Crystal Blues on the Island of Cebu- Canyoneering Adventures in the Philippines
- Eric Bergdoll
- 6 days ago
- 8 min read
On my flight home from a 2-month Indo surf trip in the late spring of 2024, I first saw it. Turquoise waters and cascading waterfalls, with tourists from around the world in perfectly contrasting bright yellow PFDs and helmets, smiling ear to ear. On the seatback in front of me played an action compilation- jumping off waterfalls, sliding down rocks, swimming through tranquil pools in some enchanted island paradise. What first hit me was the color of the water- seemingly out of a dream. What stuck with me was the full-on marketing barrage, selling a faraway island known as Cebu, an idyllic paradise unknown to the Western world.
As a full-time professional canyon guide for 5 years prior, I only knew canyoneering in the niche context found in the United States. While the slot canyons of Utah are fairly well known, the sport as a whole usually takes a bit of a deep dive for experienced travel planners to notice. Usually targeting the most adventurous, intrepid, and physically able travelers, canyoneering in Cebu was different. Cebu was a canyoneering experience broadcast and marketed to the masses.
Two years later, I finally found my chance. After Cora made it through the holiday and spring break seasons, we were ready for a little break of our own. With the year-round, 7-day-per-week nature of Hawaii rappel guiding, it takes some intention to find time off. After reaching out to our good friends and fellow guides, Brig and Aaron, they offered to cover for a month so we could go on a little adventure. After all, as much as we love our job, sometimes a little social battery recharge is necessary to show up ready to bring the experience that our guests deserve.
While not quite as chaotic as COVID, the state of the world in April 2026 was a little tumultuous, to say the least. War in the Middle East was leading to oil supply chain issues, with flight prices following a roller-coaster trajectory. For weeks, I followed the news and flight prices, tracking various routes in an effort to find tickets that didn’t cost thousands of dollars from Hawaii. After much research and precise timing, I was able to use a mix of Atmos rewards points and discount Asia Airlines to piece together a jumbled itinerary that kept the price more reasonable.
We first flew into Japan, about a week after peak cherry blossom season in Tokyo, and headed to the mountains to catch the tail end of the peak bloom around mt Myogi. After 2 days, we continued on to Cebu. With a massive shoulder-season storm pumping solid (and honestly a bit too much) swell towards Siargao, the surf capital of the Philippines, we made a quick strike-mission side quest. A few days of pumping waves later (up to 4x overhead, more than we really needed, or a lot of the famous spots could hold), we finally made the trip back to Cebu for a 36-hour strike mission. We were able to find relatively inexpensive tickets for a window between the storm swell and a major festival where ticket prices skyrocketed again. It was an action-packed start to the trip, to say the least.
After landing at the Cebu airport around peak rush hour, we hopped in a cab to Moalboal, which was a great jumping-off point for the adventure offerings in Cebu. The trip was supposed to take about 3 hours, but it took 6, despite some absolutely psychotic driving from the taxi driver. Exhausted and carsick, we finally pulled into our hotel room around 11 pm, thankful to survive the ride. In the future, I would book a hotel next to the airport to avoid the peak rush hour, and will contact our driver for our return for the pickup, who was MUCH less reckless.
We were hungry upon our arrival and grabbed some late-night eats at Pasta Bar. The owner, Ivan, was extremely welcoming and friendly. He gave us lots of great advice on how to link up with good service providers in the area, what rates to look for, and when to go to avoid peak crowds. We enjoyed chatting with him very much, and the food was exactly what we needed after a long string of travel days.
The next morning, we woke with the sun and headed towards the ocean. Moalboal, particularly Panagsama Beach where we were staying, is famous for the sardine run, occurring year-round right off the shore. Dropping from shallow waters into a blue abyss, hundreds of thousands to maybe even millions of sardines form bait balls year-round. Snorkels and masks are available for rent in dive shops all up and down the coast, and it is impossible to pass without enthusiastic shop employees offering their services. We rented 2 masks for about 500 Philippine pesos, or around $8.24 USD for 4 hours. I’m sure if you wanted a better deal, it wouldn't be difficult to negotiate one. We decided it wasn’t worth the trouble.
