Mag-Aso Falls is one of the most beautiful waterfalls on the island of Bohol in the Philippines. It truly has it all from cliff jumps to little trails and of course a beautiful waterfall leading into that iconic blue water of the Philippines.
WHERE IS MAG-ASO FALLS AND HOW TO GET THERE
Mag-Aso Falls are in Antequera on Bohol. Most people who visit Bohol will stay on a small island in the south-eastern corner called Panglao. Here you will find hundreds of hotels, beaches, and restaurants.
Most tourists only leave Panglao on a day-trip to visit the Tarsiers or Chocolate hills and other tours. However, there is so much to explore Bohol like Mag-Aso Falls and other waterfalls.
To get to Mag-Aso Falls from Panglao takes about an hour and you can access it by car or by motorbike. There may be tours that include Mag-Aso Falls but it wouldn’t be a commonly sold option at the tour offices.
MY EXPERIENCE AT MAG-ASO FALLS
From Panglao, we drove for an hour in the car to reach the parking lot of Mag-Aso Falls. I’d never heard of this waterfall so I was unsure what to expect, which is a great way to enter an adventure. We paid the $1 entrance fee and then began the walk down to the falls.
The cement stairs wound through the beautiful dense forest of trees. Despite the man-made stairs it truly was a beautiful walk down to the falls. It set the tone for the adventure as we immersed in the jungle!
The stairs down take about ten minutes and they are relatively easy. Most levels of fitness will have no issue at all reaching the Mag-Aso Falls. At the base, we first reached a little viewpoint that looked out over the falls. It became very clear, very quickly that this was a local hangout on the weekends so if you prefer it to be quiet I would visit during the early morning on a weekday.
We visited on a Sunday and there were many families hanging out and having shared lunches. This didn’t bother us but I know some people want empty natural attractions for photos, videos or just a bit more peace and quiet.
From the viewpoint we stood on, some of the kids actually cliff-jump into the water. To be honest it looked super shallow and I couldn’t believe they were doing it. Try that one at your own risk.
There is another cliff jump across the pool, which isn’t incredibly safe but much, much safer than the viewpoint. I’ve placed a photo of the viewpoint where the boys where jumping below.
The waterfall itself comes from quite a beautiful little canyon. Depending on the rainfall, it can be quite a powerful waterfall but on this day in February, it was a mid-strength. You could walk up onto the falls with ease.
In the past, I have seen videos of Mag-Aso where it is raging with force. That’s why you always have to approach a location with caution and appreciate that it can be more or less dangerous on different days. on our visit, Mag-Aso was very calm and everybody was swimming without worry. If you visit in the rainy season please explore with caution.
Mag-Aso falls has beautiful blue water and a backdrop of incredible ferns and plants. It’s very atmospheric and a bit of a wonderland!
As I said earlier, there is a little cliff jump on the far side of the pool but there are rocks beneath it so you need to choose your spot carefully. I wouldn’t jump here unless you are really keen and then make sure to triple-check the depth of your landing spot.
Other activities at Mag-Aso falls are exploring down the canyon away from the falls where there is much to discover amongst the towering trees and small inlets.
We made sure to do our bit on the way out and collected an Adventure Bag here, we even used Mag-Aso to create our Adventure Bag video trailer. You can watch it here:
WHERE TO STAY ON BOHOL
Save money in Bohol by staying at an Airbnb! Get a FREE $40 Airbnb Coupon by using my code when you book! I use Airbnb on about half of my travels and find you always get more value than a hotel.
Read my full blog post: BEST AREA TO STAY IN BOHOL
Bohol Beach Club – Luxury: It’s everything you would expect from a luxury resort in a tropical location. It’s beachside with amazing pools, bars, and chill-out areas. Right near the restaurants, bars, and action of Alona Beach but hidden away so that you can relax after a day of island-hopping or adventures.
Venezia Suites – Value: The Venezia Suits present the best value on Bohol. If you are looking for luxury but only want to spend mid-range often you need to get lucky. Venezia will hook you up with a beautiful suite that comes with a pool and living space. It’s a damn good deal and located right near all the action of Panglao so you are in a good spot.
HM & B Backpackers Inn: As a backpacker generally you check the price, location, and cleanliness. HM & B ticks all those boxes as one of the cheapest hostels near Alona Beach but also maintains good reviews, cleanliness and is pretty cheap compared to everything else near Alona Beach.
If you want to have a look for yourself you can click here to jump over to Booking.com to check out all of the accommodation options for Bohol.
ARE YOU KEEPING UP WITH MY BOHOL SERIES
I’ve been to Bohol twice and both times I explored extensively on my motorbike to the popular tourist spots and to locations many people have never heard of. I document it all in my BOHOL TRAVEL GUIDE: 27 Awesome Things To Do
Are you a waterfall chaser? I’ve put together a list of My Favorite Waterfalls and Cave Pools on Bohol with detailed directions and photos.
Maybe you are an adrenaline junkie like me and want to find out the Best Cliff Jumping spots on Bohol.
The popular tourist area where most people stay is Panglao Island. I’ve put together a blog post guide about the Best Things to do on Panglao Island
If you aren’t quite sure whether you want to stay on Panglao Island or venture north to Anda, I’ve written a blog post about the Best Places to Stay on Bohol, which helps you decide what region is best for you depending on your preferences.
One of the best activities on Bohol is the island-hopping to Balicasag and Virgin Island. I’ve put together a guide with everything you need to know about the adventure here: Virgin Island and Balicasag Island Hopping Tour Review