How to Go to Kawasan Falls in Cebu South – Travel Guide

Kawasan Falls is among the popular summer destinations that Cebuano heads to when the heat becomes unbearable. This waterfalls system is blessed with numerous cascades and pools of chilly water and a dip in any of its falls is refreshing. This famous waterfall in Cebu belongs to Badian, the town, and Matutinao – the barangay. Getting here is easy even for first time tourists but the bus ride is long but worth it.

If you want nature and cool waters, make your way to Kawasan! Go, go, goooo! 

Direction Tips to Get to Kawasan

In Cebu South Bus Terminal or SBT, you can ride any bus that goes to “Bato via Barili”, the other route would be “Bato via Liloan, Oslob”. There are Ceres liner buses for this but aircon buses are rare going to this part of the province. Please note that Oslob is on the other side of the island, there is a mountain range in the middle of South Cebu dividing the south-east side and the south-west side. Kawasan is on the south-west side. The road division will come at Carcar rotunda.

If you will stop by Carcar, instead of riding Ceres Liners, you should ride the mini-buses bound for Carcar, you can also find them inside the terminal of the Cebu South Bus.

Cebu South-West side: Carcar – Barili – Alcantara – Dumanjug – Moalboal – Badian – Malabuyoc – Bato

Cebu South – East side: Carcar – Sibonga – Argao – Dalaguete – Alcoy – Oslob – Bato

Bus ride from Cebu SBT to Carcar will take 1 hour, fare is P40.  If you go straight to Kawasan in the Municipality of Badian, ride buses bound for “Badian” or those going to “Bato via Barili” the fare will be P126. SBT to Kawasan is around 3 hours and 30 minutes. If traffic is not heavy you can make it in 3 hours.

Don’t know how to go to South Bus Terminal from Mactan Airport? You can read this commuting guide – Cebu airport to SBT via jeepney.

 Road Crossings in Carcar Rotunda

TRAVEL TIP and NOTE:

If you are like us who got off in Carcar to buy our lunch supplies and drinks, be ready to stand in the middle of the bus. This is because most of the buses with route “Bato via Barili” will be full by the time they get to Carcar. You may be looking at standing in the middle of the bus for the next 2 and a half hours ride. I’m not kidding coz we experienced it. Lol.

I, Doi and Kenneth were standing from Carcar until we get to the lone bus stop in Barili proper, almost an hour into the second leg of our trip, whereas the guys were only able to sit down when a big family who were obviously excursionist got off in La Playa Beach Resort in Badian. Titus and Vince stood up on the bus for more than 2 hours and were able to sit down for approximately 2 minutes before we have to get off the bus at the corner to Kawasan heheheh.

You should see their grins when they got off the bus hehehe.

What makes it tough to stand on the bus aisle is that you can’t believe how winding the road climbing to the town of Barili. If you are not seated, expect sore arm and leg muscles when you get off, even if you are seated you will still feel the brunt of the long winding road.  Really. As in!

I have to hold on to the overhead compartment area with both my hands and thrice I almost fall on the girl seated beside me. It was hilarious. And the bus drivers? They take the multiple sharp curves and blind curves like there is nothing to it, driving the mountain roads like a walk in the park. Either mapapahanga ka or matatakot ka. 🙂

I am used to taking long bus rides from all trips I’ve taken in our country but still I have to brace myself every time I see a sharp blind curve approaching. I was even thinking that the winding road will make me dizzy and vomit, thank goodness it did not happen.

Is the ride worth it? Very much.

When you are cruising through the mountain, the view gets more amazing – beautiful mountain curves and open seas. On a clear day you can even glimpse far away Negros Oriental and of course your ultimate reward is taking a dip in the cold waters of Kawasan.

Fare from Carcar to Matutinao, Kawasan Falls is part of Barangay Matutinao, is P78 per person.

Almost There in Kawasan!  

When you get off the bus, you have to walk for 30 minutes to get to the main falls. Another 10 minutes to get to the second falls. And maybe 15 minutes to get to the third (top most) falls. By the way there are waterfalls in the middle of 1^st and 2^nd  as well as 2nd and 3rd but these falls are smaller and not many people choose to stay in those falls,  so most visitors don’t count them as “official Kawasan falls.”

As you trek to the main falls, you will be sweating a lot especially if you get there at the bus stop at midday =) Some like us prefers the Day Trip for this summer destination in Cebu, while others who have more time and funds go for Overnight Stay at one of the cottages.

Trek starts, just follow the Kawasan River, you won’t get lost

The road from second to third is the steepest and most slippery so you must be cautious if you decide to go there.  If you don’t have anyone who’s been to the 3^rd falls, there is a chance of getting lost. Only a few tourist ventures as far as the third falls, but this falls of Kawasan is one of the more friendly for swimming and best for picture taking. Kids can take it, when we checked out the third falls lots of kids were there. The third falls is also the designated camping ground, there were 3 tents on the area when we went there.

By the way, if you are fit enough or an experience mountain hiker, you will probably love to go to Osmena Peak in Dalaguete and traverse to Kawasan Falls. The trek will take you approximately 6 hours, this is an adventure that I think I may not be able to do unless I move off my couch more often and do regular exercise heheh

So where are you going this summer?

See the Related Posts below for more Kawasan experience. =)

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