One of the travel, and adventure highlight at South Cebu is the Kawasan Canyoneering. Here is a detailed guide on what you need to know and prepare for. South Cebu not only has beautiful beaches, great diving sites, and numerous waterfalls to get lost at, it also now boasts as one of the must-go-to spot for downstream canyoneering in the Philippines.

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Canyoneering is traveling in canyons using a variety of techniques such as walking, scrambling, climbing, jumping, abseiling (rappelling), and swimming.  Late last year we did just that! Got our butts off the working seats, and planned a South Cebu adventure trip and Kawasan Canyoneering was our top activity! Here’s a lengthy (but really helpful) Kawasan Canyoneering guide to help you with your research and some images from our adventure from Lakas Ng Trip.
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What you need to know about South Cebu canyoneering

Canyoneering in South Cebu started a few years back but has gotten great attention, and influx of local, and foreign tourists recently with flood of adventure photos and videos on social media. You may find that there are several canyoneering adventure tour operators, and different canyoneering activities in South Cebu, and maybe like us that got you confused. When I say Cebu, its the whole province and not Cebu City where the Sinulog Festival takes place. In your research, you will find canyoneering adventure tour operators from Cebu City, and the south Cebu towns of Badian, and Alegria.You will also stumble on Kawasan/Badian/Alegria Canyoneering tours.  From the information I gathered during our adventure tour, the start-off/meeting place for nearly all these canyoneering adventure tours is at Badian, Cebu. But the jump-off of the actual canyoneering is at the town of Algeria, Cebu of which your tour guides will take you there. It is also where registrations are done. The 4-5H activity will then be a downstream canyoneering that will end at Kawasan Falls, Badian Cebu. You will exit on the highway where you meet and started earlier. Hence the different canyoneering tour operators around using different names of these tours.

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How do you find a credible adventure tour operator and how much is the cost

It took us awhile to find a canyoneering adventure tour operator to go with. There were a lot of them around. Usually the rates ranges from 800-1500PhP depending on the inclusions. When we traveled to Moalboal a few days earlier, we were also offered a much cheaper rate by a pedicab driver cheaper rate than we saw online – we were apprehensive taking it. The constant traveler in us made us take the safe course, ofcourse. We opted to find a credible, established, and well-trained local adventure tour operator months before. We found Kawasan Cebu Canyoneering on Instagram and Facebook with increasing number of clients — which is always a good sign. We did a background check before sending an email, and found out that they are local tour operators from Badian, Cebu. If you want to contact them, here are their contact details:
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+63905 333 2623 ; +63918 654 4111
Price Rate & inclusions: 1500 PhP/pax
  • lifevest
  • safety helmet
  • all government fee
  • aqua shoes
  • ride to jump station
  • tour guide fees
  • lite snacks
  • bamboo rafting at kawasan falls
  • recovery meals (lunch)
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The reason why we looked for local tour operators is that they are: [1] experienced Kawasan Falls guides [2] Locals knows the place better than anyone you can find (same as they know how the water goes with the kind of weather pretty well), [3] tourism should be economically sustainable for the place, and its residences, and [4] trust a credible, established, and well-trained local adventure tour operator.

What do you need to wear and gadget/items to bring

Wear comfortable if not drifit clothing. For males, a friend said it was a good move that he wore cycling shorts beneath his shorts as well. For females, you can choose to either wear active leggings, shorts, or both. There’s a lot of climbing, and jumping involve, make sure clothing wont rip off easily.

For footwear, you need to wear, laced outdoor shoes that wont get heavy when you trudge it in water, and won’t slip on wet surfaces such as boulder, rocks, and wet soil. You can also use outdoors trekking sandals. Don’t bring your mobile phones with you, it will save you the worry of getting it wet even if you have those fancy waterproof case with you. The same goes with cameras, the only cameras I can suggest is those action cameras with floating pole/accessory, or secure hand or wrist ties. Not only is it waterproof, it will also withstand the impact when you jump from cliffs and into the water.

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Here is the Kawasan Canyoneering + Kawasan Falls video using Supremo 1 WIFI Action Camera, and GoPro Hero 4 so you will get a sneak peak of what you’re signing up for:
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How do you get to Badian, Cebu from Cebu City?

Depending on what canyoneering tour operator you sign on to, or whether they pick you up on from your resort or hotel. The usual start-off or meeting place for Kawasan Canyoneering at the Kawasan Falls entrance by the highway or infront of the Matutinanao Beach Resort at Badian, Cebu. So you need to travel to Badian, Cebu which is 3 hours away from Cebu City. If you’re going to take Kawasan Cebu Canyoneering adventure tour operator, you can immediately go to the Matutinanao Beach Resort because it is also their HQ (headquarters). Like us, you can also stay there for the night before, and/or the night after the activity. They give priority, and discounted rates for their staying guests who signed-up with Kawasan Cebu Canyoneering adventure tour operator.

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Cebu City- Badian, Cebu

1] Go the Cebu South Terminal
2] Take Ceres Bus (yellow bus)
     — Bato via Barili route (tell the conductor to drop you at Kawasan Falls)
     — Travel duration: 3H
     — Fare: 120 PhP/pax
***The map below shows the exact location of the start-off or meeting place.

What are the other activities or places of interest?