our bags, get fitted with life vests/helmets & barrow water shoes for free. Be prepared that you can’t really bring much with you on the trek other than water proof phones or cameras. Not only do you need your hands a lot of the time to climb up & down rocks, you will be jumping & swimming through the water, so it is not ideal to bring anything that cannot be submerged. I opted to leave my phone behind.
Once we had signed the waivers & gotten our gear, we drove about 10 minutes to where our journey would begin. Here, we had the option to hike 40 minutes to the first waterfall or we could zipline there for only a 10 minute walk. Of course we chose to zipline! Walking up the tower to the zipline I was terrified since it was a superman set up, meaning you go head first on your stomach. I couldn’t let my fear take over, so I tried not to think about it too much. It turned out to be super fun & honestly not scary at all! I am so glad I did it rather than hiking 40 minutes uphill. There would still be 4 hours of hiking & swimming through the canyons to come!
After the thrilling zipline, we descended a man-made hiking trail to the first waterfall jump. The lower we went into the canyon, the more beautiful the landscape became. As we neared the waterfall we could hear the rush of the water & the joyful screams of people jumping off. When we came around the corner to witness the first pool of water surrounded by staggering cliffs full or lush vegetation we were in awe. It was so beautiful & at this moment I wished I could have brought my phone. The photos our guide captured on our DJI Pocket don’t do the landscape justice.
We waded through gatorade-blue water & climbed up some rocks to make it to the first waterfall jump. It was 12 ft but from above it looked significantly bigger. Jumping off was exhilarating & the water below was cool on my hot skin. It was so refreshing, as it was 84 degrees that day!
We spent the next 4 hours climbing rocks, jumping off waterfalls, & swimming through the cool water. It sounds like a long time but the experience was so fun & breathtaking that it really did not seem like 4 hours. After we were about halfway through the journey, we stopped on the side of a cliff where local vendors were grilling. It was a wonder how they got all the supplies & food down the canyon, but I didn’t ask questions. Joseph & I each got a BBQ chicken skewer & it hit the spot after trekking for the past couple of hours. After that, we had much more of the canyon to explore.
Near the end of the canyon, we came to the biggest jump yet of 30 feet. We had to get a running start before jumping into the beautiful blue water below. It was an adrenaline rush & I am so glad we got to do it! In the past I would have been too scared to jump, but seeing so many people do it before me & having the encouragement of our guides & Joseph helped me make the jump. Boy, was it worth it! At the next pool over we they had a rope swing set up, which was our last thrill before continuing the hike out of the canyon to where the water flows into the ocean. When we got there, our van was waiting for us with the AC on - much needed!
Finally, we went back to the home base where a traditional Filipino meal was waiting for us. The food was delicious & refueled us after a long & exhausting day in the sun.
Overall, it was absolutely amazing & I would highly recommend the tour we booked to anyone staying in Moalboal or Cebu. Our guides were FANTASTIC. They helped me traverse the difficult terrain without spraining an ankle & they made sure to take tons of videos. Our guides were friendly & made the experience all the more enjoyable by cracking jokes & keeping a lively mood the whole day.
Check out our short video to see more of our experience!
If you are interested in booking the trip we did, please click here! (: