Bohol is one of the most complete islands in the Philippines. Besides being home to the famous tarsiers, it can boast curious landscapes such as the Chocolate Hills, the mountains of Alicia Panoramic Park or the Loboc River, surrounded by lush vegetation. As it is so big and has a peculiar orography, it will also give you the chance to enjoy plenty of crystal-clear waterfalls. Therefore, if you’re a fan of waterfalls like us, you’ll love to know which are the best waterfalls in Bohol.
Despite being one of the country’s best-known tourist destinations, the truth is that most travelers concentrate only on certain spots, leaving aside these natural paradises we like so much. Therefore, it’s very likely that you’ll be able to enjoy these waterfalls in Bohol almost in total solitude, something that doesn’t happen at many other waterfalls in the Philippines.
If all this sounds good, keep reading and discover with us the best waterfalls in Bohol.
1. Can-Umantad Falls (Anda/Candijay)
If we had to choose among all the waterfalls in Bohol, we’re clear: we’d pick Can-Umantad Falls. With a 45‑meter drop, they are the island’s tallest and also, in our opinion, the most spectacular.
Since it’s going to be hot, you can take a refreshing dip in the small pool that forms. Don’t hesitate to poke around a bit, as there’s a small cave behind the curtain of water.
These waterfalls are increasingly popular in the area, so they’ve been made a little more accessible without anything excessive. Therefore, you’ll find a few small huts to leave your things and sit down to eat something, if you feel like it.
What’s more, the Can‑Umantad Falls complex has several more natural pools along the river’s course, which guarantees you a good while of fun in fresh water. If you add to that that these waterfalls sit just below some of the prettiest rice terraces in the Visayas region, we think it’s a perfect visit for those staying around Anda. In fact, you can reach them on foot from the so‑called Cadapdapan Rice Terraces.
By the way, relatively close to Can‑Umantad Falls is Canawa Cold Spring. This beautiful natural pool is surrounded by vegetation and is a playground for locals in the area. If you have time to spare, we encourage you to visit it.
Entrance fee for Can‑Umantad Falls: 30 pesos. No guide is required.
2. Ingkumhan Falls (Dimiao)
The Dimiao area isn’t very attractive in tourism terms, so there’s little tourist infrastructure. However, you’ll find some of the best waterfalls in Bohol here that justify a visit, whether from Loboc or Jagna, towns located about 45 minutes away. In our case, we decided to go on a rental motorbike from Loboc, along the lovely road that skirts the island’s south coast.
In our opinion, Ingkumhan Falls are incredible. After parking the bike and walking down for about 5 minutes, we found a large pool of turquoise water fed by a sizable waterfall roughly 10 meters wide and 8 meters high. The pool is surrounded by lush vegetation and you can also see a huge wall with stalactites and moss, which gives it a more magical feel.
If you like to monkey around a bit, you’re going to love it here. The waterfalls offer multiple jumping options. You can do it either from the top of the waterfall or from the viewpoint you’ll see on the left-hand side. In addition, you’ll also find a rope to swing from and then plunge into its refreshing waters. The pool is just over 3 meters deep, so, with a little care, nothing will happen to you.
Entrance fee for Ingkumhan Falls: 20 pesos. No guide is required—don’t let anyone hustle you.
3. Dimiao Twin Falls or Pahangog Falls (Dimiao)
Another of Dimiao’s great attractions is Pahangog Falls, also known as Twin Falls. You’ll quickly understand why they’re called twin waterfalls.
Located a bit further north than the previous ones and at the end of a dirt road that gets tricky if it’s rained (you can hire a motorbike driver if you think it’ll be tough), this pair of waterfalls will win you over. When you reach the parking area, you need to walk about 10 minutes, but once at the base you’ll behold the glorious sight of the twin falls, about 25 meters high.
After paying the entrance fee, you’ll need to cross a rudimentary bamboo bridge, from which you get great views of the falls and the large natural pool the color of ‘Gatorade’. Then leave your things on the dirt area to the right and don’t hesitate to get in to discover its nooks and crannies. The pool on the right will give you a natural spa session if you sit right under it.
