Revisiting Aguinid Falls

Once upon a time, there was a sleepy town that captured my heart.

So I went back after 7 years...

 On a Sunday (April 3, 2016), friends and I started the day early for a long trip to Samboan. 

It was a very sunny day. We stopped by Carcar to buy some food and then to stretch and marvel at the world, we also stopped by this breath-taking view in Santader. 

When we got to Samboan, we rented a cottage by the beach as the cottages near Aguinid Falls are already jam-packed. 

Cottage prices are at PhP 350, 250 and 200. 

The owners are really very accommodating and would even let you borrow some plates if you have forgotten to bring some (just like us). 

The breath-taking water of Tañon Strait.

Ang feelingera. Haha

And now, for the real adventure....

This is our guide. I am bad with names and I forgot what kuya's name was but he is very friendly and accommodating to I am really glad to have him as our guide. 

This is the short trek to the falls. Kuya guide said the path we took before was a different one which is why it looked a bit different to me.

Posing at Level 0.

The gang getting ready for the adrenaline rush.

Climbing up Level 2.

So there is traffic in climbing up the falls. The guides coordinate for them to tell their clients to stop as some people are climbing up or going down the falls.

 If you know me, I am not the type to jump and swim because I can't swim. Haha... but I jumped at Level 5 and glad I did.

Layat jud dai! #AguinidFalls #Samboan pic.twitter.com/Vm5K7zMqPi

— Crisch Abayon (@CrizzyWrites) April 4, 2016

Here we were goofing around at the 6th level of the falls.

A few moments at Level 6 and we thought that it is about time to go down but we stopped several minutes as some groups were aso climbing up.

Feeling the water wash away the stress.

Meditating.

The challenge of going down as demonstrated by our guide.

Level 5

And this made me very happy. 

Until next time, Samboan.

I shared my thoughts on this adventure through SunStar Cebu's Tell It to SunStar.
Here is what is printed:

Protecting tourist sitesIn a Sun.Star Cebu report by Katlene Cacho published March 30, 2016, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said 5.3 million tourists visited the country in 2015. This growth, according to DOT, has given the country healthy revenues and generated jobs. 

Cebu is one of the country’s tourist destinations, offering various tourism spots: beaches, mountains, river systems and falls, among others. 

All these have been around for years but have only made it to most people's consciousness recently because of the efforts of the local government units and through word-of-mouth. Bloggers, for one, are among the biggest contributors to the boom of these local tourist spots. 

Although I admit that the beauty of nature never fails to amuse me, I couldn't help but also wonder if these natural beauties would be thankful for all the attention they are getting. 

Osmeña Peak, for example, is one of the most-visited mountains in Cebu. In many blogs I've read, the bloggers say the experience of watching the sun rise in this peak is comparable to watching the sea of clouds in Sagada, Mountain Province. 

My experience climbing Osmeña Peak meant sharing the space with more than 30 people. To say that the rocks were overcrowded with tourists trying to get that perfect photo is an understatement. 

Sagada’s Kitelpan View Deck has made it to the headlines for the same reason. There were even internet memes circulated online with a caption: “Yung magmo-moment ka sana pero nagmo-moment din sila.” 

Earlier this month, I visited the Aguinid Falls in Samboan and witnessed the same trend.
But the efforts of Samboan's LGU in protecting the falls is commendable. Tourists are not allowed entry to the falls without a guide. There is a short briefing about the falls and the things to do and not to do. 

The locals are provided with jobs as they manage the influx of tourists and others serve as guide. The guides do not receive a salary from the management of the falls so the guests pay them in kind. Our guide even shared that he used to work as a taxi driver in the city but stopped to become a guide. 

Still, the problem of other people doing exactly the opposite of what they are not told to do is disheartening. Vandalism, for one, is like a scar etched on some of the fall's rocks. The water that day was creamy as the limestone bed became silted by hundreds of feet going up and down the falls. Some rocks have chips exposing the limestone beneath it, an obvious sign of distress said our guide. 

Tourism is a good thing but how much can nature accommodate until it becomes weary? Isn't it about time to regulate the influx of tourists to help preserve these natural wonders?--Crischellyn D. Abayon