'I've experienced several waterfalls throughout the years, but some of my best Galentine's memories are of times spent at Kawasan Falls, one of the most popular waterfalls on the South Coast of Cebu.'
Traveling and living overseas means that you'll always meet lovely people who you share similarities with, and who you make connections with, then sadly, you say goodbyes and go separate paths.
The Philippines has been home to me for 7 years now. The longest I've ever lived in another country besides my homeland Jamaica, so I'm overjoyed and appreciative whenever old friends from different parts of the world come to visit me here.
Galentine's Time Is Always Funtime
Jana - German Dutch from the Netherlands,
Catharina - Northern Irish from England
All three ladies, on separate occasions, have been to visit me here in Moalboal, Philippines, where I've created some cherished moments of day trips to Kawasan Falls.
Kawasan Falls
Some of the reasons why Kawasan Falls is a must-do activity when friends visit me are:
- it's only 30 minutes away from the town centre of Moalboal
- transportation to the Falls is easy via bus (cheapest), rented motorbike (convenient) or tricycle (exciting).
- there's endless picturesque scenery along the coast
- and Kawasan Falls is encompassed with nature, perfect for Nature Walks.
Location
A great landmark to Kawasan Falls is the Matutinao Catholic Church where there's a large parking lot in front.
The entrance to Kawasan Falls is next to the church, right off from the main road. There's a private road leading to the falls, a 15-minute long walk, along a flowing river with miniature cascading waterfalls.
A mystic feeling comes over me every time I hear the sounds of water, the smell of nature, and the sightings of green lush, tall coconut palms and shady trees which line the pathway. There's no telephone signal, therefore, you have all the opportunities to fully embrace and tune in to the nature which surrounds you.
Sofiya 💛 had been traveling for an extended time in the Philippines before getting to Moalboal, so she was already climatised to the weather and accustomed to the culture.
However, Kawasan Falls was the perfect spot for her to recuperate before continuing her travels across Asia.
Kawasan Falls is unique. There are 3 layers of the falls, something not so obvious if you're visiting for the first time.
On the first level there's a restaurant, tables and bamboo rafts with tour guides (all for a fee). It gets busy here, so to avoid the large crowds, we always go to the other levels.
Making your way up the different levels/layers of the falls, can be tiresome, and since it's surrounded by so many trees, and the misty waters from the falls, there's plenty rainfall which makes the area treacherous, so it's important to wear appropriate footwear.
There are vendors along the path, who offer native snacks and coconut water and refreshments.
Jana and I 💛
The beauty about Southeast Asia and Philippines, is that there are many countries that are still relatively safe and suitable for females to travel solo. That's a great selling point and advantage of visiting Asia, especially the Philippines.
Jana had also been traveling solo in Asia for an extended period, and Philippines was one of her final stops before heading back home to the Netherlands.
(Before we made our way down to Kawasan Falls, Jana rented a bicycle so she could join me along for a tour of Moalboal on my pedal trike. As we were riding along, the clouds opened up, and we got drenched. Like little girls we giggled and cycled blinded by heavy raindrops along the rural highway. Unforgettable!)We had a fantastic day at the falls as usual, and Jana and I got the chance to have girls talk, as she filled me in on her travels around Asia, and since it was almost a decade that we hadn't seen each other, our emotions were high. We were esctatic!
The Climb to the second level
There are a few steps to the side of the first level of the falls which leads you to the second and third levels. Some sections I prefer to crawl on all fours, as the heights along the cliffy path causes my virtigo to kick in :(
It's still pleasurable as you hear deafening sounds of water cascading down and it's a great workout.
There's another restaurant on this second level, but the atmosphere is more relaxed with fewer people.
Here, Catharina enjoys her swim.
Catharina 💛 had been living in the Middle East, and for her holiday break, she decided to explore Asia and come visit me in the Philippines.
The humid weather was a welcoming change for Catharina😎
Great for the entire family
Kids love it here.
Most times I tend to play the role of photographer and tour guide since I've been to this falls countless times.
Some other activities along with climbing the falls are: Rope diving, cliff diving and of course swimming in the river.
Isn't this turquoise water inviting?
While my friends swim in the river, I always find it entertaining to watch lady boys as they dramatically take center stage, mimicking the elegance of mermaids as they gracefully rope and cliff dive. Comedy gold!🤣
So much nature 😍
Yes, there's a third level, I've been there twice, personally, but on all these occasions with my Galentine's, we all felt completely satisfied with all that levels one and two have to offer.
The hardest thing about friends visiting is saying goodbyes.
The Good Ol Days At Kawasan Falls
Kawasan Falls, a must-do destination when in Cebu Philippines. It's a 3.5-hour drive from Cebu City, and if you're already at the nearby tourist location Oslob, here's a link attached Oslob to Kawasan
Happy #GalentinesDay!
What are some of your best Galentine's memories?