They say the best way to get to know someone is to travel with them. Last August 2015, after eight years of going places together, the next big step was to take a 2-week backpacking trip around South East Asia. It turned out way better than expected. We got lost, but we always got back on track. We followed a tight schedule, but we were also able to adjust according to the circumstances. More importantly, we did not fight or break up!haha It helps that we have an unwritten agreement for all trips: I plan, Eliel navigates, and nobody complains (most of the time, lol). ;)

Ever since The Mind Museum opened in Taguig a few years ago, we have always wanted to explore the place but just couldn't set a date for it. Even if I got hold of discounted All Day Passes last year, we were still unable to use it at that time. Procrastination, our worst enemy. Good thing my All Day Passes were about to expire (haha!), so we had no choice but to block off one whole Sunday last January for that long-awaited trip to the Mind Museum.

Canyoneering started to gain popularity among the adventure-seekers the past year, especially in Cebu. I had no idea initially what Canyoneering was, but as more and more people posted photos and videos of their own adventures, it became more appealing to try.



Below is a video of what transpired during our own Canyoneering trip in Cebu. Hopefully, this will encourage you to visit the Queen City of the South and try this adventure for yourself.


A few weeks back, one of our friends from Manila, Ian, introduced the idea of trying it out as a YOLO trip and the invitation just came at the right time. Yza and I were scheduled to be in Cebu on the 1st week of November and we had enough free time on this pre-scheduled trip to squeeze in a Canyoneering adventure. So why not?

We started rounding up some friends from Cebu who wanted to join me, Yza, and Ian on this adventure. We had a lot of interest from people, most of them had never tried it yet, but people started to back out at the last minute due to responsibilities they need to take care of (yeah, adulthood sucks!).

So from around 12 people, there were 6 brave souls left: Eliel, Yza, Ian, Jessa, Jose and Mico. Jessa, being the most seasoned traveler in the group (yehess!), took care of all the planning — from booking the tour guide to planning how to get there.


Fast forward to November 7, we all met up at the Cebu South Bus Terminal at 6AM for the bus to Alegria. When we arrived, the aircon bus was full so we had to take the non-aircon bus, else we have to wait one more hour for the next aircon bus to Alegria. Non-aircon bus fare to Alegria is Php130 while the aircon bus fare is Php140. For Php10 more, I suggest to take the aircon bus if you can.

After 3.5 hours, we arrived at Sangi in Alegria where we met up with Jessa’s contact person. After having a quick breakfast, we took a 15-minute habal-habal ride to the jump-off point. We paid Php700 per head. People say this could be around Php900-1000 if you don’t have a contact person or can also be Php500 or less if you know someone who knows a guide personally. Our guide said though that this fee will continue to increase next year as more people catch the Canyoneering fever. So I suggest if you want to try Canyoneering, do it NOW! (or maybe next week, if you’re too busy now)

You are given 2 options:
(1) Short Route: Trek for ~3 hours and end up back at the jump-off point in Alegria, or
(2) Long Route: Trek for ~5 hours and end up in Kawasan Falls in Badian.

We opted for the shorter route but if you haven’t been to Kawasan Falls, I highly encourage going through the longer route. Kawasan Falls is one of the must-visit destinations in South Cebu for nature lovers, so why not hit two birds with one stone, right?

Vests on, helmets on, and dry bags all sealed and ready to go, we started the trek. And the 1st thing that we needed to do: 15-foot jump! Yes, no time to warm up. Just jump!

The view from below the 15-foot jump.

The happy faces after jumping 15 feet.

After the first jump, the next few jumps seemed so easy, ha ha. Well, until the last jump, but we’ll get to that later. From mini-jumps to enjoyable slides to traversing rocky paths and jaw-dropping natural stop-overs, it’s an experience you’ll definitely remember.








If you’re taking the shorter route, you’ll know your trek is about to end when you see a line of vendors selling snacks and drinks. If you'll go the longer route, this is only halfway.


In front of them is the last jump, a 30-foot drop. Just the thought of it was enough to made my stomach turn.

If you’re with a group and you’re the one with the camera, be prepared to be bullied to go first “so you can catch everyone’s jump on video from below”. Whatever, cowards! Haha! This is how I looked like convincing myself that everything will be alright...


We arrived back at the jump-off point after almost 4 hours, around 3PM, deprived of lunch but full of adrenaline running through our bodies. We had a late lunch, then hailed an aircon bus back to the city.


If you haven’t tried Canyoneering yet, I highly recommend this awesome experience. Whether you’re afraid of heights or afraid of the water, conquer your fears. You don’t want to miss out on this adventure of a lifetime.