Over the past few years, we have been to a LOT of waterfalls in Asia. However, I can honestly say that few countries compare when it comes to the natural beauty of The Philippines. In fact, no matter which island you choose to visit, there’s always going to be a few stunning waterfalls to see. But with so many hundreds of great waterfalls, how do you even pick the “the best”?
Well, these are the falls that we had the most incredible time experience during our 4-week adventure through many of The Philippines’ most popular islands. Of course, a visit to every waterfall in the Philippines would take a lifetime! However, if you’re looking for a mix of everything, including the chance to swim, dive and jump from gorgeous blue falls, then this list has you covered!
The waterfalls in the Philippines are stunning. With natural beauty and shockingly affordable prices, many people move here permanently just for the low cost of living.
This is a guest post by Dream Big, Travel Far; a couples travel blog that follows the adventures of Bradley and his girlfriend Cazzy all around the world! From The Philippines to Scandinavia, they are on a mission to see the whole world, and enjoy discovering each country to the fullest!
First up …
Table of Contents
1. Cambugahay Falls, Siquijor
Not only are Cambugahay Falls my favorite waterfalls in The Philippines, but they are also my favorite waterfalls anywhere! Why? Well, they are literally a paradise amidst the jungle! Here, you’ll find a series of falls, all side-by-side and flowing into one another. They’re certainly not the biggest waterfalls around, but they are an incredible amount of fun!
Particularly the lowest falls which has a massive natural plunge pool, where the locals have put together some rope swings. You pay 50 Pesos for the swing you want to use and you can go as many times as you want. It’s the perfect location to unleash your inner Tarzan and fly recklessly through the sky and into the inviting blue waters below.
2. Lugnason Falls, Siquijor
While on the island of Siquijor, another set of falls you can’t afford to miss are Lugnason Falls. Just be sure to visit in the wetter months, as in the heat of summer they entirely dry up! Here you can stand back and enjoy the crystal blue waters from above, or you can go for a dip to cool off from the heat of the day!
More adventurous types are welcome to run and jump straight off the top of the falls into the basin below! What I loved about Lugnason Falls, besides the fact that they are stunningly beautiful, is that they form part of a larger park area. Once you’re done at Lugnason Falls, you can continue walking further down the trail where the spring water runs.
Along the way you pass by a total of 12 “Zodiac” falls before eventually coming to a circular spring pool where you can swim in and once again relax in the most gorgeous surroundings.
3. Ingkumhan Falls, Bohol
Bohol is home to a whole bunch of different falls, 2 of which were special enough to make this list! The first being Ingkumhan Falls. I found this place to be incredibly special as they are relatively unknown compared to other tourist spots in Bohol. Located deep in the jungle, the best way to get here is to drive up in their direction and pick up a local guide to take you there.
When you arrive, you will find that a large rope swing has been set up, however, it’s very confusing to attempt on your own; which is where your guide comes in! He shows you the secret route up the rocks so you can properly enjoy this natural playground!
4. Secret Falls, Bohol
After your visit to Ingkumhan Falls, you can then ask your guide to take you to Secret Falls. Located perhaps a 15 to 20-minute drive away, Secret Falls really is, well, pretty secret! There is absolutely no way we would have found them without a local’s help as it’s a 30-minute walk there from the main road.
Along the way, you pass through gorgeous rice paddies with locals out tending the crop, and you even pass by another pretty wonderful set of falls called Dam-Agan Falls. Many choose to stop here, and we saw lots of local Philippino families here enjoying the weather. But in my opinion, it’s much better continuing on to Secret Falls.
There are far fewer people here, and you once again have a fantastic diving spot! There were some local teenagers here who were able to show me the way up the rocks, and one after another we all threw ourselves off and into the wonderful blue water. I recommend visiting soon before Secret Falls becomes not quite so secret …
5. Pamuayan Falls, Port Barton
Port Barton is easily one of the most up and coming destinations to visit in The Philippines. As such, more people are catching onto the hidden beauty of Pamuayan Falls. Located 4km from Port Barton, many people choose to hike the whole way here, enjoying the scenic views along the way.
