Kawasan Falls — waterfall
Andrewhaimerl · CC BY 4.0

Kawasan Falls

  • 2 min read
  • 9.802° N 123.374° E

Interesting facts

  • The water rises at Kabukalan Spring, where a large underground reservoir in the hills of Badian breaks out at the surface.
  • Its turquoise colour is usually attributed to minerals dissolved from the limestone through which the spring water travels before reaching the falls.
  • The falls lie in the barangay of Matutinao, at the head of the Matutinao River canyon that carries the water down to the sea.
  • The Matutinao River won the Cleanest and Greenest River award several times and entered that contest's Hall of Fame in 2003.
  • The town of Badian takes its name from Kabadyangan, an old place name derived from the badyang plant that once grew there in abundance.

Why it is worth it

Kawasan Falls is a cascade in the forested hills of south-western Cebu, in the municipality of Badian, and its fame rests on one thing above all: the colour of its water. Fed by mountain springs, the stream runs clear turquoise, a colour that looks almost artificial against the green of the jungle. The falls come in three stages, the largest about 40 m high, each spilling into its own basin before the water moves on down the Kawasan gorge.

The main fall is the picture most people carry away: a broad curtain of white water dropping into a wide round pool, edged with trees, where rafts take visitors in under the spray and swimmers dive off the surrounding rocks. From the lowest basin the stream continues to the Matutinao River and out to the sea in the Tañon Strait, a short distance downstream.

Kawasan is also the finishing point of a celebrated canyoneering route. Groups start upstream in neighbouring Alegria and descend about 5.5 km of the Kanlaob River canyon over several hours, swimming through narrow passages, sliding down natural chutes and jumping from ledges between about 4 and 10 m into turquoise pools, before emerging at the base of Kawasan itself. Every jump on the route is optional, and trips are run with local guides from Badian.

Getting there

Kawasan Falls lies on the west coast of Cebu, about 120 km from Cebu City and about 21 km from the town of Moalboal. From Mactan-Cebu International Airport (CEB), the usual public route is a taxi to the Cebu South Bus Terminal, then a Ceres bus marked "Bato via Barili" down the west coast to the stop at Matutinao Church, about three and a half to four hours; from there a well-marked concrete path of about 1.5 km leads to the falls. Bohol-Panglao International Airport (TAG) is closer in a straight line, about 50 km, but lies across the sea on the island of Bohol. The town of Sibonga is about 36 km away in a straight line.

On these lists

The Most Beautiful Places in the Philippines 15The Most Beautiful Water Wonders in the Philippines 6The Most Beautiful Waterfalls 90The Most Beautiful Water Wonders 429

From the encyclopaedia

The Kawasan Falls is a three-stage cascade of clear turquoise water from mountain springs located in the jungles of the Cebu island. The falls are part of the Kawasan River in Badian, Cebu, in the Philippines. The water from the falls originates from the Kabukalan Spring and passes through the Kawasan gorge en route to the Matutinao River and the Tanon Strait. The largest waterfall is about 40 meters high, followed by smaller cascades and turquoise water pools that invite swimming. It is a popular tourist destination and is known for its tranquil and relaxing environment, and the adventurous can even enjoy a raft ride or a dive off cliffs.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

9.80200, 123.37393per Wikidata