Charming Hagimit Falls: Multi-Tiered Wonder of Samal Island
From Casaroro Falls in Negros Oriental to Davao City in the Philippine South, I packed up my gear once again to head out to one of Samal Island’s hidden gems. Located in Poblacion Peñaplata in the Island Garden City of Samal, Hagimit Falls is a multi-tiered falls much like Cebu’s Kawasan Falls with natural swimming lagoons that is perfect for family or group outings or for solo backpackers who are looking for a quick getaway to relax, unwind and dip in its cold and pristine waters.
It is said that the source of Hagimit Falls is unlike other falls. True enough — a cliff awaits after you go beyond the concrete pathway. At the base of that cliff is a small opening where water flows from an underground river that apparently runs one kilometer deep within the cave. It is also said that there are three waterfalls inside the cave, according to the caretaker I’ve talked to.
For those of you who are planning to go to Hagimit, you must register in the guest logbook located in the entrance and pay a fee of only PHP40 (PHP20 for 7 years old and below). The pathway from the entrance going down to the falls is easy but it gets slippery when it rains so be careful.
Light snacks can be bought from the food stalls in the area but for those on a budget, visitors can bring their own food inside. I also recommend that you bring your own water if you’re doubtful of the water’s quality in the area.
There are also good places in the area that are worth the detour. Although I wasn’t able to visit the Monfort Bat Cave Sanctuary, it is said to be the Guinness World Record holder of having the largest colony of Geoffroy’s Rousettes bats in the world. Maxima Beach Resort is also worth a side-trip. For a complete listing and reviews of nearby beach resorts, Samal Beach Resorts Travel Guide is a good one.
The only problem I see is that there is way too much development taking place in the area. Aside from the sprouting cottages and private resorts to beef up the number of tourists, a man-made bridge made of concrete is sadly being built near the source so that people can come closer to the opening of the underground river.
I have high respects for my fellow Davaoeños. We are known to be disciplined and environmentally – conscious people. I just hope that the local government officials and the private resort owners will think twice. While I agree that development is key for tourism, nature’s beauty is well worth it if preserved as is.
How to Get There
For those who don’t have cars, traveling by bus is the most convenient and I highly recommend the Island City Express. The bus ride costs only PHP40 from Sta. Ana (in front of Bureau of Fire Protection) to Poblacion Peñaplata, which is already inclusive of the barge fee. Crossing Davao Gulf only takes 15 minutes.
Upon reaching Babak in Samal Island, it takes another 30 minutes more or less to reach the drop-off point in Central Warehouse.
From there, the habal-habal ride costs PHP30 per person or PHP60.00 per motorcycle. Unlike in Casaroro Falls, the road is mainly concrete and it will only take at least 10 minutes to reach the entrance to the falls. If you’re looking for an honest habal-habal driver, you can contact Bonbon (photo shown below) at 0946-1892832 and arrange your pick-up times to and from Hagimit Falls. You can also ask for some tips from that guy.
