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Canawa Cold Springs In Candijay, Bohol: Complete Guide

Jackson Groves

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Canawa Cold Springs In Candijay, Bohol: Complete Guide

Tucked away in the quiet town of Candijay, Canawa Cold Spring feels like one of those places you stumble upon and immediately want to keep a secret. The spring itself is a deep, almost perfectly round pool of unbelievably clear, icy blue water, surrounded by thick jungle that makes it feel even more hidden. Locals say it’s bottomless, and while I didn’t test that theory, the water is definitely deep enough to dive into. It’s shockingly cold—exactly what you need on a humid day in Bohol. There’s no big tourist setup here, just the raw, natural beauty of the spring, a few bamboo huts, and the occasional group of locals cooling off. It’s the kind of place where you float on your back, stare up at the trees, and completely lose track of time.

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Canawa Cold Springs: Complete Guide

When I set out for my adventure in Candijay, I had no idea I would end up in a tree 10 meters above the Canawa Cold Spring ready to jump into the beautiful blue water. After exploring Can-Umantad Waterfall and the Cadapdapan Rice Terraces, it was the perfect way to cool off. In this blog post, I’ll share everything you need to know about Canawa Cold springs in Bohol.

WHERE IS THE CANAWA COLD SPRING

The Canawa Cold Spring is in the Candijay region (pronounced ‘Candee-high’). I drove my bike up here from Panglao (popular tourist area) and it took about two hours. I was continuing on to Anda after so I made it the stop on the way. If you plan to return to Panglao it will be a long journey of 2-hours driving each way.

Once you arrive to the Candijay Region, it is actually not super easy to find with a number of dirt roads to follow. However, it is pinned accurately on Google Maps just like Can-Umantad Falls and Cadapdapan Rice Terraces. That made navigating these three attractions quite easy. I have embedded the map below with the Canawa Cold Spring location pinned.

Keep in mind that these roads are in pretty poor condition once you get close to Canawa Cold Spring. I would not advise a beginner drive to head out here as there are some steep, crumbly sections. It is nothing too dramatic but there are many opportunities to slide off your bike if you are unsure. I do believe it can be accessible by car although I only saw bikes out that far while I visited.

 

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I’ve written detailed guides about the Best Regions to Stay in Bohol, Best Resorts in Bohol and Best Hostels in Bohol. If you just want me three favorites right now…. here they are!

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  • My TOP Pick: Bohol Beach Club – I’ve stayed here twice. Simply paradise at this beachfront resort!
  • Beachfront: Amorita Resort – The perfect, peaceful beach setting for your vacation.
  • Best Resort: Mithi Resort – Incredible beachfront resort with awesome design, restaurant and three pools!

MY EXPERIENCE AT CANAWA COLD SPRING

You really never know what you are going to stumble upon in the Philippines. Sometimes a cold spring can be a little pool of water, other times it can be a magical oasis. As I navigated the crumbly road towards Canawa Cold Spring, I was honestly just hoping I could swim as it was incredibly hot!

I rolled into the parking lot and the old couple was a little surprised to see a foreigner although I’m sure a few visits most days by the looks of the setup. It was, however, all locals enjoying the spring. The entry fee for Canawa Cold Spring was 20 pesos, which is about 40 US cents.

The first part of the Canawa Cold Springs is very man-made and not particularly beautiful. It’s like a narrow quarry with a benches and table on either side. It is set up for local families to come and swim on the weekends not to be some sort of natural, tropical oasis.

However, at the end of the channel, there is a huge swimming hole, surrounded by beautiful trees. ‘Cawa’ means Pan in the local dialect, which perfectly describes the shape of this miniature amphitheater. In windy moments the wind would blow some of the leaves off the trees and they would swirl around in the sunlight, slowly floating down to rest on the surface of the water. As light crept in between the gaps in the foliage, this swimming hole section of the Canawa Cold Spring was beautiful!

On the far side of the natural pool, I spotted a rope. I checked the depth and then swam over to the rope and climbed it all the way up to a branch about 10-meters high. I was there by myself, so there was no-one to capture a photo, but it was a great cliff-jump and a really magical spot. I hope to see a photo from here in the future so let me know if any of you visit and jump.

Don’t worry too much about the depth in the middle of the pool. Many of the locals have tried reaching into the depths but no-one has ever touched the bottom, so they say.

As I went to head off, an old man who was there with his son and grand-daughter told me to come over and join them for lunch. This was classic Filipino hospitality and to be honest, I was hungry. I hadn’t eaten all day and there wasn’t much food around Candijay. He offered me rice and jackfruit in a nice sauce and some rum and coke.

It was a great way to top off a sweet little adventure to Canawa Cold Spring.

I’m sure you have heard about Cadapdapan Rice Terraces and Cam-Umantad Falls if you are looking into Canawa Cold Springs but in case you haven’t make sure you visit all three on your visit to Candijay. It is very possible to do all three in one day and they are all unique and make a Candijay day trip an action-packed adventure with views, adventure, and swimming!

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