9 Waterfall Swimming and Natural Pools in the Philippines Worth the Detour

1.Cebu City: Whale Shark Swimming & Kawasan Falls Canyoneering

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 665 reviews · 16 hours · from $124Our pick

Start before dawn for whale shark swimming in Oslob, then head to Badian for lunch and a three-hour Kawasan Falls canyoneering run. Local guides such as Ray, Ronaldo, Marcello, and Jordan help with jumps, photos, and safety. Expect a 16-hour day, long road time, possible whale shark delays, and an optional zipline.

“Fantastic tour and well worth the early pickup. I had some reservations about how busy it would be, but perfect. So many people make your day up from Francis our excellent driver, looking after us for 14 hours, and the team at the whale watching experience who get you organized and in the water as fast as can be achieved .. for us 6:20am.. superb experience. Definitely go for the go pro option and take your own snorkel if you can as you don't get the tube which makes layout about for longer tricky. Then off to the Canyoneering which was one of the best things we have done for…”

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2.Oslob Whale Shark Swimming and Kawasan Falls Canyoneering

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 58 reviews · from $119

Start before dawn for a guaranteed whale shark swim in Oslob, then continue to Badian for three hours of trekking, cliff jumps, river swimming, and Kawasan Falls. Hotel pickup, lunch, guides, and safety gear are included. Private transfers are available, but the Oslob boat is shared.

“Flawless!!! From pickup to returning back o the hotel. Well organized activity. Guides were so amazing!! Great job!!!”

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3.Oslob: Whaleshark Swimming, Inambakan Falls & Moalboal Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 33 reviews · 1 day · from $90

Start with a 3:00 AM hotel pickup, then head to Oslob for a guided whale shark swim, Inambakan Falls for a cool freshwater stop, and Moalboal for sardines and possible sea turtles. Private transport, boat fees, entrance fees, and snorkeling gear are included. Guides such as Rey, Romel, Val, and Raul have been praised for careful driving and friendly service.

“Fantastic tour! Everything was perfectly organized, and our driver Romel made it truly special so kind, patient, and professional. He went above and beyond all day!”

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4.Whale Shark Swimming Experience and Aguinid Falls from Cebu

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 19 reviews · from $143

Leave Cebu at 4:00 am for Oslob, where you take a small paddle boat out for a 30-minute whale shark swim. Your private vehicle, guide, snorkel gear, lunch, and hotel transfers are included. Afterward, climb through the five levels of Aguinid Falls. Expect an active day, early start, and weather-dependent plans.

“Fun day. We enjoyed it! Things I would share with first timers: 1.Bring your own toilet paper and soap 2. Towel is provided, bring a second swimsuit. 3 no sunblock allowed around the sharks 4. River shoes for rent at waterfall, free guides available”

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5.Oslob Whale Shark Swimming and Tumalog Falls Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 16 reviews · 8 - 12 hours · from $79Best value

Join an early-morning shared tour from Cebu, Mactan, or Lapu-Lapu to swim near Oslob’s whale sharks, then visit Tumalog Falls. The $79 trip includes transport, registration, snorkeling gear, and guides, but not meals. Expect a 2:00 to 3:00 AM pickup, a 3 to 4-hour drive, and possible whale shark waits of 2 to 3 hours.

“A lot of driving and the drive there at night wasn’t the best experience. The driver stopped without communicating to us (the guests) to get coffee only for himself. But actually seeing the whalesharks was awesome - and the cheap renting of a GoPro to film your own footage was topnotch!”

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6.Oslob Whale Shark Swimming & Kawasan Falls Canyoneering

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 16 reviews · 1 day · from $106

Start before dawn for a guided whale shark swim in Oslob, then refuel by the beach before climbing, jumping, and swimming through Kawasan Falls. The day includes transport, gear, entrance fees, lunch, and an English-speaking guide. Felix and Arnold have been especially praised for their careful canyoneering support.

“Pick-up no hotel chegou a horas, com A/C e motorista simpático. Natação com tubarões baleia (por ordem de chegada) após 45 mins de espera. Canyoneering nas Cataratas de Kawasan foi espetacular, guias muito prestáveis.”

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7.Whaleshark Swimming & Kawasan falls Canyoneering Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 13 reviews · 1 day · from $121

Start before dawn with hotel pickup, swim and snorkel near Oslob’s whale sharks, then travel to Badian for about three hours of guided Kawasan Falls canyoneering. You get transport, gear, entrance fees, a local lunch, and site coordination. Guides such as Rey have earned praise for being helpful and friendly, but expect a very long day.

“EXCELLENT WE ENJOY EVETHING IT WAS WONDERFUL TO BE ABLE TO SWIM WITH THE WHALES, THE KAWASAN FALLS CANYONEERING WAS QUITE ADVENTURE, BUT BE PREPARED, IT'S A FULL-DAY EXCURSION, MY SUGGESTION IS TO DO IT PRIVATE”

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8.Whale Shark Swim, Kawasan Falls & Moalboal Sardine Run

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 9 reviews · 1 day · from $122Top rated

This private Cebu day tour links Oslob’s whale-shark encounter, Kawasan Falls in Badian, and Moalboal’s sardine run and Turtle Point. You travel by air-conditioned vehicle with an English or Tagalog guide, with Jowen and Rey among the drivers used on this route. Fees, gear, and one local meal are included, but expect an early start and a possible two to three hour wait in Oslob.

“The driver was polite And the experience of swimming with Whale sharks was like nothing else. Highly recommend hiring a GoPro to capture the experience ☺️”

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9.Oslob: Whaleshark Swimming, Tumalog Falls & Sumilon Island

★★★★★★★★★★3.2 · 6 reviews · 1 day · from $112

Spend a full day in Oslob with an English-speaking driver and private transport. Swim and snorkel near whale sharks, visit Tumalog Falls, and take a boat to Sumilon Island. Rey has earned strong praise as a driver-guide, but the whale shark area can become confusing and crowded after weather closures, so expect a very early start and a flexible schedule.

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