Queen City of the South - Cebu, Philippines

Most of us are struggling nowadays to travel, especially for the people who love it. We cannot visit our favorite countries and our own country due to the pandemic; and living in the Philippines is very hard, especially with me residing in the city and cannot visit our world-famous beaches.

Foreign visitors are all dying to visit our very own Boracay Island that received several awards as Best Island in the World, and Palawan, where you can visit the two famous destinations: El Nido and Coron. But what makes the difference when you visit our Queen City of the South, Cebu? You cannot only experience the beautiful fine sand and crystal blue waters but also you can have some activities as well.

Arriving in Mactan Island, where the airport is situated, the ocean waves at you before reaching the ground. A 30-minute drive can take you to the nearby beach resort hotels such as Shangri-la Mactan, Movenpick, and Crimson Resort. Forty-five minutes' drive and you can be at the city center where you can mingle with friendly locals, having some food trips, parties, and some historical places to visit.

But what makes Cebu a unique destination for challenging adventure? It’s the Canyoneering at the Kawasan Falls.

It is in Badian in the Southern part of Cebu. You may have your own or rent a car or can take a bus of a 3-hour ride. Canyoneering is the most extreme adventure that I ever had, this is a 4-5 hours activity done in the Kawasan Falls, and it includes hiking, water rafting, climbing, and jumping off the falls. I could say that I faced my fears during this activity as I’m afraid of the heights and water (though I love the beach :D), but YESSSSSS I made It!! You also don’t have any choice; you must jump, scrambling with the hidden canyons, rock hopping, trekking, cliff jumping, and do the water slides as there is no other option to finish the activity. This is better if you are with friends, at least five or more, as it is more exciting and challenging. The best part is at the end of the activity; it will lead you to 40-feet high Kawasan Falls. You may choose whether to jump at these waterfalls or take a walk for those who don’t want to take risks.

There are cottages near the falls where you can have your lunch as this is included in the package and the gears for canyoneering like helmets, knee and elbow pads, and those who want to rent shoes, you can also choose your size. You can have this activity as a day tour arriving in Badian at 7 am and finish at lunchtime, but this may vary if someone from your group takes time to jump in the water.

After the Canyoneering, you may have a one-night stay in Oslob, the place where you can have the whale shark encounter. Whale shark watching activity starts at 7 am where there are small boats that will lead you to the spot, and you can have a group pic or a selfie with the whale.

I would recommend this trip if you want an exciting, adrenaline-pumping experience and want to have a new adventure added to your travel list. As we have 7641 islands, this makes the Philippines one in your bucket list when the door of travel is already open. I am living here, and the beauty of my country still amazes me. There still are places that I have never been to, but these are all on the list once domestic travel is fully open and restrictions are lifted.

Short video for our canyoneering experience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8F7U9fiWJs

You can also read more about other top travel places on TBO Academy to plan your next travel.