Dao Falls is a quintessential Cebu waterfall. It cascades 120 feet over limestone cliffs and crashes into a pool of milky blue water before continuing downstream into a narrow gorge.
It really captures the essence of Cebu’s landscapes and is a place where you can experience multiple aspects of the island’s geography come together.
We visited Dao Falls and put together this guide where I’ll share what you need to know, including how to get there and what to expect when you arrive.
Dao Falls Complete Guide
Dao Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls in Cebu, and it certainly feels that way. While standing at its base, you’ll feel its towering presence as it soars into the sky.
But what truly sets Dao Falls apart isn’t just its height, it’s the adventure you go on to get there.
The hike to Dao Falls winds through a narrow limestone gorge. The trail follows a river, over slippery boulders, and along a carved-out staircase hugging the cliffside. It’s a scenic and somewhat challenging hike where the journey is just as memorable as the destination.
At the end of the trail, you’ll find Dao Falls: A wide cascade of water tumbling down a limestone wall into a milky blue pool of water below.
Unlike other waterfalls in Cebu, Dao Falls isn’t known for cliff-jumping. Instead, its mostly known for its short scenic hike and swimming in its basin.
Even though the trail is relatively straightforward, before starting the hike to Dao Falls you will be paired up with a mandatory guide. In my opinion, the guide is unnecessary, but they can help navigate the more rugged sections of the hike.
- Dao Falls Entrance Fee: 200 pesos per person (includes helmet)
- Dao Falls Parking Fee: 20 pesos per motorbike
How to get to Dao Falls
The best way to reach Dao Falls is by motorbike. The ride there follows Cebu’s coastal highway.
As the road wound around the shoreline, we stopped a few times to soak in the ocean views. It took us about an hour and a half to get to Dao Falls from Moalboal.
This is the actual location of the start of the Dao Falls trail if you need the exact location.
If you’re using Google Maps for navigation, be aware that the pinned location for Dao Falls below is not completely accurate. The marker gets you close to the starting point of the hike, but you’ll need to continue a little further down the road to find the actual trail entrance.
Dao Falls: Our experience
Our visit to Dao Falls was a reminder that even small mishaps can make an adventure more memorable. You just have to roll with the punches.
The journey began at the trailhead, where we paid our entry and parking fees before being paired with a guide.
After a quick briefing, we started the hike, descending steeply into the valley before reaching the river. From there, the trail followed the water up the gorge.
As we continued up the trail, we stepped over rocks, crossed the river a few times, and navigated through sections where keeping our footing was key.
When we approached a staircase carved into the cliffside, we caught our first glimpse of the waterfall. From this angle, it looked deceptively small. We wouldn’t grasp its full scale until we got closer.
We climbed the stairs up onto the rocky gorge and emerged to find Dao Falls towering above us. It was a massive drop from the top, and its cascade plunged down a limestone cliff into a wide, shallow pool.
We took a moment to soak in the view of the waterfall and encircled the rocky basin before jumping into the water. The pool, while not particularly deep, was spacious, and swimming toward the falls gave us a whole new perspective as we looked up toward the sky.
The waterfall wasn’t flowing very strongly, so we swam up underneath the falls and let the water land on us from above! No way I would get too close during rainy season!
Everything had gone smoothly up to this point — until we started our hike back. Barely five steps into the riverbed, my slipper gave out completely.
To be fair, my slipper had been on its last leg for weeks, so it was totally my fault. It was bound to happen sooner or later. Unfortunately, “sooner” meant navigating the rocky river trail with one bare foot.
I limped along the trail, one slipper and one barefoot, trying to step on the flattest surfaces and avoid the small rocks. But walking with just one slipper was really throwing me off, so I gave up and ditched the other one too.
Our trek out was slow-going. I found myself lagging behind, picking my way carefully over sharp rocks.
Maybe this was the start of my barefoot hiking era?
Probably not.
Either way, I was stoked when we finally reached the parking area. To celebrate, we treated ourselves to a well-earned snack of pancit canton before hopping back on our motorbike.
But instead of heading off to our next adventure, we made a much-needed detour: To the mall, for a new pair of slippers.
Dao Falls Photos
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
- 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 Dao Falls in Cebu! Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions 🐸