Did you think it was all going to be relaxation here? As in almost all Bohol waterfalls, you can also go a bit tarsier and jump from the top. It’s best to ask a local to make sure you’re landing in the right spot.
Entrance fee for Twin Falls: 50 pesos. Unfortunately, a guide is now mandatory at 200 pesos per group. If you want to rent one of the tables, you need to pay 50 pesos. Floats are also rented for 20 pesos.
By the way, if you have more time, the Dam Agan Falls are also in this area. They’re much less known than the previous ones, but you can see their location on Maps.me. The path to them is also very pretty, as you’ll pass through some rice fields.
4. Pangas Falls (Loboc)
Pangas Falls are probably Bohol’s best‑known waterfalls. This is because they’re quite close to the Chocolate Hills and the detour to visit them is short.
Although they aren’t very high, the combination of the vegetation and their breadth makes them a very special place. They carry so much water that you’ll find a couple of ropes to hold on to so the current doesn’t sweep you away. If you want to relax, there’s a small pebble “beach” where the sun shines for much of the day. It’s not unusual to find Filipinos drinking a bit of Tanduay.
In our opinion, what makes Pangas Falls a little less charming is that they’re somewhat urbanized. Even so, we believe they’re well worth a visit and offer the chance to cool off during your route around Bohol.
Entrance fee for Pangas Falls: 30 pesos.
5. Busay Falls (Loboc)
As we tell you in Things to do in Loboc, there’s so much to see around there that we recommend basing yourself there for at least a couple of nights. One of those activities is visiting Busay Falls.
If you search this name on Google Maps, it can be a bit confusing, as there are two spots with the same name very close to each other. Both are waterfalls on the Loboc River and we think it’s worth visiting both.
The first are the falls you’ll see if you take the boat cruise along the river or if you set out to discover them by paddleboard or kayak from the town of Loboc or, if you don’t want to paddle so much, from the Nuts Huts resort. While it’s true that they aren’t very high, the scenery is awesome.
By the way, you can also view these waterfalls in Bohol from the zipline at the Loboc Ecoturism Adventure Park, since the lines pass right over them. It’ll be a much quicker glance, though.
The second Busay Falls are upstream. Specifically, on the road that turns off toward Sevilla, where the Sipatan Twin Hanging Bridge is. If you look on Google Maps, they’re now called Busai Dream Falls. This section of the Loboc River is much wider, so the falls are much larger and there’s a stronger current. Be very careful when you swim and take note of what the local youngsters are doing—they’ll likely be jumping in the deepest area.
Entrance fee for Busay Falls: both are free.
6. Mag Aso Falls (Antequera)
We’re heading now to the island’s west, specifically to the Antequera area. This is also where you’ll find several waterfalls in Bohol and, therefore, we recommend dedicating a day to exploring them from Tagbilaran, the capital. From there it’ll take you about 45 minutes and you’ll pass the lovely Abatan River area, as well as one or two cool stalls selling handicrafts made with nipa and other local materials.
Mag Aso Falls aren’t very high—around 8 meters—but they’re surrounded by gorgeous tropical vegetation and have a fairly large natural pool that’s perfect for a swim. As with the previous ones, the water is an intense turquoise, due to the release of sediments from the limestone rock. If you feel like swimming, don’t forget to explore behind the waterfall, as there’s a small cave.
To get to them you’ll need to descend 197 steps, so expect a 5–10 minute walk. It’s by no means hard and, in addition, halfway down there’s a spectacular viewpoint over these Bohol waterfalls.
By the way, if there’s been heavy rain, these falls can carry such a brutal flow that they’ve caused flooding and resulting drownings. Therefore, it’s advisable to ask about their condition at the entrance.
Entrance fee for Mag Aso Falls: 20 pesos + 15 pesos for parking.
