Credits: Papers by Queen of Quirks, Elements by Scrap Matters’ Life Simple Surprises Kit
Remarkable diving defines Moalboal and many combine it with a side trip to Kawasan Falls in nearby Badian town.
Just an hour away from Cebu’s diving destination, Badian is known for its 3-tiered waterfalls called Kawasan Falls.
A short trek will take you to the first falls where one can enjoy it with nary a need to swim if that is the preference (bamboo rafts are available to take people to the falls).
The beauty of the waterfalls cascading into turquoise pools and the lush tropical vegetation surrounding it already provides a natural high.
What more if, for 4 hours, you get to swim, trek, and jump into several of the turquoise pools along the way to Kawasan Falls?
We entered the falls from upstream, near the border of Badian, at the Matutinao Valley geared with a pair of booties, a life jacket and an adventurous spirit. Canyoning at the Kawasan is not your ordinary Kawasan Falls excursion.
It requires swimming, river trekking, jumping off waterfalls and a bit of rappelling. Canyoneering, as they call it, is a sport of exploring a canyon by engaging in rappelling, rafting and waterfall jumping.
The adrenalin started pumping at the Matutinao River, just a short distance from our jump-off.
We scrambled over rocks as we get use to the art of river trekking.
We sort of rappelled down a mountain slope to reach another canyon.
We swam when the water was deep.
We jumped from big boulders 4 times, sometimes over waterfalls, other times into a small basin with little room for error.
It was terrifying at times, but for the most part, it afforded us an ultimate high, non-stop adrenalin rush. It was a high like no other.
The Aquaholic team made us feel safe all through out, guiding us through the magnificent sceneries of gorgeous blue lagoons and spectacular canyons and rock formation.
The remoteness and lack of habitation have left this valley a sanctuary. In the course of our 4-hour escapade, we bumped into a few locals at the start and another canyoning group that explores the river the harder way from below, which they call river climbing. Otherwise, we had the river and the beautiful riverscape all to ourselves to take pleasure in.
We reached the top of the 3rd cascade of Kawasan Falls at around 2pm. Contrary to the tranquil environment we came from, we were greeted with loads of people enjoying their Sunday.
Caught off guard and surprised to see people out of nowhere walking down from atop the falls, they watched us with wonder as we walked pass them, exhausted but exhilarated. Their facial expressions seemed to ask, “Where the heck did they come from?”
Going back to the van we walked this bamboo bridge which ironically was more frightening.
Why, one might wonder, do we take the grueling route when it only takes 15 minutes, 30 minutes tops to reach all 3 falls?
The answer to that would be because we love the challenge of an adventure. Because we like doing things the unconventional way. Because we are adrenaline junkies. Because off-the-beaten paths are always more breathtaking…
my adventure odyssey 