Aguinid Falls: Samboan’s Mystery and Pride

MANILA, Philippines — Not knowing where you’re headed to and having no idea what you’re going to see after a long walk would give you exciting somersaults of the butterflies in your tummy and rage of anticipation in your blood. It’s the highlight of adventure—not knowing what is going to happen.

My cousins and I decided to spend our summer vacation by appointing a thrill-seeking day of escapade as suggested by one of our aunties. Since it’s an adventure, we went to the hidden falls in Samboan, south Cebu. I have been there several times but I didn’t know that there is a treasure hidden by the mountains - the Aguinid Falls.

Getting there could be tedious, and according to our guide, it’s a two kilometer walk. We went up and down, and after several minutes, we started to feel and hear the waterfalls. A few more steps and behold, we saw one of the most beautiful water formations in the country. And it was just the first level! Aguinid Falls has five levels with varying degrees of steepness. And since we were looking for fun and adventure, and we know that there was a probability that one of us might slip, we still went on. “Carry on,” we kept saying these two words to each other.

The trip involved hard work, team work and a good camera. Going from one level to the next, we sometimes had to climb while the water was streaming down our faces, blinding us. The fourth incline was where we had the highest level of thrill. It was like rock climbing with a human harness because you need to get a grip from someone else. But really, the last level is like seeing paradise on earth. It was peaceful and calm. You would feel like you own the place because you are right smack in the middle of something wonderful and breathtaking. You could stay there and not know that aliens have invaded the earth.

And the best part of going up the multi-level Aguinid Falls? It’s going home. There’s no other way to go back other than the same route. It was scary because going up was difficult as we were told, but going down was way harder. We were always face-to-face with the prospect of slipping and falling into the boulders.

This is surely one of the best ways to enjoy a good vacation. It’s all about having fun and seizing the day. Since it is not a commercial place, you can go there for free and have fun. Just be careful though because the rocks can be slippery.