If you want, you can pay for a local guide to take you there, costing you less than $10USD for the whole trip! The 8 meter high falls are relatively small but very picturesque! Surrounded by dense green foliage and a large basin in which to swim. If you have a motorbike for the day, it will only take you about 20 to 30 minutes to reach the falls, though you’ll still need to walk the last 15 minutes or so.
6. Kawasan Falls, Cebu
Kawasan Falls, located on the island of Cebu, is perhaps the most famous falls anywhere in The Philippines. They have become a massive tourist attraction in recent years, with thousands of visitors every single day! A visit to Kawasan Falls is a great experience as there are a string of other waterfalls located in the same park.
You can pay a local guide and they will take you on either a private or group tour which leads you along the falls, where you can then jump and dive into them from above! However, if you want to enjoy Kawasan Falls in a more relaxing manner, then in the park you’ll find lots of little cafes and restaurants to chill out at and get a drink.
My best piece of advice would be to get to Kawasan Falls as early as possible! You want to be the first one there when the park opens so that you can get to the falls first and enjoy them peacefully. It also allows you to get the most epic photographs …
7. Cambais Falls, Cebu
Another set of waterfalls in The Philippines that need a little bit of local knowledge to find are Cambais Falls. You actually have to park up on the main road, where locals are there looking after the bikes and selling mangos and other snacks. It’s then a 20-minute walk along a dirt road that leads you into the forest.
It’s very isolated, save for a small shack right near the falls where we found a large group of locals all singing karaoke! It was really quite surreal. Anyway, Cambais Falls is more than worth the effort to get to. It’s once again a natural playground with spots to jump and dive in from the rocks.
There’s even a natural water slide that a few locals showed us how to traverse and use. It’s such a surreal experience being in the middle of the forest, with these incredible blue waters and locals all jumping and swimming there having a great time.
8. Concepcion Falls, Coron
The most popular things to do in Coron include island hopping and sitting on pristine beaches. However, one of the less touristy, but totally worthwhile places to visit, is Concepcion Falls. Here there is a massive plunge pool that the falls flow into, which is once again the perfect place to swim and relax.
What makes Concepcion extra special is how unknown they still are, even amongst locals. This means that you rarely find many people there, so get to enjoy them that much more. Though they aren’t as grand as the likes of Kawasan Falls, they get only a fraction of the visitors and it makes the whole experience that much more natural and peaceful.
9. Nagkalit Falls, El Nido
As you venture further south into famous Palawan, you come across El Nido, which shares much of the same natural beauty as Coron. In particular, El Nido is home to Nagkalit Falls. It takes about 45 minutes to one hour to hike to Nagkalit Falls from the main road, which is itself all a part of the experience!
Once you arrive, you get rewarded by the chance to gaze at not one, but two falls! The first of which has a pool for you to swim in and cool off after your hike. I recommend stopping off at Nagkalit Falls as a part of a day trip to Nacpan Beach (commonly rated as the most beautiful beach in Asia!).
10. TakTak Falls, Siargao
Lastly, but certainly not least, we have TakTak Falls. Located on Siargao, these are actually the only falls on the whole island, which makes them pretty special and truly worth a visit. The plunge pool here isn’t the deepest, so if you’re going to jump it’s best to get some of the locals to show you where to go.
Instead, it’s a great place to visit if you just want to chill and unwind enjoying the beauty of Siargao. What I also loved is that these falls are located right on the northernmost edge of Siargao. As such, they are the perfect place to stop halfway through a day of exploring the island from General Luna.
So, there you have it, what I believe to be the 10 best waterfalls in The Philippines! By visiting all 10, you get a real range of falls to enjoy, including some to swim in, some to dive in, some to rope swing into and some to simply stand back and admire.