pagsanjan (magdapio) falls

The boat trip was quite exciting since we got a high tide when went there. The water was refreshing cool and the trip to the cave behind the falls was very nice.Although business is business. Avoid the vendors selling the overprice drinks. If they ask you to buy drinks for your guides, just politely decline.The boatmen we had were not as engaging as the others, maybe because we are local tourist.When it comes to the end of the trip just give them a few hundred pesos each. They have an annoying/harassing attitude when it comes to this.

Its the total journey that makes the adventure. The 1350php per head boatride to the falls is fun. But i do think its overpriced. Anyway, they will put you with 2 or 3 pax in a small boat and of you go. First a motorboat will tow you till the start of the trip. Within 5 minutes the first vendors will approach you to buy drinks for you and/or for the boatman. After about 10/15 minutes the towing boat is gone and your on "your own". Peddling (done by the boatman) trough a nice canyon. Nice scenery. A lot of rocks in the water so the boatman need to work hard to push and pull the boat over the rocks. Here and there they have a nice system to get the boat over the rocks. After about 45 minutes youll reach the end shich is the biggest fall. (On the way up there might be 1/2 as well, depends on the season) . This biggest fall in the end is the most fun part. Take the bamboo raft into the fallls! They might tell you its a chargeable bamboo raft. Our boatman told us it was dor free. We only tipped the guys of the bamboo raft and they seemed to be okay with it. Anyway, the bamboo-raft in the fall is big fun. The falls dropping on your back, like a hard but lovely massage. To me by far the best part of the trip. From here its back all the way. All in all it'll take you about 1.5/2hours max. I was in nearby santa cruz so for me it was just a short trip to get there. From Manila it will be a day trip. To be that wouldnt be worth the effort. But if your around, its a nice trip. But then again, its overpriced to me. 1350php per head, the tip for the bamboo raft, the tip for the boatman...

though the trip takes time, the time and money spent is worth as one gets the opportunity to visit these beautiful falls and the journey itself is an experience in itself.

This really was a beautiful trip The boatmen are amazing. This is a better trip when the water levels are moderate; we had some friends go in dry season and it wasn't much fun. The boatmen drag the boat up and over the rocks which are exposed by the low water levels.The canyon is really beautiful, with several waterfalls. Just a little spoiler about the trip under the falls--don't bother with buying a raincoat, and be sure your camera is in it's waterproof container. Our raft and the end was at least 14" under water. I don't think we were ever in any real danger, but as we went under the falls, I floated off the raft and couldn't breathe for a few seconds-face underwater. I think if I had realized it would be like that, I would have dealt with it with more aplomb. Just remember that third world countries don't have the same safety regulations Americans are used to!

We had to pay PHP 1350 per head for a boat ride up and down the river to get Pagsanjan Falls. It was worth it because you'll see the immense effort these bangkeros are putting to get you to the falls. It's just a big turn off that they will keep reminding you to hand out a bigger tip for them. They only get to work once a week, since they have 980+ boats that are battling out for customers. It's a kind of trip that both the journey and the destination are equally thrilling and unforgettable. When you reach the falls, you will be hurdled into a thin floating device made from bamboo and this will be pulled towards the bottom of the falls. You can jump out of the bamboo boat and swim around.When we were there, it was crowded with a mix of Filipinos, Koreans, and Indians.

I was in two minds about this trip after reading the reviews. Although they weren't bad I couldn't be bothered with being hassled by anyone. But we did it in the end. We were staying in Pasay so it was a couple of hours drive but our guide was excellent. He spoke very good English. It cost use 4500 Pesos each for the day and that included everything, the boat ride and lunch and transport to and from the waterfalls. We had to don life jackets for the ride up river. You also get a helmet which is only required for the waterfall. The boat is pulled for a while behind a motorised boat up to the entrance to the National Park. This was the only time we got hijacked by locals trying to sell drinks for the boatmen. We unhitch and then the boatmen take over. There are 14 rapids where the boatmen have to get out the boats and push upstream. They certainly earned their tip. Once you get to the waterfall you transfer to a bamboo raft. Here 3 locals pull on a rope and take you under the waterfall. Which is pretty good. You have time to take photos and jump in the water if you want before getting back on the raft and going back through the waterfall. It's then back on the original boat and an easier ride down the river and back to where you started. One bit of advice, get there early as we did. We saw countless boats arriving as we were leaving so I'm guessing it could get crowded. My only negative point is the fact that it is too quick. I would liked to have spent a little more time under the waterfall.

