Nestled amongst the jungle on the Philippine island known for black magic is Cambugahay Falls Siquijor. A multi-tier waterfall with turquoise water and picture perfect surrounding, each level you can swim in, relax or swing from the local crafted rope swings. From the top level, the locals also offer bamboo rafts which you can float upstream on. Cambugahay Falls has become by far one of the most popular Siquijor attractions however if you visit early you’ll have paradise to yourself.
Looking for waterfalls on the island of Siquijor? Cambugahay Falls is arguably one of the most stunning but also definitely the most crowded! That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go, head early at opening and you can experience the falls near to empty and for us the setting was 100% worth the early morning wake up call; we even saw an Iguana! Read on to find out everything you need to know before visiting Cambugahay Falls, from the entrance fee, location, how to get there and whether we think its worth it.
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Cambugahay Falls Location?
Cambugahay is located to the east of the island Siquijor in the town of Lazi. The entrance is off Cambugahay Falls Road near the town of Tigbawan.
Cambugahay Falls Map
How To Get To Cambugahay Falls?
If you’re staying in San Juan, Siquijor (which we recommend) the drive on a scooter takes about 40 minutes. Follow the main island road east until the town of Tigbawan. Take a right at the chapel and head up Cambugahay road. You will see signs on the right for the entrance to the falls, the sooter parking is located directly opposite. We highly recommend you hire a scooter on Siquijor it’ll make your experience easier and you’ll have the freedom to visit everywhere.
You can find great deals for scooter from around ₽250-350 a day. When you arrive at the port there are lots of scooter rentals nearby or you can rent one in San Juan. We organised ours through our hostel which worked out well.
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Alternatively, if you’re not hiring a scooter you will need to hire a trike to take you to the falls, this will cost around ₽200 each way from San Juan. Or a more comfortable option is to do the Siquijor Day Tour, meaning all of your transport is taken care of.
You will see the building where you enter to purchase your tickets before heading down cobbled steps to the first falls.
Discover the best things to do with our Siquijor trip itinerary.
How Much Is Cambugahay Falls?
The entrance fee is currently only ₽50 per person. We think this is well worth the cost.
If you’re on a budget be aware they charge for everything inside: toilets, tables to put your stuff on, rope swing, photos, showers and changing rooms etc. However it can be done cheaply.
You can put your stuff down by a tree however be careful as a girl in our hostel got her bag stolen here, apparently this is rare but you still need to watch out.
When To Visit Cambugahay Falls?
Head early or don’t bother! The falls open at 8am and this is when we arrived, there was already a handful of people there so even 7:50am if you really want to it to be quiet. By 9:30 we left; it had got overcrowded and had lost its tranquillity. We wouldn’t recommend visiting any other time.
We took a picture just before we left to show you the crowds at 9:30.
What To See and Do at Cambugahay Falls?
The falls are made up of four tiers, each tier has a swimming section and most have a rope swing you can use for a small charge. The natural fresh water pools make the perfect jungle paradise to cool off after a sweaty scooter ride and as swimming is free that’s what we opted to do.
When you enter you’ll take a 2 minute walk down cobbled steps to the first and main falls. Continue your journey up through the jungle to discover the other more quieter falls.
Our favourite area was the one right at the top on the last level, the falls aren’t as impressive but it’ll be quieter and this is where we saw an iguana scampering along a tree trunk.
We started at the top and made our way down; the falls get more impressive as you descend and you can’t help but stop and grab a photo.
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There are lots of tour guides around that you can pay to take photos. They will send you out on a raft before proceeding to get you the best Instagram post. We didn’t feel the need to do this the place is so beautiful you can easily catch a great photo yourself for free.
You could easily spend a whole morning here if you don’t mind the crowds. For us we spent an hour and a half before it got too busy and decided to love on to explore some other waterfalls on the island of Siquijor.
What’s Nearby In The Local Area?
If you’re hungry after all of the waterfall action then there is a lovely restaurant not too far called Y-Roads, owned by a lovely family and packed when we visited it serves beautifully cooked, fresh Filipino food. We would highly recommend it.
Best Places To Stay In Siquijor
$ Budget
Lazy Lizard Hostel
Lazy Lizard is a great budget option for your stay in San Juan. Up from the main road it is quiet, in the jungle and offers scooter hire. There’s options for private rooms or shared dorms.
$$ Mid-Range
Apo Diver’s Resort
Perhaps you want something more luxury or your here for the diving! Apo Diver’s Resort offers sea views on the beach front with a beautiful pool and chill out spot.
$$$ High-End
Coco Grove Beach Resort
Backing onto Tubod Marine Reserve this is a great luxury choice if you love snorkelling. The resort also boasts a large seafront swimming pool, free coffee and breakfast as well as an on-site restaurant.
Spacing
Siquijor’s Best Tourist Attractions
We stayed 5 nights on Siquijor and think this is the perfect amount of time to see everything the island has to offer. Here’s our highlights.
Top Pick: Cambugahay Falls
Visit early or don’t bother going, this is our top pick as it was so tranquil at 8am plus we saw an iguana!
Best Beach: Paliton Beach
One of the best snorkelling spots on Siquijor and a hotspot for traveller at sunset. The beach is lined with shacks selling rum for cheaper than water!
Off The Beaten Track: Cantabon Cave
The best cave on Siquijor and still a hidden gem on the island.
Other Blogs On Siquijor
Best Siquijor Tours
Top Tips For Travelling To Siquijor Island
If you’re visiting Siquijor here are our top travel tips:
- Plan your transport – getting to Siquijor can seem confusing so make sure to plan your route and leave early on your travel day.
- Arrive early to Cambugahay Falls to miss the crowds and experience the natural beauty of the area, we arrived at 8am.
- Eat Local, we had some of our favourite food in the Philippines here, mainly from Roadside Diner!
- Rent a scooter to explore the natural attractions. The island is small so it’s the perfect place to learn to ride a scooter, just make sure you wear a helmet.
Final Thoughts On Cambugahay Falls Siquijor
Before we went everyone we met told us it was over hyped and overcrowded which gave us quite low expectations for the trip. However when we arrived we were the only ones there and had a great experience swimming in the upper pools listening to the sounds of the jungle and spotting wildlife. Overall, we would highly recommend visiting Cambugahay Falls but only at opening time, any later and we think we would have had a very different experience with the crowds taking away the beauty.
Want to see some amazing marine life? Read our guide on the Best Snorkelling Spots Siquijor
