Here’s a budget travel guide to Inambakan Falls, how to get there info, sample itinerary + side trips.
Mention the best waterfalls in the Philippines, and South Cebu will immediately come to mind. Tempting blue green water, canyoneering, and cliff jumping riddle this peninsula. It’s the kind of place where you can experience a true taste of tropical island life, with its own unmistakable topography.
Luckily, I usually stay in south Cebu for a couple of months every year. It’s probably the province in the Philippines that I explored the most. Recently, I got to visit an emerging destination – Inambakan Falls in Ginatilan, Cebu. Though it’s overshadowed by its more famous neighbor Kawasan Falls, it is equally charming.
Here’s a quick Inambakan Falls travel guide, with information on how to get there as well as sample Inambakan Falls itinerary. We went there by private vehicle by the way, so I only asked the locals about the motorcycle rate and never really got to experience the ride.
TRAVEL BLOG CONTENTS
HOW TO GET TO INAMBAKAN FALLS
CEBU CITY TO INAMBAKAN FALLS
1.Proceed to South Cebu Bus Terminal.
2.Ride a Ceres bus bound for Bato via Barili. Tell the conductor to drop you off at Ginatilan town proper or Malabuyoc. Fare is about PHP 170.
3.Get off at Ginatilan or Malabuyoc town. Travel time is about 4-5 hours.
4.Hire a habal-habal (motorcycle) to take you to Inambakan Falls in Brgy.Calabawan. Fare is roughly PHP 50 – PHP 100 per person per way depending on your haggling skill. Travel time is roughly 20 minutes.
5.Pay the parking fee. Fee is PHP 10 for motorcycle and PHP 30 for car.
6.Follow the paved path to the waterfalls. You can walk there for about 10 minutes.
7.Pay the Inambakan Falls entrance fee of PHP 50 per person.
IMPORTANT: There are about 7 waterfalls in the area, I only know 2 more. If you want to go visit them all (canyoneering + cliff jumping), hire a local guide. No fixed rate, but please do pay them a decent amount for their time and effort. It doesn’t hurt to give back to the local community. It’s a pretty cheap place to explore and the locals are taking care of this attraction so we can all enjoy them, the least you can do is help the local economy.
DUMAGUETE TO INAMBAKAN FALLS
1.From Dumaguete city center, take a jeepney to Sibulan Port. Fare is PHP 11 per person. Alternatively, you can also take a tricycle for about PHP 50.
2.Get off at Sibulan Port.
3.Take a fastcraft to Liloan port in Santander, south Cebu. The fastcraft leaves hourly from 5:00 AM to 8:00 PM only. Regular fare is PHP 62 (terminal fee already included), PHP 59 for senior citizens and PHP 30 for children (3-9 years old). Travel time is about 20 minutes.
4.Ride a Ceres bus to Bato.
5.Alight at Bato.
6. At the bus terminal in Bato, change bus to Cebu city and tell the driver to drop you off in Ginatilan or Malabuyoc. Fare is PHP 32 per person.
7. Alight at Ginatilan or Malabuyoc town. Travel time is about 4-5 hours
8. Hire a habal-habal (motorcycle) to take you to Inambakan Falls in Brgy.Calabawan. Fare is roughly PHP 50 – PHP 100 per person per way. Travel time is roughly 20 minutes.
9. Pay the parking fee. Fee is PHP 10 for motorcycle and PHP 30 for car.
10. Follow the pavement to the waterfalls. You can walk there for about 10 minutes.
11. Pay the entrance fee of PHP 50 per person.
OSLOB TO INAMBAKAN FALLS
1. From Oslob, ride a bus to Badian.
2. Get off at Badian bus terminal.
3. Change bus to Cebu city.
4. Get off at Ginatilan town proper or Malabuyoc.
5. Hire a habal-habal to Inambakan Falls. Fare is roughly PHP 50 – PHP 100 per person per way.
6. Pay the parking fee. Motorcycle parking fee is PHP 10.
7. Follow the footpath to Inambakan Falls
8. Pay the entrance fee of PHP 50 per person.
KAWASAN FALLS TO INAMBAKAN FALLS
1.From Badian, ride a bus en route to Bato. Fare is PHP 45 for ordinary bus and PHP 55 for aircon bus.
2.Get off at Ginatilan. Look for Julie’s signage.
3. Hire a habal-habal to take you to Inambakan Falls. Fare is roughly PHP 50 – PHP 100 per person depending on your haggling skills.
4.Pay the parking fee. PHP 10 parking fee for motorbikes.
5.Follow the pavement to Inambakan Falls.
6.Pay the entrance fee of PHP 50.
INAMBAKAN WATERFALLS SIDETRIP
Kampael Falls – just upstream Inambakan Falls is Kampael Falls. This is where they usually start the canyoneering around Inambakan Falls.
Bugnawan Falls – still part of the Inambakan Falls area, Bugnawan Falls can be reached on foot for about 10 minutes via a rocky trail.
St. Gregory Church of Ginatilan – this age-old church in Ginatilan is built from corals. The original church was built sometime in 1829. San Pedro Calungsod, the 2nd Filipino canonized as saint is believed to be from Ginatilan, Cebu.
Hingataon Cave – a newly discovered cave in Ginatilan near Mangaco Integrated School. Recently opened this year only, with PHP 200 per person entrance fee. The fee already includes the environmental fee, helmet, headlamp. I have yet to visit this cave, but will update this blogpost if I get to see it soon.
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INAMBAKAN FALLS ITINERARY + BUDGET
Day 1
05:00 AM Ride a Ceres bus to Badian via Barili at South Bus Terminal. PHP 170.
09:00 AM ETA Ginatilan Town. Look for Julie’s signage.
09:10 AM Hire habal-habal (motorcycle) to Inambakan Falls. PHP 50.
09:40 AM ETA Inambakan Falls jumping off point. PHP 10 (parking fee).
09:45 AM Walk to Inambakan Falls.
10:00 AM Pay entrance fee. PHP 50.
10:10 AM Photo op. Swimming. Visit Kampael + Bugnawan Falls.
12:00 PM ETD Inambakan Falls. PHP 50.
12:30 PM Sidetrip to St.Gregory Church.
12:45 PM Lunch. PHP 100
01:30 PM Proceed to next destination or ride bus back to Cebu. PHP 170.
05:30 PM ETA Cebu city.
TOTAL EXPENSES: PHP 600 per person.
INAMBAKAN FALLS TRAVEL TIPS AND REMINDERS
Inambakan waterfalls is open from 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily. If you want to explore other waterfalls in Cebu, leave the city early. They also offer canyoneering here, no fixed rate yet.
ATM in town is limited. Stack up cash.
Helmet is not provided during the habal-habal ride, bring your own or make sure you have travel insurance.
Leave no trash please. Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints.
Pay the local guides and drivers a decent amount. Give back to the local community.
ALSO READ:
AGUINID FALLS CEBU
KAWA HOT BATH CEBU
CEBU CITY ITINERARY + BUDGET
CASINO PEAK ITINERARY + BUDGET
OSMENA PEAK ITINERARY
About the Blogger : Gael is a Filipina travel blogger. Her work has appeared in local and international publications.
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