Sometimes, it’s the easy-to-reach spots that surprise you the most. After all, every place has a story waiting to be told.
Binalayan Hidden Falls in Cebu is a perfect example of that.
Though not exactly “hidden”, the falls have a way of feeling secluded, and during our visit, our guide showed us one of the coolest cliff jumping spots we’ve been to.
In this guide, I’ll share what you need to know before visiting Binalayan Hidden Falls, including how to get there and what to expect when you arrive.
Binalayan Hidden Falls Complete Guide
Binalayan Hidden Falls is known for three distinct cascades flowing in unison like a claw over a cliff.
When you get to the parking area, you’ll pay your fee and be assigned a guide. The guide is mandatory here, but in my opinion, it is necessary to keep you safe. Your guide will get you fitted with a helmet to protect against falling rocks and coconuts, then you’ll start your walk to the falls.
The walk to the falls starts along a trail, then follows a fern-lined river up a narrow valley before ending at the falls. It’s about a 15-minute walk.
Binalayan Hidden Falls usually flows year-round, so you can visit it during the dry season. We visited the waterfall in May, which is the end of the dry season in Cebu, and it still had enough water to swim in and jump off the falls.
- Binalayan Hidden Falls Fee: 150 pesos per person
How to get to Binalayan Hidden Falls
Getting to Binalayan Hidden Falls is an adventure in itself. It’s about a 1-hour motorbike ride from Moalboal along the main coastal highway.
You’ll ride along the ocean, down a main highway, but take it slow and enjoy the scenery, and you’ll be fine.
The entrance to Binalayan Hidden Falls is located right along the main road, and the map location below is accurate and can be used to navigate there.
When we first arrived, we were greeted by a man sitting in a chair at the entrance. He told us to pull over and park right at the entrance.
Thinking that was protocol, we did as he told us to.
Then, a minute later, a group of guides from the waterfall came over and told us to move our motorbike to the actual motorbike parking area.
They said they don’t know that guy, he just sits there and tells people where to park. I chuckled a bit and moved our motorbike while the man in the chair argued with the guides.
Binalayan Hidden Falls: Our experience
One of the guides, Ricardo, ended up being our guide for the tour.
If you haven’t been to any tourist spots in Cebu, guides are mandatory for many of them. Some people hate it, but honestly, we don’t mind it, as it helps the local economy, and the guides are always super helpful in answering our questions and showing us all the best spots while ensuring our safety.
The first thing that we did was a short briefing, followed by getting fitted with helmets before starting our walk to the falls.
During our walk, Ricardo was honest in that Binalayan isn’t the most beautiful waterfall, especially compared to some of the others in the area. He named Kawasan and Inambakan specifically.
I wasn’t sure whether he was downplaying Binalayan, but I truly believe that every spot has its own qualities that make it special. And we would just need to see what Binalayan was all about. Who knows, maybe it would blow our minds in a way that the other waterfalls couldn’t.
As we made our way to the falls, excitement built. The walk was short, and when we walked up to the waterfall, we met a group of local boys who were getting ready to climb up and jump from the falls.
Binalayan Falls itself had two tiers:
The first tier was a small cascade with a cute little swimming hole.
The second tier was much bigger. Besides having a nice area for swimming, it also had a bunch of neat jumps from the side of the falls.
Ricardo showed me a 7-meter jump from a keyhole behind the middle of the waterfall. It was one of the coolest jumps I’ve seen, coming out from behind the waterfall.
Getting to the keyhole required a bit of rock climbing, but Ricardo carefully helped me get in there. It was quite a complicated climb, and he showed me the exact hand and foot placements to climb up. Another reason why a guide is worth it.
As I made it into the keyhole, one of the boys started climbing up the other side of the falls. He was wearing a Dragonball Z shirt, so I gave him the nickname “Goku”. His friends thought that was funny.
In classic Goku fashion, he went Super Saiyan, and did a massive 15-meter jump from the top of the waterfall! I didn’t think that he would actually go that high, but the locals out here are just built different. He landed the jump perfectly, splashing into the waterfall’s basin.
Where to Stay in Cebu
For most travelers, Moalboal is the best place to stay. It’s close to the Sardine Run, White Beach, and within range of Kawasan Falls Canyoneering.
Moalboal has a good mix of resorts, hostels, and food spots, making it a solid base for exploring Cebu.
If you’re planning to stay longer than 5 days, I recommend doing what we did by splitting your time between Moalboal and Oslob.
Oslob gives you easier access to whale shark watching, Sumilon Island, and nearby waterfalls like Tumalog and Binalayan. This way, you cut down on travel time and get to see more.
Here’s where we stayed at and recommend in Cebu:
- Moalboal: 3 Sisters Guest House 2 is just off the main strip in Moalboal, but still within walking distance of everything. We appreciated the security and cleanliness of the accommodation and ate breakfast there every morning of our stay.
- Oslob: Melronz Inn is situated a bit outside the town center, making it quieter and more relaxed. And the best part is that it’s located right on the water, with its own private ocean access.
What to Pack for Cebu
- Water Shoes: If you plan to go canyoneering, a solid pair of water shoes like these are needed. If not, you can always wear crocs or even your sneakers if you don’t mind them getting wet!
- Snorkel: With sardine run in Moalboal and whale shark watching in Oslob, it helps to have your own snorkel set like this one for the best experience! Plus, you won’t need to worry about renting a snorkel, which may be of… questionable quality.
- Sunscreen: For some reason, sunscreen is expensive in the Philippines and I’ve even encountered places selling fake sunscreen that doesn’t work! So I recommend bringing your own sunscreen to Cebu.
- Dry Bag: With all the sand, salt, and water flying everywhere during our adventures, I was so glad to have a dry bag to keep all my things safe from the elements!
- Travel Towel: In my opinion, a travel towel like this one is super necessary for a trip to Cebu! It packs down nicely and was there for me anytime I went swimming, or just needed to brush sand or dirt off.
Our Free Cebu Google Maps Locations
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Need more Cebu travel ideas?
During our 7-day adventure in Cebu, we found some of the island’s most stunning natural wonders—milky blue waterfalls, limestone hikes, and incredible snorkeling spots. To help fellow adventurers, we’ve put together guides to the best places we found. You can check them out by clicking the links below.
- Start your planning here: Cebu Travel Guide
- Our Ultimate Guide to Cebu: 15 Incredible Things to Do in Cebu
- How to plan your Cebu vacation: Cebu 3 Day Itinerary
- Our Moalboal accommodation guide: Where to Stay in Moalboal
- Our favorite waterfall (+ secret adventure) in Cebu: Inambakan Falls
- Hike to the highest point in Cebu: Osmeña Peak
- Our favorite hike in Cebu: Casino Peak
- Our favorite day tour in Cebu: Kawasan Falls Canyoneering
- The hottest hot spring we’ve ever visited: Mainit Hot Spring
- How to see the Moalboal Sardine Run without a tour
- Oslob Whale Shark Watching Complete Guide
- How to get from Cebu City to Moalboal
- How to get from Moalboal to Oslob
- How to rent a motorbike in the Philippines
I hope you enjoyed our guide to Binalayan Hidden Falls in Cebu. Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions 🐸
The photos on this article, I would love to order a print to frame. Did you take the photos?