CASARORO FALLS & PULANGBATO FALLS: 2 Stunning Waterfalls in Visayas You Might Have Never Heard Of.

Dumaguete is surrounded with exquisite waterfalls all of which are breathtaking and worth every bead of sweat and trouble. In fact they are all equally stunning that you would want to see all of them at once. But when you’re a little pressed with time, would you know which one to choose and see first and which one to leave for later? In  the battle of beauty and convenience, only two waterfalls in Dumaguete stand out among tourists, The Casaroro Falls and Pulangbato Falls, both of which are situated in the sleepy town of Valencia.

Allow me to save you all the thinking as what I have for you as you browse down to the end of this post are firsthand experience and honest opinion of mine telling you what Casaroro falls and Pulangbato Falls are all about.

CASARORO FALLS

I tell you if there is one thing I would warn you about, it’s the fact that Casaroro Falls is a play hard to get kind of waterfall just like most of the other majestic waterfalls in the country. She is a 20-minute motorcycle ride from the town proper of Valencia and another 15 minutes walk down a 357 steps stairway. And just when you think you are free of all the hassle after that, such a shame as you are totally mistaken. From the base of the stairway, you have to endure 20-30 minutes of trek through a muddy and rugged terrain scattered with boulders of every shape and size all the way to where lies Casaroro Falls. This trek isn’t for the fainthearted. This is for those whose got the resolve enough to get through the challenge of occasionally tripping and falling on your back. This is for those whose got lungs that can bag unlimited supply of air as you will badly need it. This is for those whose got no knees that will suddenly turn to jelly at anytime. This is for those who are really up to the challenge and will stop at nothing just to behold this exquisite work of nature.

So what exactly awaits you after the trouble you’ve gone through?… It is that sight that will literally soothes you and relieve you of all that exhaustion you endured just to get you to where you are. It is that feeling that will make you forget what you’ve gone through as the sight in front of you is what made it worth of it all. It is that calmness within your soul as you watch yourself get tangled in a dream while the gushing waters of Casaroro Falls sings you a lullaby.

Casaroro Falls exudes unearthly elegance. She is like a deity. An angel from heaven. Her presence is serenity. Sanity even. Her beauty is something you’ll never get tired of. She will make you feel oblivious of the world and every nuisance of this mundane life. She will charm you in a way that no one can as if trapping you in a spell no power in this world can ever break. Yes. She is exemplary as that.

How To Go There: Go to Dumaguete City. From there, ride a PUJ (Public Utility Jeep) from the marketplace going to the town of Valencia. Get off the terminal. From there, you can ride motorcyles locally known as habal-habal to Casaroro Falls. Alternatively, you can rent motorcycles from Dumaguete and follow the route going to Valencia to Taft Street where Casaroro Falls is located.

Safe Budget:
* DIY Commute – P234 Includes: Fare to Valencia P24, Motorcycle with guide P200 (You can add another P100 to include Pulangbato Falls in the tour) and Entrance Fee P10.
* DIY Motorcycle: – P450 Includes: Motorycle rental and gas and Entrance Fee of P10.
* Organized Tour (Hotels): P300 for a minimum of 4 people.

PULANGBATO FALLS

Don’t ever think to end a day without seeing Pulangbato Falls while you are in Valencia. While the alluring Casaroro Falls may seem to be good enough reason to cap off the day, not seeing Pulangbato falls is a miss you might regret until your dying days. She may be the exact opposite of the more famous, more photographed Casaroro as she doesn’t play hard to get but don’t ever think her being easy isn’t worth a million snaps of your camera.

Pulangbato Falls is located within a place locals call Red River Valley. It is 30-45 minutes of motorcycle ride from the town proper of Valencia and if you aren’t into trekking for a few good minutes then fret not as you don’t need to just to see this beguiling waterfall. From the registration point, you can already hear her waters calling you out singing to you like soulful sirens. After registration, all you have to do is walk for a good 15 steps and there she lies, a priceless luxury you can indulge in.

Pulangbato falls speaks true to its name. She will enchant you in her crimson world. Her color may be resembling that of blood but she is as enticing as a red velvet. Her cool pristine waters running over red limestone rocks is one of the few things in this world one can call perfect. She is a tempest. Seductive. Irresistible. She will remind you of strong women. Hard as a warrior but gentle as silk. You can try to resist a dip in her enchanting world but mind you, it is futile as she already have you wrapped in her arms from the very first minute your eyes set sight of her charm.

How to go there: From Dumaguete, ride a PUJ to Valencia and from the drop off point hire a motorcyle (habal-habal) going to Pulangbato Falls. For those renting scooters or motorbikes, just follow the route going to Valencia. From there ask the locals for directions to Red River Valley or Barangay Malabo. You need not worry as the journey towards the waterfall is as smooth as the roads leading you there.

Safe Budget:
* DIY Commute – P244 Includes: Fare to Valencia P24, Motorcycle with guide P200 (You can add another P100 to include Casaroro Falls in the tour) and Entrance Fee P20.
* DIY Motorcycle: – P450 Includes: Motorycle rental and gas and Entrance Fee of P20.
* Organized Tour (Hotels): I’m not sure with this one. Better to ask your hotel staff for more info.

CONCLUSION: These two waterfalls are equally stunning. Seeing them would be worth every minute of your time. I would never say that one is better than the other as they each have distinct features and different ways to charm their ways to your heart. I would encourage you to see both of them.

There you go lovely people. If you have questions for me, feel free to leave your comments or e-mail me at keza_m@awanderfulsole.com. Also check my BUDGET TRAVEL GUIDE TO DUMAGUETE for helpful ideas on your trip on this side of the archipelago. Thanks for sticking around. Please don’t forget to share this awesome post. 🙂