Calasa Falls: An Accidental Discovery

After my stop in the quiet little town of Boljoon (Ili Rock Viewing Deck) and a quick lunch in Oslob, I was on my way to the town of Moalboal for some much-needed swim. The trip was going to be a long one as Moalboal is basically eight towns away. And I was certain that I’d be doing several stops along the way because that’s how I roll. Haha.

Anyway, as I was driving through the town of Santander and towards the town center of Samboan, I made sure to reduce my speed to make sure that I didn’t miss any road-side signs. You see, road-side signs are very helpful. Thanks to them, I discovered some of the best spots in Cebu like the Mainit Springs in Malabuyoc, the three drops of Binalayan Falls, and the extra-awesome Dau Falls.

So, where were we? Oh yeah. So I was driving towards Samboan proper when my phone started ringing. So I stepped on the brakes and pulled up on the side of the road. The call was from a friend who just wanted to know where I was. The call was quick because obviously my friend was just bored and I was the first one that he remembered.

So, as I was placing my phone back in my bag, I noticed that there was a wooden sign right next to the spot where I had parked my motorbike. The sign read: “Calasa Falls.” I couldn’t believe it at first. But when I finally understood what it meant, I realized that I was actually extremely lucky. If my friend hadn’t called me, and if I hadn’t taken that call at the right moment, I wouldn’t have seen that sign.

Without waiting for anyone who could confirm the existence of a waterfall in the area, I turned right and drove straight towards Calasa. The road was paved for the first minutes. Then, it got a bit slippery because of all the loose gravel. So, I had to be extra careful (especially because I didn’t want to have flat tires in the middle of nowhere.) Along the way, I saw a couple of kids playing in the middle of the road. They all agreed that the waterfall was only several minutes away.

Five minutes later, with still no idea whether or not I was close, I stopped an old lady along the road and asked if she knew where the waterfall was. “You’re very close,” she said. Hmmm. Sometimes, hearing locals saying you’re close can be a little traumatic. Haha.

But thankfully, less than 10 minutes later, I saw a big sign taped to a coconut tree which indicates that there was a waterfall nearby. The sign read: This way to Calasa Falls.

I parked my bike right in front of a small hut with a sign “Tourism Center” along the road. Unfortunately, the hut was closed and there was not a soul in sight. I knew it wouldn’t make sense if I turned around. So I decided to toughen up and just follow the direction of the arrow (on the sign) and see if I’d see a river or a waterfall. Fifteen minutes later, just when I was starting to get worried (and frankly, a little scared,) I finally heard the sound of water. Thank God!

Then, I saw a drop. It wasn’t a tall waterfall, but the basin at the bottom was big enough for a good swim. Good enough!

I sat down on some rocks for a few minutes just to take everything in. I felt really lucky because there was no one else there and I had the whole place to myself.

So ladies and gentlemen, meet Calasa Falls of Samboan, Cebu.

So what to do next? Of course, I didn’t miss the chance to take a quick dip. There was no one else around and the water looked really inviting. What else was there to do?

Keeping me company: my trusty JBL Clip 2 portable speaker!

After around fifteen minutes, it was time to say goodbye to Calasa. Moalboal was still a full hour away and it was already 4 in the afternoon. One last photo before the trek back to my bike. Haha.

The trek back up was interesting. Why? Because I got lost for a little bit. Thankfully, before I began to panic, I remembered which turn I missed and so I was able to locate the foot path towards the main road. I safely made it back to my motorbike 15 minutes later.

By 4:30 pm, I was already in the beautiful town plaza of Samboan.

I only stayed for around ten minutes before I was once again on the road. This time, I maintained a speed of 60 and I didn’t stop until I reached the lovely town of Malabuyoc.

I stopped at this unnamed public beach along the South National Highway to take a quick piss.

But guess what happened? I ended up staying more than half an hour! Nothing like a good late-afternoon swim, I must say!

Soaking up the late afternoon sun while relaxing to some of my favorite tracks.

Clearly, I no longer had enough time for Moalboal. So, I am truly sorry, Moalboal. I promise to visit you again next time! 🙂

I did make a stop in Moalboal after all. But it was only to grab some dinner at McDonald’s at around 6:00 pm.

Afterwards, it was a long straight trip back to the city. I finally arrived at around 9:30 in the evening. The trip was very long and extremely tiring (especially after I did all the unexpected trekking) but it was very fun and exciting. I look forward to more trips like this one. 🙂