A complete travel guide to visiting the incredible Aguinid Falls near Samboan, Cebu Island, the Philippines. Includes how to get here, what to expect, and more!
Aguinid Falls is another epic multi-leveled waterfall located in the Samboan Municipality in South Cebu. Here, you’ll find five levels of flowing waterfalls, each with the opportunity for swimming and jump into the crystal-blue Cebu jungle water.
In this guide, I’ll outline everything you need to know about visiting Aguinid Falls Samboan, including how to get here, what to expect, and how much it costs.
Featured in: Best Waterfalls on Cebu
How to Get to Aguinid Falls
You have a few options for getting to Aguinid Falls in Samboan. Those coming all the way from Cebu City should expect a long 4-hour drive, so it's best to stay somewhere close by.
Option 1: On a waterfall tour
You can book a Cebu 3-waterfall tour which visits Aguinid Falls and two other epic waterfalls including the popular Kawasan and Malabuyoc Waterfall.
Option 2: Motorbike
The best independent way to get to Aguinid Falls is to rent a motorbike. This is better if you are staying in Moalboal or Oslob. At these two tourist hubs, you can pick one up for 300-400 PHP per day. Scroll down of the exact location to help you find the falls.
If you're planning to stay in Oslob during your trip to Cebu, then perhaps this is the best way to get to Aguinid Falls. This is because it is a shorter distance and a very scenic drive around the Southern tip of the island, passing beautiful Sumilon Island on the way.
Option 3: Tricycle Taxi
You can pay a local tricycle taxi driver to take you directly to the falls. Prices will vary depending on the distance. Remember to barter.
Aguinid Falls Location
Aguinid Falls is located roughly 1.5 hours from Moalboal in the Samboan Municipality. This is just south of Ginatilan, where you can find other epic waterfalls such as Inambakan Falls.
The epic 5-leveled waterfall is conveniently located very close to the main coastal road.
The waterfall is very easy to find. I have pinned the exact location for your convenience below.
- Google Maps Pin: “Aguinid Falls EcoAdventure Park”
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Arriving at the Waterfall (EcoAdventure Park)
There is a program operating at Aguinid Falls called the EcoAdventure Park. This is a little different to some of the other popular waterfalls in Cebu, as you need to have a guide to visit the multiple waterfall levels.
Once you arrive at the park, just past the turn-off, you will most likely be asked by locals to leave your motorbike by their houses. However, you will most likely be charged a fee.
While I completely support locals trying to earn some money from tourism, I believe it's fair if they tell you the price beforehand. That's why it's a good idea to ask how much it will cost first, usually, 10 pesos is enough. For a small fee, they'll take care of your helmets and motorbike, and you'll be supporting a local community.
After parking your bike, head up to the ticketing office where you will have to pay the entrance fee.
Aguinid Falls entrance fee
The entrance fee for Aguinid Falls is 60 pesos per person. This is the municipality fee and does not cover the guide.
There are several local guides waiting for eager travelers. These guides get to operate on a rotating basis, and usually, only get one tour per day. They are not paid a wage and rely completely on the tip. The ticketing office is upfront with these details. It is completely up to you how much you'd like to pay the guides after seeing the waterfalls.
What to Expect at Aguinid Falls Samboan
The falls themselves have a total of eight levels. However, the upper three levels are reserved for professional canyoneering teams. Therefore, only the first five levels are accessible. In saying that, these levels are still awesome and you could easily spend an entire day exploring them.
Aguinid Falls levels
The first few levels are smaller waterfalls tucked between the jungle canyons. There are steep limestone walls on each side, with dense jungle vines and palms overhanging.
Your guide will take you through the first few levels. On the first two levels, you will need to climb up the waterfall using a fixed rope. Your guides are more than qualified to help you, however it does require some strength and balance to pull yourself up.
There are several deep, aqua-blue pools for swimming and jumping as you progress up the waterfall levels. Take your time and enjoy some of the smaller jumps. Ask your guide for the best places to jump.
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The fifth and final level is the masterpiece of Agunid Falls. It is a strangely shaped, limestone and calcium-enriched waterfall flowing into a shallow pool. It's one of the most unique waterfalls in Cebu, and just the right pressure flow to get a nature massage.
Some tips Before You Visit Aguinid Falls
Before you make the trip to Aguinid Falls, you might want to know some of these useful tips.
- Bring a dry bag if you're bringing any cameras or phones. You will get wet if you want to explore all of the waterfall levels.
- You will need to walk through waist-deep water at times. I recommend either bringing some reef shoes or runners that you can get wet, or going barefoot.
- Take your time at the waterfalls. You might feel like you don't want to push your time with the guides, but they usually only get one job per day. Therefore they want to make the most of it.
- Keen on a waterfall exploration day? Why not check out some other waterfalls nearby? Popular Tumalog Falls is not too far away.
- Aguinid Falls closes at 5:00 PM, arrive early to take advantage of a whole day at the waterfalls.
- Avoid using any sunblock or suncream as this might contaminate the river (Tangbo River)
- Make sure you pick up any trash that you bring or see on the path. The municipality does a pretty good job of keeping the waterfall clean, but you could do your part by taking some trash with you.
Where to Stay on Cebu Island
The best place to base yourself is in Moalboal as it's close to all of the best things to do and all the epic attractions you'll want to add to your Cebu itinerary. However, if you're planning to travel around the island, then I'd also recommend staying at:
- Cebu City/Mactan
- Oslob
- Malapascua
- Sumilon Island
Here are the best hotel picks for each budget.
- Best Luxury Resort in South Cebu: Ancelle Cristo Re - the top-rated luxury resort situated on a private beach near Moalboal where you can snorkel with sea turtles. This hotel is run by three amazing sisters who use their proceeds to support a local orphanage.
- Best Resort in Mactan/Cebu City: Bai Hotel - a great mid-budget resort in Cebu City with large rooms, daily buffet breakfast, and rooftop swimming pool. Located verry close to the Cebu International Airport.
- Backpacker Hostel With a Vibe in Moalboal: Chief Mau - a great hostel with a relaxed backpacker vibe in the heart of Moalboal. Large rooms, an onsite bar, and tours can be booked straight from the front desk.
- Sustainable lodging in Malapascua: Villa Sandra - an awesome treehouse accommodation on Malapascua Island - an awesome place to scuba dive with Thresher Sharks
- ...10+ More Top-Rated Hotels on Cebu
Stay on Sumilon Island
Sumilon Bluewater - stay on a pristine private island complete with a beautiful white sandbar and crystal-clear water for swimming and snorkeling.
More Cebu Travel Guides
I hope that you've enjoyed this quick travel guide to visiting Aguinid Falls Samboan, Cebu. While you're here, make sure to check out some of my other blog posts for more adventure inspiration on the island and others in the Philippines.