Update 2024: unfortunately, after the typhoon that passed through Bohol at the end of 2021, these falls are very deteriorated and access is almost dangerous. As of today, we don’t recommend going unless you’re up for a bit of adventure.
7. Camugao Falls (Balilihan)
With a feel similar to Can‑Umantad Falls, we’re sure these Bohol waterfalls will win you over. The drop is imposing, especially in the rainier months (in April–May check on Google Maps that they have water), as the curtain of water slides down what looks like a huge limestone amphitheater. The pool is also one of the largest on the island, ideal for a big swim. It’s not unusual to find several kids jumping from different rocks.
If the waterfall is beautiful in itself, the path that takes you to it is, too. The trail leads you through a lush forest that crosses several rice fields. Suddenly, you’ll emerge at Camugao Falls, where a few small huts have been set up to sit in the shade.
Entrance fee for Camugao Falls: 100 pesos + 20 pesos for parking. Unfortunately, there’s a bit of a guide “mafia” these days and they ask for a tip.
8. Kawasan Falls Bohol (Balilihan)
We finish our tour of the best waterfalls in Bohol not far from the previous ones. Kawasan Falls aren’t very high and the water they carry depends a lot on the season when you visit them (we suggest taking a look at recent photos and stories from that location on Instagram), but the overall visit is very pretty.
These waterfalls are located between Camugao and Mag Aso, so it’s a good idea to combine all three. They’re situated near the Abatan River, one of Bohol’s most voluminous, and, in fact, there’s a small detour to visit it. There you’ll find a few huts where you can sit and contemplate it.
Did you know that “kawasan” means waterfalls in Bisaya? That’s why there are several waterfalls with this name throughout the region, the best‑known being the Kawasan Falls of Cebu.
Entrance fee for Kawasan Falls Bohol: 20 pesos.
Update 2024: in the 2021 typhoon the access was badly damaged and they’ve been abandoned, but you can pass through perfectly without paying anything. Even so, always take care.
How to get to these waterfalls?
You already know we move around a lot by motorbike, so we visited all these waterfalls on our own by renting one. This comes to about 350–400 pesos per day, depending on how long you rent it.
Even so, you need to consider that Bohol is one of the largest islands in the Philippines and that distances on a motorbike feel a bit longer, as it’s a rather uncomfortable means of transport. You need to be very careful, as it’s common for animals to cross your path and for some roads not to be in the best condition. For all these reasons, we encourage you to carefully read Renting and driving a motorbike in the Philippines.
If you don’t have the proper license to ride a motorbike or you don’t want to wear yourself out, you have 3 options to enjoy the best waterfalls in Bohol:
- Car with driver: an alternative to enjoy these waterfalls is to hire a car to take you to different places on the island comfortably. You can do this from anywhere and you’ll need to negotiate the price according to what you want to visit. We have trusted contacts in Anda and Loboc. If you leave us a comment, we can send you the info.
- Rent a car: it’s not the most common because it isn’t very cheap and there are few companies, but there are one or two in Tagbilaran. If you’d like, we can send you the information we have.
- Excursions: there’s this one by Civitatis, which takes you to Ingkumhan Falls, Dimiao Twin Falls and Dam‑angan from Panglao. Then, the KLOOK agency (the “Civitatis” of the Philippines) has some excursions like this one, which visits Can‑Umantad Falls, Dimiao Twin Falls and Canawa Cold Spring from anywhere in Bohol or Panglao. There’s also this tour to visit Dimiao Twin Falls and Ingkumhan Falls, or this one to see those in the west: Mag‑aso, Camugao and Kawasan.
Tour to Ingkumhan Falls, Dimiao Twin Falls and Dam‑angan Falls from Panglao
Tour to Can‑Umantad Falls + Twin Falls + Canawa Cold Spring
Dimiao Twin Falls + Ingkumhan Falls Tour
Mag Aso Falls + Camugao Falls + Kawasan Falls Bohol Tour
Camugao Falls
Where to stay to enjoy them?
As you can see, Bohol’s waterfalls are concentrated, more or less, in four areas of this huge island: the Anda/Candijay area, Dimiao, Loboc and Balilihan/Antequera.
