Kawasan Falls canyoneering: how to book, prices and what to expect

You zipline over the jungle, jump off a 10-metre ledge into a turquoise canyon, stop halfway down for a freshly grilled skewer and finish under one of the Philippines’ most famous waterfalls. But is canyoneering to Kawasan Falls safe if you can barely swim, how much should it really cost, and do you have to do the big jump? I went alone, was nervous all morning and came out calling it one of the best days I’ve ever had while travelling.

Canyoneering to Kawasan Falls is the best day out in southern Cebu. You start high above the Kanlaob River in Badian and spend three to four hours working your way down a limestone canyon of milky turquoise water: jumping off ledges, sliding down smooth rock chutes, swimming through pools and scrambling over boulders, until the canyon opens out at Kawasan Falls.

I did it from Moalboal, on my own, on a day tour that picked me up from my hostel. I was worried about going solo and a little scared of the jumps, and by the end I couldn’t think of anything better I could have done with my day. This guide covers how the day works, what it costs now that the price is regulated, who to book with, the rules, what to bring and how to see Kawasan Falls if you’d rather not jump at all.

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Kawasan canyoneering at a glance

• Where: Badian, on Cebu’s south-west coast, about 40 minutes south of Moalboal and about three hours from Cebu City.
• How long: three to four hours in the canyon, or a half to full day with transfers and lunch.
• Cost: the regulated rate is ₱2,000 per person, plus about ₱100 for the shuttle to the start. Tours from Moalboal with pick-up and lunch cost about ₱1,900 to ₱2,200 locally, or about US$72 online.
• Zipline: optional, ₱600, at the start.
• Jumps: the highest is about 10 metres, and every jump has a way around it.
• Who can go: most operators take children from 7 (some from 6, others 10), and you wear a life jacket the whole way.
• Best time: December to May, starting early in the morning.

What is canyoneering at Kawasan Falls?

In Cebu, “canyoneering” means following a river down a canyon on foot and in the water, with a guide, a helmet and a life jacket. There are no ropes or harnesses: you get down by jumping, sliding, swimming and scrambling. The standard route follows the Kanlaob River down through Badian and finishes at Kawasan Falls in Barangay Matutinao, the tiered waterfall whose electric-blue pools have made it one of the most photographed places in the Philippines.

The activity is tightly regulated. In 2023 the province closed Kawasan and the canyoneering routes for about three months over safety concerns and illegal structures, retrained 831 guides and reopened them in October 2023 at a fixed price of ₱2,000 per person, including the gear and a meal. Badian now has 44 accredited operators and more than 1,300 registered guides, and you can’t enter the canyon without one.

What the day is like

Pick-up and gearing up

Tours from Moalboal pick you up from your accommodation or a set meeting point on Panagsama Road. Mine collected me around 9am and had me back by mid-afternoon; others start at 7am, which is better for beating the crowds. At the operator’s base in Badian you’re given a helmet, life jacket and, if you need them, water shoes, then sign a waiver and get a safety briefing before a short ride uphill to the start.

The zipline

The day can start with an optional zipline over the jungle, run by Zip Stream Aerial Adventures. It costs ₱600, paid in cash, and replaces a 20 to 45-minute walk to the river. I was the tiniest bit nervous kicking things off on a zipline, and then I loved it. Some tours include it, so check before you pay twice.

The jumps

From the end of the zipline, it’s a short walk down to the river and the first jump. The highest jump on the route is about 10 metres and comes first; after that there’s a 7-metre jump and a series of smaller drops, slides and swims. The old 15-metre jump was retired, and listings that still quote it are out of date.

Every jump is optional, with a way to climb round it, but your guide watches each one and tells you how to land: feet first, body straight, arms in. Partway down I realised quite how high we were, and I was into it anyway. My highest jump left me feeling on top of the world.

Swimming, slides and scrambling

Between the jumps you swim through long pools of milky turquoise water, slide down smooth rock chutes, squeeze between boulders and walk along the canyon floor. The walking sections can be slippery, especially after rain. It had rained the day before I went, and I was glad of the grippy shoes.

The snack stop

Halfway down, there’s a small stand selling cold drinks, bananas and barbecue on sticks, cooked fresh in the middle of the canyon. I had a skewer straight off the grill, and I still can’t quite believe you can get freshly grilled food down there. Water costs about ₱40 and a banana about ₱30, so bring a little cash in a dry bag; if you forget, guides will often lend you some.

Kawasan Falls

The route comes out at the upper levels of Kawasan Falls and works its way down to Level 1, the big pool at the bottom, where you can swim, sit under the spray and catch your breath. There’s a rope swing at the end that costs about ₱10. It isn’t part of the official route. My guide told me to hold on until I was over the middle of the pool; somehow I let go early and hit the water belly first. It was still fun, if very inelegant.

From Level 1 it’s about a kilometre’s walk to the car park, and most tours finish with lunch at their base or at the falls.

My verdict

It was one of the best days I’ve ever had while travelling, and that’s saying something. I was worried about doing it alone, and I needn’t have been: you’re in a group the whole way, and my canyon guide, Caesar, was absolutely amazing. If you do one thing in Moalboal besides the sardines, make it this.

