Can-Umantad Falls and Rice Terraces are located in the Candijay municipality of Bohol province in the Philippines. It’s approximately a 2 hours drive (97.2 km) via Bohol Circumferential Road from Tagbilaran City. It’s a beautiful place to experience fun and adventure.
Travel just 30 minutes from what they call “Lungsod Daan” and you’ll see this amazing and unique waterfall. It’s a stunning 60 feet in height and is said to be the tallest waterfall in Bohol. It’s clean, clear, cold water will surely entice you to go swimming.
Can-umantad is fast becoming an alternative tourist destination for folks visiting the island province of Bohol. To accommodate tourists they built a resort, “Eleuterio’s Can-Umantad Falls and Terraces Resort Incorporated”. The falls and the springs below are owned and managed by Eleuterio’s. They open the falls to the public daily from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm. You can reach the falls and spring from their private entrance.
Entrance fee is 20 PHP per person and parking is 10 PHP for motorbikes and 20 PHP for cars. The resort also has a restaurant if you don’t want to bring your own lunch. They also rent rooms if you wish to stay overnight or longer.
This site is suitable for picnics and other fun activities like human hamster ball rolling, river trekking and swimming. You can enjoy a free back massage with the splash of heavy flowing water! The experience is incredible and priceless. Aside from the waterfall Candijay has still a lot more to offer but for now, I will share to you our awesome unforgettable experience.
Today as of 2016 the falls are developed. The roads are 40% cemented and the rest under construction. Can-Umantad Falls and Terraces are listed in almost all Travel and Tours Company websites as one of the famous tourist attractions in Bohol, Philippines.
Our journey was a long long way from Tagbilaran. We started at Tagbilaran Plaza Rizal Park in front of Cathedral Church. I rented a motorcycle from my friend for the trip. I paid P500 for the one day rental.
If you don’t want to drive there on your own you can catch a van or a bus from Dao Terminal Station near Island City Mall about 3 km. away from Plaza Rizal Park. The cost is at least P130 per person for the van and P100 per person for the bus. Both will get you as far as Lungsod Daan. From there you need to rent a Habal-habla (motorcycle that carries 10 people plus their luggage!) to take you to the falls. The round trip from Lungsod Daan to the falls is about P160 per person.
Taking public transportation will not really save you a lot of money, specially if there are several of you going. Renting a motorcycle or car for the day may prove more cost effective. An added perk is that if you’re driving yourself you can take your time to enjoy the views (they are beautiful) and even stop to snap some photos.
Tips: Start early in the day so you can enjoy the views and go home while sun is still shinning, Traveling during the day is safer than traveling at night on those roads. Bring water and food, or you can buy along the way.
So, we started around 6:00 AM, we need to pass by 9 Municipalities to get to Candijay; Baclayon, Alburquerque, Loay, Lila, Valencia, Garcia Hernandez, Jagna, Duero, Guindulman and then Candijay.
Actually there are 3 road to get there. We choose to travel via Bohol Circumferential Road because there are lots of houses and people along the way so if you have an emergency, like a flat tire, you can easily find help. Here is the map for the 3 roads.
These are many great views on the way to Candijay.
At the Bool District of Tagbilaran City you will see the Blood Compact Shrine, one of the tourists destination and very famous here in Bohol.
Blood Compact or Pacto de Sangre in Spanish was an ancient ritual in the Philippines intended to seal a friendship or treaty, or to validate an agreement. The contracting parties would cut their wrists and pour their blood into a cup filled with liquid, such as wine, and drink the mixture.
In the year 1565 a Sandugo was made between Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna, the chieftain of Bohol. It is said that this is the site where this ritual was done.
Beside the blood compact a new hotel was built, the Ocean Suites Boutique Hotel you can book directly to the hotel or make a reservation online.
http://www.oceansuites.ph/#!reservations/c1adp
We Stopped for a while on Loay Bridge to take photos.
Fortunately for us we saw someone fishing. Look at these, its so awesome!