If, like us, you love waterfalls and want to make the most of Bohol in this sense, a good idea is to base yourself more or less close to several of them. Therefore, we’d recommend avoiding Panglao, as it’s a tad far away.
Broadly speaking, we’d suggest the following bases depending on the waterfalls you want to see:
- Can‑Umantad Falls: it’s best to stay in Anda, which you already know we love and where you have hotels and restaurants to be comfortable. Our suggestions: Three Little Birds and Old Castle.
- Dimiao Twin Falls and Ingkumhan Falls: we went to see them from Loboc by motorbike and it took about 40 minutes to reach the latter. In Loboc we recommend: Fox & the Firefly Cottages and Michelina Princess Guesthouse. Another alternative is to sleep around Jagna, which is also about 40 minutes away. In our opinion, it has less charm than Loboc, but you have lots of services. Here you can stay at Leo Green Apartelle or Panie’s Relaxing Homestay.
- Pangas Falls and Busay Falls: in our opinion, the most convenient is to stay in Loboc. There, in addition to those in the previous section, we recommend the Loboc River Resort.
- Mag‑aso Falls, Camugao Falls and Kawasan Falls: around this Antequera/Balilihan area there are hardly any accommodations, so our advice is to base yourself in Tagbilaran and from there head to these Bohol waterfalls. There we suggest places such as: Sweet Home Boutique Hotel and Oasis Balili Heritage Lodge.
You have many more accommodation options in Where to stay in Anda, Where to stay in Panglao, Where to stay in Bohol and Where to stay in Loboc.
Cabins at Fox & the Firefly Cottages
Tips for visiting Bohol’s waterfalls
- What’s the best time to enjoy Bohol’s waterfalls? As throughout the Philippines, the waterfalls carry more water in the rainy season or just after it ends. The rainy season in Bohol runs roughly from July to November. Even so, many of them have flow in the dry season, so you can visit year‑round. That said, it’s best to check recent photos on Google Maps to avoid a wasted trip.
- What’s the best time of day? Many of these waterfalls are surrounded by vegetation, so if you want to see the water’s color at its best, it’s best to go when the sun is high. This happens between 11:00 and 13:00.
- What to bring? Besides your swimsuit, an essential for visiting waterfalls in Bohol is water shoes. That way you’ll explore more comfortably. It’s also advisable to bring a dry bag like this one to keep your valuables from getting wet.
- As for camera gear, since you’ll be spending a lot of time in the water, we recommend getting a GoPro. You can also take your regular camera—just be a bit careful in cases where you have to cross streams or similar. You’ll find more information in What to bring to the Philippines.
- If you can, avoid visiting these Bohol waterfalls on weekends. They aren’t by any means overcrowded places, but Boholanos go out to enjoy them on Saturdays and Sundays. If you like peace and quiet, opt for a day between Monday and Friday.
- The best app to see the location of these waterfalls is Maps.me. In some cases, they don’t appear on Google Maps. We tell you more in Best apps for traveling the Philippines.
- Please be very careful when riding a motorbike and don’t get overconfident. We ourselves had a serious accident in Bohol because of a fish seller and had to spend several weeks going to a dermatologist to treat our burns.
Travel safely in Bohol
Considering that visiting waterfalls requires a bit of adventure, it’s even more important to do it safely. Unfortunately, we’ve experienced accidents in the Philippines first‑hand and, thanks to our insurance, we saved more than €20,000. Therefore, we highly recommend taking out a good travel insurance for the Philippines like the one we use.
By clicking the banner below you’ll get a 5% discount for coming from us:
Map of the best waterfalls in Bohol
Here you can get an idea of the location of the Bohol waterfalls we’ve talked about:
Ready to discover some of the best waterfalls in Bohol? We hope we’ve given you enough reasons to do so. Remember that you have loads of information about this beautiful island in our Bohol Guide.
If you have any questions or suggestions, we’d love to read you in the comments.
