Another popular and must-do activity on Cebu Island is canyoneering in Badian town, which is also where Kawasan Falls is located. The journey after leaving Pescador Island and heading back to the mainland to Kawasan Falls was about 30 minutes. Our driver dropped us off at the canyoneering company that the tour operator had engaged: Royets Canyoneering. While there are a number of companies operating canyoneering tours in the area, they all seem to operate in broadly the same way. That said, we have nothing but the highest praise for Royets. Four guides accompanied us and ensured that we were safe throughout, helped us navigate the tricky water passageways, and also handled much of the photo and video taking. Trust me: you need both your hands free for the four-hour activity!
Comments and pro-tips!
The driver dropped us off at the office of Royets, where we first attended a safety briefing, geared up, then boarded a mini-van that brought us to the start point. There we had another briefing, signed the usual safety disclaimers and waivers, and then had an option: start the 30-minute trek to the water canyon, or take a zip line (600P per person) that would shave off about 20 minutes of trekking time and let us zip through the jungle. Most visitors chose the trek, but we decided we’d swallow our fears and go with the quick travel option. LOL.
We were all a little nervous about going via zip line, even for the missus and the boy who don’t normally have a fear of heights. The Kawasan Falls zip line is apparently Asia’s second longest, and one look at how high it is made it clear that we would not survive any drop! But we trusted the professionals: they first asked us if we wanted to do the Superman pose thing — nope, we’re risk-averse! — then secured us properly, and off we went. We rode as twin pairs: the boys first, followed by the girls. The initial push-off and launch were scary, but a second later we were zipping through the air and enjoying every bit of it.
From the zip line, it’s another 10-minute trek, mostly downhill via steep slopes and steps.
Wearing good water shoes is a must! The route through the water canyon is rocky when above ground and uneven when we’re wading in the water. All of us wore water shoes from Decathlon and they worked well.
At various points, you’d need to jump or slide off water cliffs, but thankfully there are usually safer options for those of us who are anxious about landing on rocks haha. Some of the cliff jumps are two to three meters, but the highest one we did was just a meter, with several others lower than that. Our guides told us where to stop and provided support at every tricky juncture.
Swim goggles are not needed. If you’re wearing spectacles like me and prefer to keep them on, then consider getting a spectacle band or make sure your glasses are the tight-fit ones. Alternatively, hold onto your glasses as you jump into the water at various points.
The entire trek took about four hours, and we each clocked around 12,000 steps. There are a couple of rest stops along the way where you can get snacks and drinks. Keep in mind that these items are pricey — bottled drinks cost about 150P each — but they were very welcome refreshments after the physical workout, so we were happy to just pay for them. You need not pay the vendors immediately: your guides will record what you buy, and you can settle the payment after the trek.
Most importantly, a certain level of fitness is required: once you start, you’d need to finish the trek at the end point. The activity might be a little tough for the very young and very old, but for our family of four it was doable — though I’m pretty sure our muscles will complain when we wake up tomorrow morning!
Pictures!
It’s Day 05 tomorrow, and another long day: we’d be taking a long journey to the northern tip of Cebu, then boating to Malapascua Island for more snorkeling!