The Refreshing Kawasan Falls

I first visited Kawasan Falls in 2001. I remember enjoying the almost 3-hour road trip from Cebu City. The water was clear. The trees were so alive. The 20-minute walk from the main road to the falls did not make me feel tired at all.

I had my chance to go back in December 2013 during my 3-month 'workation' (hashtag that!) in Cebu. I met some people who are equally-hungry for adventure and experiencing something out of the ordinary. We mostly splurged on food, tried out every restaurant in Cebu while we can. This trip down south of Cebu is our first out-of-town adventure.

We jumped off from Cebu South Bus Terminal at 4:30am. I'm not a good sleeper when travelling. I enjoyed the view with the sun on the left side of the road coming out. We arrived Carcar at around 6am to get the freshest lechon and 'puso' for our picnic at Kawasan.

Early risers in Carcar

From Carcar, we had multiple rides till we got to the town of Badian because getting on a bus from Carcar was not easy. From the national highway, we walked for about 30 minutes (because we had to stop multiple times to take photos).

This could be our own billboard.

The road has improved from how it was in 2001. There was a souvenir shop along the way. There were lamp posts. The road was more even. I remember it wasn't as even before because I had fun taking videos of my aunt who was wearing 4-inch wedge sandals at that time. (Hi, Tita Marie!😊)

The bridge has improved, too. I remember it took me forever to cross the bridge before because it was just made of about 4 bamboo poles put together and another not really sturdy bamboo for you to hold.

The road to the falls will give you hints of Cebu's rich history. I haven't really had the chance to know more about the town, but I know Cebu has one of, if not the, oldest traces of Spanish colonization in the Philippines. During the walk, you will pass under an old stone bridge that is just big enough for a carriage. I'm guessing it was built in the 18th to 19th century. (Note: guessing)

The falls is magnificent. It still had the same natural refreshing aura that will make you forget about stress. The scene is just perfect... thick falls, bamboo raft, a turquoise pool of natural water.

It just saddened me a bit how the place became overly commercialized. They had concrete rooms for rent for those who wish to stay overnight. There were a lot of plastic tables and chairs, instead of those wooden cottages with 'nipa' roof that were there before.

Enjoying the lechon and chicharon we bought in Carcar

But no bad second impression stopped me from enjoying the water. Helloooooo, cold water!

The pool is deep. Jumping from the raft to the water is heaven. If you don't know how to swim, there are life vests for rent. Just make sure it's securely attached so it won't stay afloat while you drop deep after you jump. Feeling the water fall on your back is the most natural massage you can get.

Another frustrating part is the bamboo raft. Way back, it was nobody's property and it was available for anyone to use. Visitors and tourists took turns and even shared the raft. Now the raft is for rent for Php600, which was fine. After two rounds of being on the raft, the two men who pulled the raft were also asking us to pay them Php200 each. What was the Php600 for? Raft maintenance? I don't know. Why were we not told we had to pay the guys extra? I don't know. It was a rip-off. You might want to be clear about the fees before you get on the raft.

Anyway, if you're the adventurous type, there are two other waterfalls above this main area. We did not go up as the way seems steep and we were happy right where we were.

Appreciating the beauty of God's creation on our way out

After some good swim, it was finally time to go back to the city. Getting on a bus at the highway is easy. The trip took longer than expected because the traffic was bad when you almost reach Cebu City. It has been a long and fun day. Dinner at Larsian's was a good way to cap our day.