As we were staying at the hotel who organised this adventure, it was very handy. Boatmen do a really good job going through the Rapids and they do look after you. Enjoy the beautiful sights as you go along Bumbungan & Balanac rivers. It can be a bit scary if the water is a little bit high and the currents is so strong, as boatmen go through the obstacles. Going through the Devils cave was the highlight, definitely get wet and enjoy the raft ride.

Helmets and life jackets are required. Men come with little boats and take you down the river. Three passengers per boat and they navigate you through the winding waters which include little rapids over large rocks. They push off of the rocks with their bare feet and lift the boat and slide them over the rocks! The boat is basically a little canoe and they do not review safety rules with you like balance or hands so if you have little ones, make sure you talk to them because it was a little scary with the boat being tipsy and water coming in, etc. . I believe the requirement is 8 and above but don't quote me! We were only able to go up to Level 10 but the large scale of magnificence and the waterfalls was breathtaking. Not something you can capture the REAL beauty of on camera! There is a place where they will stop and you can purchase food and drink but you are also expected to purchase food and drink for your boatmen. Behind this area, there is a short rugged hike to a waterhole filled by a few small waterfalls. You can go in the milky water but I would caution to be careful. When you get back to the starting point, there are showers and bathrooms that leave less to be desired but this is just like any other bathroom in the Philippines! Overall, it was a memorable experience!

The falls and the way up and down is great, but immediately after start the will stop to buy expensive drinks, even for the boat crew.I understand that people need to live from the falls, but a little. Tip for this and this, drinks ...But generally a great experience.

It's a bit touristy nowadays, but the experience going through the river to the falls can't be missed. It's a unique view compared to hiking to the falls. Take some time after the uphill river ride to have a "Yosi" break with the boatmen and chat them up about provincial life and things unique to the Philippines countryside. The shooting the rapids isn't as treacherous as it seems, in due part to the boatmen's experience.Before going up the falls proper there's a stop where you can get some general native snack foods and soft drinks, should you want some while going upriver. Note that you will get wet, you may get drenched.For the boat ride alone, expect to pay 1,250 PHP (as of December 2014) plus whatever you'd like for a tip. You can also arrange to get picked up at one of the resorts in town for a higher fee, but it may include snacks and food before or after.

Negotiating the river in small canoe navigated by master boatmen is a great experience. It starts off as a calm river but scenic river becomes adventurous with Rapids getting difficult. The climax of going under the waterfall on a handmade raft completes the experience. Finish it off with local food.

With the rave reviews, I expected more - Having white water rafted in Fiji and Australia, this had no adrenaline, the boatmen pushed the canoe upstream and in places the had moved the rocks to make an upstream canal and a down steam canal. In numerous places the canoe was pushed over steel roller bars to maneuver it upstream.On the positive side the Jungle was the highlight and the raft ride under the falls with a group of chanting tourists was memorable.

While a trip to Pagsanjan Falls is most commonly known for the skill of the boatmen and the thundering falls, for me the most memorable is the beauty of the river and forested gorge, along with recognizing the setting for the classic movie, "Apocalypse Now". A beautiful spot. The river trip is a cool respite from hot and polluted Manila. The cost is reasonable for the efforts of the boatmen. Well worth a trip. Beware of the infinite number of scams and tactics of less reputable to squeeze more money from your wallet. No need to give extra tip to the boatmen or other tips if you pay the standard cost of the trip.

Pagsanjan or Magdapio Falls is the biggest tourist attraction in Pagsanjan. This is accessible either by boat from the town of Pagsanjan or trek from the neighboring town of Cavinti. The first option, though expensive, is the way to go if you really want to experience the thrill of "shooting the rapids". The skillful boatmen will navigate the boat on a number of rapids and over the rocks. In 1979, the Pagsanjan River was chosen as a filming location of Francis Ford Coppola's film "Apocalypse Now" topbilled Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall and Martin Sheen. Again, it was featured in "Tabing Ilog", a T.V. series of ABS-CBN.

we didn't do the "shooting the rapids" thing cause it was too expensive for us (P1250 per head) so we decided to just go to Cavinti and do the trek down the falls which I read from Pinoyadventurista was a tiring amazing exciting activity lol. When we got to Pagsanjan (which we shouldn't have done, should have just stopped at Sta. Cruz)all the boatmen and middlemen flocked at us lol, all offering their boats and a tour. But when they heard we were planning to go via the Cavinti route they sort of got disappointed and started to persuade us by scaring us of how difficult it mnight be especially since it was raining and we had to go up and down so many stairs and get rapelled down. Good thing we weren't scared ha! Anyway all in all, it was great! The trek was fun (make sure you don't have any fear of heights though). the waterfalls was pretty strong and cold. Take a waterproof case for your camera and don't bring a lot of things so you can hold on to the railings during the trek.