Maasin River Bridge — Attraction in Dapa

Maasin River: Natural Beauty framed by a Tourist Machine 🌴⚠️

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The Maasin River on Siargao Island offers truly stunning scenery. Winding through jungle and under coconut palms, the river feels like a postcard — calm, green, and deeply tropical. If you’re in the area, it’s absolutely worth seeing for the landscape alone.

We were the first visitors that morning to take a boat cruise. It is 600 PHP each boat. But you can also go inside for less money (around 50 PHP?) to take some dips into the river if you‘re not interested in a boat ride.

Unfortunately, our experience as a whole didn’t start on the most welcoming note. Even at the entrance, the group of people managing the area felt almost cold — less greetings, no smiles, just business. We were assigned to a rower. He didn’t speak during the ride, likely due to a language barrier, which is totally fine. Still, it’s important to note: this is not a guided tour, but rather a quiet paddle along the river.

The boat ride takes about 15 minutes each way, with a stop midway at a riverbank platform. At this place we were approached by several men of the company offering a coconut (which initially seemed included but wasn’t) and additional paid services like photo shoots in a small pool off to the side. It did feel awkward — especially as about six people gathered around us and watched closely while we declined most of it. No one tried to connect or chat — it was strictly transactional. After a cringe ten minutes, we asked to return.

Drone shots are offered, too — but at a premium. We simply took a few drone shots ourselves from the outside once the tour was over.

Final take: the Maasin River is gorgeous, but the overall setup feels overly commercialized and could be handled in a more relaxed,...

Our experience was very disappointing. The staff were incredibly RUDE and didn’t know how to speak properly to guests. You have to pay for everything—vey overpriced—but the place is poorly maintained. The path I stepped on was slippery and covered in moss, and I almost slipped. The water was dirty, and to make things worse, we weren't allowed to take our own pictures because there was an "official photographer," even though we already paid the entrance (THEY DIDN'T INFORM US AHEAD that we weren't allowed to take out own photos). They didn’t allow my friends to take a photo of me, but later on, when the crowd arrived, they attended to them and left us on the side making us take our own pictures. They have a small raft for picture taking and you have to pay 20php but since their "guide" wasn't there yet they made us take our own photos and didn't even assist us in crossing the river.

The pictures and videos taken by their photographers were awful, and we were still expected to "donate" money despite the low quality. Honestly, it was all nonsense. They should just shut the place down—it really ruined our morning. We went there first thing in the morning we were one of the first few guest yet they did not accommodate us well. We only stayed for about a few minutes as the place is small. This was my second time visiting the place it's overpriced now compared to when i...

Maasin River Bridge is one of Siargao’s iconic spots and yes, I had to check it out! I went there with my tour guide, and the whole experience was relaxing, scenic, and worth doing at least once.

If you're just looking to take a photo in the famous spot where the leaning tree used to be (yes, that one!), or want a quick dip in the river, the entrance fee is only ₱30. For those wanting to explore further, you can take a boat ride to the other side where the lagoon is located. The boat costs ₱600, but it’s sharable, great if you're with a group or don’t mind joining others.

During the ride, there’s an option to get drone shots for an additional ₱400, which many people do for those cinematic travel clips. The boat ride itself is serene and peaceful, surrounded by lush greenery and calm waters definitely the highlight for me.

At the end of the ride, you'll reach a clear lagoon, but manage expectations it’s beautiful, yes, but you only get around 5 minutes for a swim, and there's not much else to do there. It’s a nice stop but not a full activity.

There are snack stalls and a restroom on-site too, so you can freshen up or grab a drink after. All in all, Maasin River Bridge is great for a chill experience and photo ops, especially if you’re checking off popular spots...