The Philippines is known for its electric blue waters, pristine white beaches, and bright green foliage. This archipelagic country located in Southeast Asia is made up of 7,640 islands, many of which have countless waterfalls just waiting for you to explore. Cebu, located in the Central Visayas region, is one of the country’s most visited islands. It provides the full tourist experience, with world-class diving sites, endless beaches — and must-see waterfalls.
We’ve put together a list of some of the best waterfalls in Cebu that you won’t want to miss on your next trip to the Philippines.
Know Before You Go
Many of the waterfalls in Cebu have an entrance fee that can range from 20 to 60 pesos. Local governments and municipalities own the land, and the money typically goes toward keeping the areas clean and well kept so that future visitors can also have a chance to enjoy their natural beauty.
Oftentimes, there are tour guides you can hire to show you around the waterfalls and point you to the safest spots for activities like cliff jumping. It is customary to tip your guide as at some of the lesser known waterfalls, the tip is their wage. You can find guides at the waterfalls themselves or book in advance through local travel agencies. Typically, your hotel or hostel will have partnered with a tour company and can handle the reservation for you.
Kawasan Falls
Kawasan Falls is famous for its Gatorade-blue, multi-tier waterfalls. You could explore the area for hours and still not see it all or get used to the color of the water, whose mind-blowing effect is created by limestone deposits.
The main pool has bright blue water with a thundering waterfall pouring into the middle, while a bamboo raft tied off to the side is a popular Instagram photo spot. Meandering upstream along a well-maintained trail with steps carved into the rocks brings you to several other massive pools.
The zone at the top of Kawasan Falls has a rope swing and a waterslide, making for a super fun adventure. You are allowed to swim in all of the pools, which is highly recommended as the water is nice and cool, and being immersed in bright blue water is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
There is the option to explore Kawasan Falls on your own terms or hire a guide to take you on a canyoneering tour, which costs around 1,000 pesos. There are a lot of guide companies both at the falls or in town, so you have some options. If you choose to do the tour, you get all the equipment you need, including life jackets and helmets, and the guide will show you the safe spots for cliff jumping.
Inambakan Falls
Cascading from a height of over 100 feet into a pool of light blue water is the magnificent Inambakan Falls. Located outside the town of Ginatilan in the southern part of Cebu, the falls are about a four-hour drive from Cebu City and around a one-hour drive from the popular tourist town of Moalboal.
Inambakan Falls is a very popular waterfall in Cebu due to its towering height and multi-tiered pools that you can spend hours exploring. It costs 50 pesos to enter the waterfall area. You can explore the waterfall on your own or hire a guide to show you all the secret spots. Guides are typically locals who know the waterfall area fairly well, and the cost is very affordable, at around 100 pesos per person.
Inambakan Falls has five levels, all of which are definitely worth exploring if you have the time. The main waterfall, with its 100-foot drop against a striking limestone backdrop, is the one you will often see in photos. You can also swim into the small cave behind the thundering waterfall and see the water crashing down from a different perspective.
The waterfalls further upstream are also noteworthy, with crystal clear pools and some great spots to cliff dive. The whole area is surrounded by lush green foliage and tall palm trees, making this an idyllic spot to spend a sunny afternoon in the Philippines.
Tumalog Falls
Located on the southeastern side of Cebu near the town of Oslob is Tumalog Falls, a spot popular with photographers hoping to capture the exotic beauty of the Philippines. The sheer size of this waterfall makes it one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Cebu.
Tumalog Falls cascades over a moss-covered, rocky wall, giving the water a misty look as it plunges into a deep green pool below. The water flowing over the falls almost makes it look like it’s raining, and it is easy to see a vibrant rainbow in the mist, adding an extra bonus to the magic of this place. The whole area is surrounded by bamboo, ferns, and other lush jungle plants.
It costs 20 pesos to enter the waterfall area. You can choose to walk the 15 minutes to the falls from the road, or you can pay 50 pesos both ways for a habal-habal, a motorbike popularly used for transportation in the Philippines.
Cambais Falls
When you visit Cambais Falls, you feel that you really are in the middle of a jungle. With electric blue water comparable to the famous Kawasan Falls but a bit more secluded, this is a waterfall in Cebu you won’t want to miss. Located near the small town of Alegria in the southwestern part of the island, Cambais Falls is hidden among prehistoric ferns and lush palm trees.
It costs 50 pesos to enter the waterfall area, which is made up of two distinct levels. The first level you arrive at has a big aqua-blue pool, with a taller waterfall pouring over a mossy rock outcropping and a shorter waterfall on the right that splits in two. Tangles of vines hang from a shady canopy, and lush leaves sprinkle the surrounding cliffs. The water is fairly deep, so you can take a plunge in the refreshing blue water.
You can get to the second level by first scampering up a small ledge with the assistance of a rope, then walking up a handmade bamboo staircase. The second level tends to be less popular since it takes a little more effort to get to, so oftentimes you can have the area all to yourself. When you arrive at the second tier of Cambais Falls, you are greeted by another mind-blowing blue pool with a rushing waterfall covered in thick foliage.
