Kawasan Falls

Kawasan is a series of falls on a jungle river in southern Cebu, and what makes it striking is the colour: limestone gives the water an opaque, almost luminous turquoise that fills a chain of pools below three main drops. A paved path of about twenty minutes from the road reaches the first and largest fall, where bamboo rafts are punted under the cascade and the pool is deep enough to swim. The bigger adventure starts upstream, where licensed guides run canyoneering trips that work down the gorge for several hours by jumping from ledges, sliding down water-worn chutes and swimming through narrow sections, finishing at the falls themselves. It has become one of the most popular things to do on Cebu, which means both good infrastructure and, at busy times, a great many people in the water.

What you actually see

• The turquoise pools - the chain of limestone-coloured pools below the main falls.
• Canyoneering the gorge - the guided descent of jumps, slides and swims from upstream.
• The bamboo rafts - punted under the cascade on the main pool.
• The upper falls - the quieter second and third drops above the main one.

When to go

December to May is the drier season, with safer water levels and better colour; heavy rain both muddies the pools and raises the risk in the gorge. Early morning beats both the crowds and the tour groups arriving from Cebu City. Weekends and Philippine holidays are very busy.

Honest expectations

The gorge is prone to flash flooding after upstream rain, and people have died here; go only with licensed guides, accept it when they cancel, and never enter the canyon independently or in unsettled weather. Life jackets and helmets are required for canyoneering and should be worn properly. In peak season the main pool is crowded and commercialised, with fees at several points along the way.

Nearby

Moalboal's sardine run and Panagsama beach are half an hour north; Oslob lies around the southern coast.