Explore
Beyond scuba diving, there are a wide range of experiences and activities to explore in Southern Cebu. The municipalities of southern Cebu are sparsely populated in comparison to the cities in the Philippines. The way of life is relaxed. The people are generally kind and helpful. The ingenuity and inventiveness are impressive.
Below are a few highlights that are easily accessible from our resort.
Whale Shark Encounters
In nearby Oslob there is a unique opportunity to swim with whale sharks from 6am to 11am daily. The experience can be quite crowded. Many tourists come to the area specifically for this experience.
- Distance from resort: 14 km
- Travel time by auto: 20-25 minutes
- What to wear: Swimming wear
- What to bring: Towel and dry clothing to change into. Snorkeling gear is included in the price paid to the municipality. If you have your own gear bring that instead as it is likely better.
- Best time to arrive: earlier is generally a little less crowded and will result in less overall waiting time
As divers and conservationists we have mixed feelings about the activities in Oslob, learn more here.
Waterfalls
There are numerous waterfalls to explore in southern Cebu. Some reachable with a quick ride and a short trek and some require more effort. Here is information on just a handful that are reasonably accessible.
Kawasan Falls, Cebu’s most famous, is not yet depicted below but information on canyoneering and the falls themselves is widely available online. The jumping off point for Kawasan explorations is ~45-50 minutes from our resort.
Aguinad Falls
Aguinad Falls is an exciting, hands on and wet experience. There are eight levels to explore and it can take a few hours to complete once embarking on the journey up the falls from the parking area. Guides and equipment are required at a reasonable cost. The guides are generally quite helpful. This experience is hands on, active and in the water as opposed to just a nice view of a waterfall from a distance. It is a reasonably popular local attraction but it is rarely over crowded.
- Distance from resort: 8km
- Travel time by auto: 10-15 minutes
- What to wear: Swimming wear
- What to bring: Waterproof wetbag, towel, water and dry clothing to change into.
- Best time to arrive: Morning to early afternoon. For the full experience allow a few hours to complete the trek.
Dao Falls
Dao Falls boasts some really great views. The 20-30-minute guided trek up to the falls from the parking area is perhaps as exciting as the main falls itself. The path follows the water through a fairly deep and narrow canyon that is strikingly different from the surrounding area and from the other falls in the area. There is a mostly shallow swimming area at the falls itself. Be prepared to get your feet a bit wet on the trek.
- Distance from resort: 15km
- Travel time by auto: 25-30 minutes
- What to wear: Swimming wear
- What to bring: Towel and dry clothing to change into if you choose to swim.
- Best time to arrive: Anytime with enough daylight to complete the short trek up and back. Afternoon is great as the trek is mostly well shaded.
Tumalog Falls
Tumalog Falls is a special place with an ancient feeling and majestic views. There is a lot of space around the falls themselves. It generally does not feel overly crowded despite being a pretty popular stop on many itineraries. There is a very large pool to wade and swim in as well as plenty of space to find your own spot to admire the falls. Parking is available on the main road and from there one can decide to walk less than a kilometer to the main entrance or take one of the motorbike taxis down and back up – the little stretch of road is quite steep.
- Distance from resort: 18km
- Travel time by auto: 30-35 minutes
- What to wear: Swimming wear
- What to bring: Towel and dry clothing to change into.
- Best time to arrive: earlier in the morning when the tour groups are still at the whale shark area or later in the afternoon when they have thinned out
Inambakan Falls
Inambakan Falls is the easiest to access on this list. From the parking area the main falls are just a short walk away. There is a very small stretch on the road to the parking area that is unpaved and can be tricky when conditions are really wet. There is a modest entrance fee and a guide is optional. The main falls are the big attraction and they are quite nice to behold with a nice swimming hole to cool off in. It is also possible to trek the trail ever upward to additional levels and areas. In our experience these falls are rarely crowded and on more than one occasion we have been the only visitors.
- Distance from resort: 19km
- Travel time by auto: 30-35 minutes
- What to wear: Swimming wear
- What to bring: Towel and dry clothing to change into if you choose to swim.
- Best time to arrive: Anytime during the day is great. In the mid to late afternoon, if conditions are right, you can sometimes catch a rainbow in the mist created by the falls.
Sumilon Island
Nearby Sumilon Island, in addition to having some excellent dive sites, boasts a sandbar of fine white sand that is most prominent at low tide. Its size and shape varies throughout the year but it is always a great place to swim. The Sumilon sandbar has become another popular stop on the tourist itineraries for many of the tour groups, so it can get fairly crowded. At present there are at least two outrigger operations, with many boats, providing a shuttle service from Cebu island to Sumilon Island.
- Distance from resort: 13 km (to boat launch area)
- Travel time by auto: 20-25 minutes
- Travel time by boat: 7-10 minutes
- What to wear: Swimming wear
- What to bring: Towel, dry clothing, snacks and water
- Best time to arrive: at or around low tide for the best experience of the sandbar, for swimming – anytime
Dolphin Watching
Depending on boat availability, early morning dolphin wathing tours can be arranged. More to come on this in the very near future during our soft opening. Inquire or stay tuned.