Montpellier Falls
Montpellier Falls, tucked away in the jungle near Alegria in southwestern Cebu just south of Cambais Falls, is a hidden gem that most tourists do not even know exists. It is a great choice for those wanting a longer hike, and you can practically be guaranteed of having it all to yourself.
The trail starts a few hundred feet above the sea, and on the hike down to the falls, you get sweeping views of the Tanon Strait, on the western side of the island. The trail is well marked and surrounded by lush foliage, tall palm trees, and little shacks scattered about.
Montpellier Falls is a single waterfall around 100 feet high. It cascades onto a smoothed pile of limestone and then into a light green pool of water. Long palm tree branches, mossy rocks, and thin bamboo trees surround the waterfall, and you can catch glimpses of the sea in the distance. It is such a peaceful and quiet place that you could easily spend the day relaxing to the sound of the crashing water without another soul in sight.
Because it’s not well known, there is no entrance fee, but do be mindful of packing out what you bring in, as no official crew cleans up the area.
Aguinid Falls
Aguinid Falls is distinctive from the other waterfalls in Cebu because of its captivating appearance and the adventurous journey you can go on here, with rock scrambling, bamboo bridge walking, and cliff jumping into the pools.
Aguinid Falls has eight different levels, with five of them being accessible to tourists. The most stunning waterfall of them all is the final one at level five. There, crystal clear waters pour over a limestone rock that has been naturally smoothed by the consistent flow. The rock surface is bulbous in shape and appears to bubble up, creating a truly astonishing appearance.
It takes about an hour for the full tour of the falls, but if you like to take pictures and savor it all, it may take you longer. After all, there is no rush to leave the aquamarine waters of Aguinid Falls, a place to truly enjoy.
Due to its increased popularity, the entrance fee is 300 pesos and includes water safety equipment, guides, and tips.
Dao Falls
Doa Falls is a lot less popular than many of the other waterfalls in Cebu because it is not right off of the road. That is all the more reason to love it, and it offers one of the most epic waterfall adventures you can find.
The falls are reached by a trek through a dense canopy of lush jungle. It isn’t a challenging hike, so visitors of all hiking abilities can experience this magical place. It takes about 30 minutes to arrive at the main waterfall and requires wading through water that is about knee-deep. The trail meanders through a fern-covered canyon that gets progressively narrower and ends in a ladder, after which await the falls towering about 160 feet high and sliding perfectly down a limestone wall into a blue pool of water.
The entrance fee at Doa Falls is 60 pesos, which includes your guide and a guaranteed good time.
Mantayupan Falls
Mantayupan Falls is an incredibly idyllic waterfall located in the town of Barili in central Cebu, making it one of the closest waterfalls to Cebu City. As the highest waterfall on the island, it is a must-see.
The first part of your journey leads you to a small 45-foot waterfall with a seafoam-green pool. The trail then leads across a hanging bridge, which brings you to the main waterfall, a single stream cascading into a large, eggplant-shaped pool of milky blue water. The waterfall thunders down with such great force that it is a truly mesmerizing experience to watch. You can also rent a bamboo raft for 100 pesos and pull yourself toward the crashing waters, making for a great Instagram-worthy photo.
It is best to visit Mantayupan Falls during the week, as it tends to get packed with tourists on the weekend. The entrance fee is 40 pesos, with an additional 20 pesos to park if you arrive with your own transport.
Tinubdan Falls
Only 35 miles north of Cebu City, Tinubdan Falls is great to check out if you are staying in the city and want to experience one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Cebu. The trail leading to the falls is lined with towering palm trees, set among lush farmlands, and the falls themselves cascade from all different angles into one main pool at the bottom.
The whole waterfall area is still untouched, providing a truly exotic experience in comparison to some of the more developed sites like Kawasan Falls. Additionally, there is no entrance fee to experience this magical waterfall.
Binalayan Falls
With the nickname “Hidden Falls,” Binalayan Falls is definitely worth discovering. Located in the Samboan region of southern Cebu, close to Aguinid Falls, it is found at the end of a 20-minute hike on a palm tree-lined trail through dense jungle.
A great photo spot along the way is at the tire swing hanging from a tall tree that lets you swing out over a pool of blue water. Not much farther up the trail is a set of small pools with a beautiful walkway carved into the rock on the side of the trail. This is another perfect spot to stop for photos and appreciate the surroundings.
The main waterfall is made of three distinct streams of white water that pour down a rock wall into an electric-blue pool that is perfect for swimming in. There are several caves behind the waterfall that you can climb into, and to the left of the waterfall, there are a few spots where you can jump into the pools below. All of this makes the journey to this magical waterfall in Cebu well worth it.
The fee is 60 pesos to enter Binalayan Falls and includes a guide.
Well there you have it — some of the most beautiful waterfalls in Cebu! We hope this article has you dreaming of aquamarine waters and thundering waterfalls and that someday soon you will get the chance to swim in them.
Cebu has plenty more to offer than just beautiful waterfalls! For suggestions on what to see and do on the island, take a look at our detailed Cebu itinerary next.
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