How to book Kawasan canyoneering

Tours from Moalboal

Almost everyone books a tour from Moalboal, which covers the transfer, the canyoneering fee, the guide, the gear and usually lunch. Book locally the day before, at one of the agencies on Panagsama Road or through your hostel’s tour desk, or online in advance:

• Highland Adventures: from ₱2,100 for the canyoneering, or ₱2,200 with pick-up from your Moalboal hotel. Book by phone or WhatsApp on +63 917 950 8750, or by email at [email protected].
• Kuya Dandy Travel and Tour: a Moalboal agency running shared tours for about ₱1,900, including transport and lunch.
• Abraham Tours Philippines: about US$72 online, with a 7am pick-up from Smooth Cafe on Panagsama Road and back by about 2pm. The zipline is extra, and it takes children from 10.
• Ambak Canyoneering Base Camp: a base camp in Badian that sells direct entry for about US$72 to US$81, meeting at the Jollibee in Moalboal or at the camp itself.

Booking locally is cheaper; booking online is easier to guarantee on busy dates, and the reviews tell you more about the guides.

From Cebu City

Day tours from Cebu City pick up at about 5am and get back at about 5pm, because it’s around three hours each way. It’s a long day, so if you can, base yourself in Moalboal and do it from there.

Going independently

You can turn up at one of the accredited operators in Badian and book the canyoneering on the spot, for the regulated ₱2,000 plus the shuttle. A bus from Moalboal to Badian costs about ₱20 to ₱40 and takes about 40 minutes (ask for Kawasan or Matutinao); a habal-habal (motorbike taxi) costs about ₱150 to ₱300.

What it costs

Item	Price
Canyoneering (guide, helmet, life jacket, entrance and government fees)	₱2,000 per person
Shuttle to the start	About ₱100
Zipline (optional)	₱600
Water shoes or dry bag rental	₱100 to ₱150 each
Guide photo and video package	₱500 to ₱1,000
Lockers	About ₱50 to ₱100
Tip for your guide	₱200 to ₱300
Kawasan Falls Level 1 only (no canyoneering)	₱200

Shared tours from Moalboal with transport and lunch: about ₱1,900 to ₱2,200 booked locally, or about US$72 to US$81 online.

Rules and safety

• A licensed guide is compulsory, as are a helmet and life jacket, worn the whole way.
• Age limits vary by operator, from 6 to 10. Some also set a minimum height of about 150cm or a maximum weight of about 100kg, so check when you book.
• You don’t need to be a strong swimmer, because the life jacket keeps you afloat, but you do need to be comfortable in water. Some operators won’t take non-swimmers.
• Every jump is optional. If you don’t want to jump, tell your guide and they’ll take you round.
• The route closes after heavy rain. The local disaster office suspends canyoneering when the river rises, and the water turns murky brown after a storm. In October 2025 it also closed for two days after a rockfall injured a guide. Check the “Breathtaking Badian” Facebook page or call the Badian Tourism Office on +63 965 957 1349 if the weather has been bad.
• Expect a waiver and a briefing before you start.

When to go

The dry season, from December to May, brings the clearest, bluest water. June to November is wetter, and storms can close the route for a day or two. Whatever the month, go early: the canyon and Level 1 are quiet before 8am and packed by about 10am, when the day trips from Cebu City arrive.

What to wear and bring

• Grippy water shoes, if you have them. Operators supply shoes, but your own will fit better, and flip-flops are no good.
• A swimsuit and a rash vest, for sun protection and to save your skin on the slides.
• A waterproof phone case or action camera. Phones are allowed, but guides are used to filming on GoPros, and many will film your jumps for you.
• Cash in a dry bag, about ₱350 to ₱700, for snacks, lockers, the rope swing and tips.
• A padlock, a towel and dry clothes. There are no changing rooms at Level 1.
• Reef-safe sun cream.

Visiting Kawasan Falls without canyoneering

You can visit Kawasan Falls on its own, but independent visitors only get Level 1, the largest pool at the bottom; the upper levels are reserved for canyoneering groups. Entry costs ₱200 in cash (children under 8 are free), and it’s a 15 to 20-minute walk up from the road. Life jackets are compulsory in the water, a rope barrier keeps swimmers back from the falls, and visits are limited to three hours. The bamboo rafts that used to take visitors under the falls were removed, so don’t count on one.

Getting there

• From Moalboal: about 40 minutes by road to Badian. Most tours include transfers; otherwise take a southbound bus (about ₱20 to ₱40), a habal-habal (₱150 to ₱300) or a hired scooter (about ₱400 a day).
• From Cebu City: about 120 kilometres and three hours by car, or three to four hours on a Ceres bus marked “Bato via Barili” from the South Bus Terminal (about ₱200 to ₱250).

My Moalboal travel guide has more on getting to Moalboal from the airport and where to stay.

Recommended tours

• Kawasan Falls canyoneering tour with ziplining and lunch: The zipline and lunch included, with pick-ups from Moalboal or Cebu City.
• Kawasan canyoneering adventure with lunch: A Moalboal-based tour with lunch after the canyon.
• Moalboal sardines run and Kawasan Falls canyoneering: The two best things to do in Moalboal in one day.

Map

Read next

• Moalboal travel guide
• The Moalboal sardine run: should you snorkel it or dive it?
• Cebu travel guide
• The perfect 3-week Philippines itinerary

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