Exploring Cangkalanog Falls, Alegria, Cebu, Philippines

After spending hours in the Kabutungan Falls where you can find a huge natural  blue-green colored pools of water, enjoyed the natural waterslide together with the locals, the easy to stiff trekking, feet soaked at the Mainit Hot Spring as hot as 42.6 degrees celsius and perhaps enough to cook an egg (that is why i didn’t dip my entire body LOL), and now it’s time for us to go Alegria where Cangkalanog Falls awaits us. Alegria is about 22 km away from the Municipality of Malabuyoc. Riding an 8-seater tricycle (local motorcycle ride) our way was greeted with the scenic ocean view of the Southern Cebu. From Sangi, Alegria it is another motorcycle ride (habal-habal) going to the mountainous part of the municipality. We are leading to  a snake-like road while looking into the vast lush vegetation down the mountains and awe in the view of the ocean.The 25-minute ride ended on top of the hill where we need to walk for about 20 minutes to get to the falls. Following the trail down the hill, the short hike  takes you through a lovely view of the forest where you’ll enjoy the twitter of birds and there you’ll find the enchanted Cangkalanog Falls. Looking at it from afar reminds me of the Enchanted River in Surigao (though I’ve never been there). Perhaps it is the resemblance of the color of the water. Do not expect a tall, cascading waterfall you will see at the Cangkalanog Falls, but expect an enchanted blue-green ice-cold water creating a big natural fresh swimming pool. After all the hiking we have done, I just sat beside the falls and for a moment enjoyed it’s glorious beauty. And now it’s time for me to jump and to enjoy the cold-natural swimming pool. And it’s Elei’s time to show off his swimming skills and yeah right he’s a good swimmer. The rest of the friends swimming and enjoying the moment since it was only us in the place. It was a great idea that this was the last place we visited on that day. You can feel the serenity and peacefulness of the place as it is naturally design to be hidden. As it becomes darker as the sun is setting, in my wild imagination, the only thing that is lacking are candles all around the place and the smell of the spa aroma that would compliment the bird’s chirping. We didn’t noticed that it’s already 5:00 PM and it is time for us to leave the place as much as we would like to stay longer but our motorcycle drivers are waiting for us and so we can catch some buses going to the city.

We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.

~Anonymous~ 

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HOW TO GET THERE? From Cebu City to Alegria ***Ride a bus from Cebu South Bus Terminal – Fare is Php160 *Tell the bus driver to drop you off at Sangi, Alegria. From there you can see a couple of motorcycles (local ride: habal-habal). Just tell the motorcycle drivers that you are going to Cangkalanog Falls and they can take you there. The fare is Php75 for one way. It is advised that you ask them to pick you up on a specific time as there are no motorcycles that you can take just by waiting on the road. You just pay them Php150 for a roundtrip. If the fare goes beyond that, then that’s too much. The motorcycle can accommodate 2 passengers so if you are going solo they may charge you equivalent to 2 person. ITINERARY TIPS: You can go first to Malabuyoc then Alegria. It will only take you 1 day to tour around those nice adventure spots. Places to visit in Malabuyoc: Kabutungan Falls Mainit Hot Spring Montañeza Falls Places to Visit in Alegria: Alegria Heritage Park / Baluarte (watchtower) Cangkalanog Falls Cambais Falls