Kawasan Falls and Cebu Canyoning (Canyoneering) Travel Guide

I had been hearing Cebu Canyoning or Canyoneering activities since 2011 but I never got a chance to try it. Yes, not even as of this writing – and that is because of the pesky storm which prompted my guides to cancel the activity.

However, instead of going completely broke, I decided to peek on the multiple cascades of Kawasan Falls, which, at that moment, was still accessible.

Kawasan Falls

Kawasan Falls is more than a kilometer away from the highway. I had to endure a 20-minute trek on an easy trail before I could get a perfect vantage of the famed waterfalls. That gave me a chance to talk to Kuya Ronald, my supposed canyoning guide, about the details of such adventure.

The Kawasan Falls, by the way, has three great cascades. The second lost its height because the previous typhoons that shattered the holding rock. Good thing that the other two remained their stature.

Cebu Canyoning (Canyoneering)

Canyoning fee starts at ₱1,000.00 per person. This includes a ride to the drop off point in a remote village of Alegria, free use of life jacket, tour guide fees, and a set meal waiting at Kawasan Falls.

March 14, 2016 Update: The local government of Barangay Canlaob standardized the rates to ₱1,500 per head for a group of 4 minimum.

You can contact Kuya Ronald Diluvio of Kawasan Deep Blue Canyoneering Services at +63 905 968 2225, +63 916 988 7319 via his Facebook account to book for your tour. He will arrange everything for you and will give you updates whenever there are cancellations caused by heavy rains, storms, and other force majeure.

The canyoning would take 2 to 3 hours depending on group size.

A photo posted by Edmund Cura (@curapicka09) on Jan 1, 2015 at 4:11am PST

Places to Stay in Kawasan

There are few lodges along the banks of Kawasan falls. Rates start at ₱900 for standard rooms and ₱1500 for family rooms. If you avail Kuya Ronalds sevices, you can ask him to secure a room for you in case you want to stay overnight.

How to Get There

From Cebu City

You can board a bus to Bato with “via Barili” signboard and tell the conductor to drop you off at Matutinao Church. It is important that you take a bus with “via Barili” route because this will travel the west arterial road. Otherwise, it won’t pass Barangay Matutinao.

Another option is to hop on a GT Express (V Hire) van to Badian from SM Seaside’s van terminal. From Badian, you can wait for a bus to Bato or take a multicab to either Malabuyoc or Bato and ask the conductor/driver to drop you off at Kawasan Junction or Matutinao Church.

You can also ride a Moalboal-bound GT Express and wait for a bus or multicab to Bato or Malabuyoc at Moalboal highway/bus stop.

From Dumaguete City

Take a bus/trike/multicab to Sibulan and walk towards the port. Board a RoRo/fastcraft/pumpboat to Bato or Liloan. From Bato, you can walk to the terminal and board a bus to Cebu. From Liloan, you can hire a habal-habal (₱25) to Bato terminal and board a bus to Cebu City. Make sure that you are taking the bus with “via Barili” route.

Sample Day Tour Itinerary (From Cebu City)

• 04:00 AM – Board a bus from Cebu south terminal to Badian
• 07:00 AM – Arrival in Badian. Have your breakfast.
• 08:30 AM – Leave for canyoneering. The guide arranges your habal-habal transport from Matutinao to the drop off point in Barangay Canlaob.
• 09:00 AM – Start of canyoneering
• 01:00 PM – End of canyoneering. Have lunch at Kawasan. Spend some time in Kawasan.
• 03:00 PM – Prepare for departure.
• 04:00 PM – Wait for a Cebu City-bound bus