One common theme we noticed across the Philippines was that many people hang out on the sides of the roads. Everyone we spoke to was extremely friendly and happy to give guidance, help, or talk story. The streets of Moalboal are lined with restaurants, bars, and individuals selling various activity packages. These offerings included canyoneering, sardine dives, whale shark swimming, and various waterfall tours. I was blown away by how easy it was to access any of these experiences. Someone says hello and asks if you want to go canyoneering. If you say yes, a driver will be there within 20 minutes for a pick up with a full tour van. Tour pick-ups for canyoneering run until about 1-2 pm. We found a driver at about 12:30 after our sardine dive and a nap, as per Ivan's recommendation, for fewer crowds and clearer water in the canyon.
After pickup, we headed to the local canyoneering check-in center, where we filled out waivers and were fed lunch. We paid around 1900 PHP per person (~$30) for the activity, then around 700php for an additional 1km zipline to skip a portion of the hike into the canyon. For the tour time we arrived, most of the groups were assigned one guide per group. Overall, it seemed like a lot for the price, and we were extremely surprised by the value.
After a van ride to the location, we were picked up by a man on a motorcycle who drove us to the start of the zipline into the canyon. This part of the trip was the perfect example of something you could NEVER get away with in the US, with hairpin turns on a 2ft wide path often on the edge of a cliff… Thankfully, we managed to stay on the trail, but being on the back of a motorcycle for multiple run-off-the-road experiences while traveling in Asia in the past didn’t help the nerves. Thankfully, after a few hair-raising minutes, we made it to the start of the zipline, and a kilometer of flying above the treetops later, we were walking the paved path into the canyon.
Even the approach to the canyon was uniquely Filipino, with roosters tethered to spikes, stray dogs wandering, and vendors selling snacks at a couple of spots in the canyon. Guides jokingly referred to them as their local “7-11”, which I found pretty funny. While many canyoneering adventures in the US involve technical sections with rappels and specialized gear, Kawasan Falls was non-technical, sticking to jumps and slides instead. I didn’t find this detrimental to the experience, as it kept things moving along. After all, it was a surprisingly long day, especially considering the wide range of fitness levels of people in the canyon. As far as I could tell, everyone made it to the end.
Overall, it was a great day, slightly diminished by the number of attempted upsells as we progressed through the canyon. At one point, we came across a rope swing, which cost an additional 10 pesos to swing on. ($.20)
In my eyes, it seems like a small enough amount of money that it wasn’t worth detracting from the experience over. Why not just increase the price by a dollar if money is that tight? After a couple of scammy-style experiences while traveling, it made me hesitant during the rest of the canyon day. Were they going to try to charge us to drive us back at the end, too?
Nothing else ended up this way, but it did make me appreciate the lack of additional fees on our tours in Hawaii, even though they operate at a much higher price point. I guess I just value price transparency more than some. Overall, they really are two completely different things.
After numerous jumps, slides, and other shenanigans, the day wrapped up with views of Kawasan falls. It was a little crowded but still spectacular. Overall, one of the biggest surprises was just how big a day this adventure was. If it were half as long, it still would have been a great time. I could see some less-physically fit individuals struggling, and everyone did seem more exhausted than stoked on the van ride back. It also led to a bit of a rushed feeling while going through the canyon, but maybe part of this was due to our afternoon departure time.
To me, canyons are sacred spaces. Places that require moments of quiet and stillness to connect to. We never had that chance at Kawasan Falls. The constant chatter and overload of obnoxious noises, while comedic at times, did wear us down. I also was constantly having to try to let other groups pass us, as even during the slower afternoon times, things were so packed that it often felt like people were walking on the back of my shoes. This, with a loud chattering directly in my ear, made the second half of the experience a bit negative. As a professional guide, I am deeply opinionated on these things, but oftentimes, I find less is more. Let the people experience the place. Let its magic do the entertaining. Guides constantly yelling sex noises in the canyon on a quest for uncomfortable laughter isn't really that funny and feels like squeezing the magic out of a place.
All in all, everyone is looking for a different experience. The canyon is an incredible place; the value was most definitely there, but a few little details took away some of the magic. As I take the time to sit and think about the experience, the magic of the place does sink deeper. I’m sure on another trip with more time, I will find what I was looking for in Cebu. The potential is there, the magic is there, all I really lacked was the time to really stop and connect with it. As a way to bring canyoneering to the masses, it doesn't get better than Kawasan Falls. Looking around, I’m sure it is only the surface of what is available for canyons in the Philippines. It's just going to take a bit deeper of a look.
Want to plan a canyoneering trip to Cebu? Feel free to contact us- we are happy to assist, from general suggestions and information to fully planned and guided itineraries!
great article! Can’t wait to explore Cebu!🙂