Casaroro Falls — Attraction in Valencia

I had no idea what to expect before arriving at Casaroro Falls. It was a totally blind pick and I have to admit I went in a little unprepared. When asking the locals about it they said it was just a short walk in. I had no idea that meant a 300 step journey into the jungle combined with water crossings. Let me tell you, it was AWESOME.

You start at the top of the mountain. There is a wonderful open air eatery with a rooftop view that you can stop at before or after your adventure. Once ready, you begin a steep 300 step descent down the side of the mountain and into the jungle. Along the way you will witness prehistoric sizes of fauna which was epic to see in person. There are small landings along the way so that you can rest if needed. Going down, you won't need them much. Coming back...however!

Once you make it to the bottom the guides will begin leading you further up the river and deeper into the jungle. Along the way you will have multiple river crossings. There were 3 on my journey. All three required passing through knee deep water that was moving quickly at the time. The guides will create a human rope with themselves though and assist everyone across. I did not wear the right shoes for this! Come prepared!

At the end of the journey you will arrive to the falls. There is a huge Boulder that you can stand on to get that Instagram worthy shot. We all took turns climbing it and taking photos.

Once you are finished the journey back begins. I was running on almost no sleep and was fighting a stomach bug so I had not eaten much in the days leading up to this so I was extremely low energy. The climb back was intense. That 300 steps will remind you of all the good things in life! Take breaks if you need to.

When we reached the top and after collapsing on the ground to recover for a few moments, we put in some food orders and started to relax. The food was very impressive and the coconut was absolutely a amazing.

You will feel like you can...

5! 5! 5! 5! 5!

This place was simply stunning. One of the reviewers mentioned you have time to connect/bond with nature on your walk down to the falls and I agree.

It is about a 25 motorbike ride from Dumaguete City proper and is a fun ride. Parking was by donation, so we gave P50. Entrance fee was P30 per head.

The walk down to the falls is steep at times, but fairly easy otherwise. It is just amazing as you feel like you’re in the jungle. One you take the 335 steps down, a short walk and some cool bamboo bridges, turn the corner and you see the view that makes the whole trip worth it.

I was snapping pictures the whole way, but at one point my fiancé and I were the only ones there and I took the opportunity to stand on the rocks just a few meters away from the foot of the falls and it was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. The fresh air, the wind generated, the mist. I could feel the energy the falls were producing and just closed my eyes and soaked it all in.

Now here is the DISCLAIMER, the walk up is a bit more challenging. I am fairly fit, running a few times per week, but at altitude, this can take it out of you. Plenty of places to pause and catch your breath the and you’ll be so happy that you did the hike back up. MUST DO...

No need to pay to get in, but you must have a guide. It starts at ₱250 for 1-3 people. Also, at the restaurant, we paid ₱20, maybe for the environment, but I'm not sure. Our guide was Kuya Val. I'm not sure if he was in a bad mood, quiet, or shy to speak Tagalog, but he didn't talk much during our trip. We asked questions, but didn't get many answers. Eventually, we stopped trying to talk.

We visited on a weekend around lunchtime. There were a few people around. Some were leaving, and some were going back up. We were the only ones going to the falls.

The way down was a bit easy but needed focus. One wrong step and you fall. Literally. Bring water, comfy shoes, and insect repellent.

The trek to the falls wasn't long or hard, about 15 minutes. We crossed boulders, wooden bridges, and the river. It was easy. Going there wasn't the problem, but going back was. 😄

It's the second most beautiful falls I've seen, after Tumalog Falls. It's about 100 ft tall, but you can't swim right in the falls, just in the river.

Climbing back up was tough for me. My fitness app said I climbed 44 flights. We also forgot water, which was our mistake.

Overall, it's worth a visit and truly...