“Manong” a respectful term for an old man, told us that this is the perfect place for fishing. Lots of people living nearby go fishing and even travelers stopped here try to catch some fish.
Here are more sights we saw along the way!
We stopped at Garcia Hernandez by the tunnels built by the Philippine Mining Service Corporation to mine dolomite which is exported and used domestically. This is about the half way point to the falls.
This sign points the way. Straight ahead will take you to Candijay. If you turn right you’ll end up in Anda where the Anda de Buracay a famous Beach Resort is located. There are a lot of stunning hotels and beautiful beaches in Anda. We’d hoped to make a side trip there, but we don’t have much time so we skipped it. Maybe next time!
Finally, we arrived in Candijay. The Main Market is located in Poblacion Candijay. Their Municipality office is located is also there. There’s also a cute market where you can buy fish, meat, water, food and anything you need. They have a small plaza, a school and a huge Catholic Church.
I have my relative who lives in Poblacion Candijay just beside the Church which is located behind the school. We stopped by her house for a bit of a rest and to pick up my 2 nephews so they could guide us through the falls.
Ok, so we are here at what they call “Lungsod Daan” an Old Barangay Market. As you can see, a left vertical road, that’s the only way to Can-Umantad Falls, approximately 8-10 kilometers, around 30 minutes.
Just follow the road, no left or right turn, just follow the road straight or if confused just ask somebody on the road, Don’t worry they are good people, unless you talk bad.
Along the way we took beautiful photos from viewpoints overlooking the rice terraces that surround the falls area. Check this out!!!
When you reach this big sign just
follow the arrow pointing right. It will take you to the resort entrance/parking lot.
Finally we are at the Resort Entrance!!!
Entrance Fee: P20.00 Each
Vehicles : P10.00
This is the Entrance down to the Falls
You got to go down the cemented path to reach the falls.
Friendly Staffs are willing to take you on a tour or you can just explore it yourself.
See a blue house? Thats their hotel villa, for P1,000.00 with beautiful and peaceful ambiance? You would love to stay here.
At the river they have two floating “Kubo” Native Huts for anyone who wants to swim, eat – of course your own food and swim, you can use this stuff for Free.
After the “Kubo” Native Huts just follow the cemented road then at the end you will see stairs.
You must go down stairs. we counted 440 steps, not so bad right? Don’t worry there are ropes and some sort of steel fence to keep you on the track if ever you roll down or miss a step? Don’t worry no one has reported any incidents like that, just be careful or you will be the first!!!
Finally! These are the last steps before you see the awesome falls.
You can stay and relax here in this “Kubo” Native Hut for a while before you go to swim. They have an attendant to guide and to watch visitors.
Well its not my first time to visit Can-Umandad Falls, actually this is my second time but unfortunately that time the weather don’t cooperate and the falls were “angry”. It wasn’t safe to go down. These photos were taken during that time.
These are the pictures I took this trip when the weather was better and the falls calmer. Big difference!
We’ve spent 2 hours at the falls. We swam, splashed, and had a free water massage. We ate our lunch before we began the climb back up from where we came. But it’s not the end of an awesome adventure, the way up is eye catching! The path overlooks rice terraces, and you see beautiful skies and wonderful mountain views. I was amazed, IT’S SO COOL!!!

A cute “Kubo” Native Hut is the perfect spot where you can rest and recover your breath from climbing the stairs and the Rice Terraces.
As you can see in the photos taken on my previous trip when the weather was bad. The place was covered with fog which was actually mists rising up from the tumultuous falls.
This place is perfect for parties, birthday’s and specially wedding. If you are interested we can Plan your wedding or what ever celebration you want, we are also an event specialists. Feel free to comment or contact us.
So at around 3:00 pm we left Candijay and arrived home around 5:30 pm. It was a long but fun day!
So if you’re looking for an alternative tourist attraction on your visit to Bohol consider a trip to Can-Umantad Falls and Rice Terraces. It’s a bit out of the way, but well worth it! Remember there’s more to see in the Bohol province than the famous Chocolate Hills!