Asik-Asik falls- Mysterious and breathtaking falls in the Philippines!

To say that my journey to Asik-Asik falls was long is a complete understatement. It took a plane ride from Singapore to Cebu, a tight self-transfer to Davao that thankfully worked out, a series of unfortunate events that had me stay an unplanned night in Davao City, followed by a 4 hour van ride to Midsayap, a jeepney ride up the mountains and finally a quick tricycle ride. Yes, that is a mouthful and was indeed a daunting trip- but well worth the hassle.

There are direct flights between Singapore and Davao, but found a stop in Cebu to be cheaper. It also gave me an opportunity to try Royal Air- an airline I've not heard of before.

First time on a non-Airbus and non-Boeing aircraft. 

Amazing legroom on the British Aerospace 146 aircraft!
It had a 2-3 configuration and was on time, with check-in baggage and a snack and water already included in the ticket price.

The waterfalls are located near Alamada, North Cotabato in the island of Mindanao, Southern Philippines. Having grown up visiting my grandparents in Davao City at least yearly, I was aware since young of the notorious (i.e. dangerous) image this area of the country has to the unfamiliar. These ideas that proliferate the rest of the Philippines and foreign media always contradict my experiences in Davao City, with the city actively persecuting those who violate the law, irregardless of the severity of the crime. This gave rise to a culture of law-abiding and cooperative city dwellers, who take pride in the city's safety and security. It is a city I would walk around comfortably in in the middle of the night. 

Jeepneys are a cheap and common mode of transport in the Philippines. The driver of this particular jeepney in Davao City was incredibly helpful. He scrutinised my Google Maps screen, led me to the point to alight at, and pointed directions to my final destination. I also asked people around for the jeepney routes and received lots of help, some even going out of their way, walking me to the proper junction where the jeepney plying the route I was supposed to take passed.

I visited the Roxas Night Market on my unplanned stay in Davao City. Security taken very seriously, with soldiers checking bags and guarding the entrances of each section. Needless to say, very very safe!

The fact that those in Davao City are particularly fond of their high safety standards, may have got to do with its history and location- it is a target by many who want to undermine the government's authority especially now that the current President hails from the city. It is also near areas where potentially volatile confrontations that threatens security can take place, and many outside Mindanao would just utter unimpressed, “Of course, it is Mindanao. It is dangerous” . To which the media would simply add these incidents to their long running narrative of this whole region being an active hotbed for insurgents. But stereotyping this vast area as so screams blatantly unfair to me. What about the areas where security is not an issue? Or those that have upped their game and have made the safety conditions much better, taking painstaking efforts to do so? They do not deserve this incriminating label, slapped on them by the uninformed and those harping on these long standing perceptions, just by being within the Mindanao umbrella. Aside from Davao City, I personally feel that the town of Alamada fits the bill of being heavily misunderstood.

The enchanting waterfalls have been in my radar for a few years now, and the time was ripe for a visit. I did my research, which made me almost drop the trip due to the the negative media coverage of the adjacent areas in North Cotabato. Crime reports and advisories aplenty (especially being right after the Bangsamoro voting), and many Western governments advising against ALL travel- not even essential ones. Most insurance companies do not even cover this province. But I have been toying with the idea of visiting, I just couldn’t not go. So, I ended up contacting the Alamada municipality and they got me in touch with their tourism officer who assured me that the area was safe and I liaised my trip with him. I was constantly updating him of my location on my way over, paranoid.

Van terminal opposite G-Mall in Davao City. I took a Midsayap bound van from here.

As a response to the siege of Marawi City by an ISIS-linked group, the whole Mindanao region is currently under Martial Law until the end of 2019. There were checkpoints in every city and major towns I passed. I felt safer with the heavy military presence. They are armed and trained to protect and that was really reassuring. Skirting south of the country’s highest peak Mount Apo, we entered Kidapawan City where a massive jam occurred due to the much needed and long-awaited road widening  project under the President’s Build Build Build programme. This aims to modernise and increase infrastructure in the country. There was a Ramadan bazaar in Pikit, very similar to those in Malaysia and Singapore- something I wouldn’t expect in the Philippines! Arriving in Midsayap, it was a short tricycle ride to the jeepney terminal. We waited for the jeepney to fill before continuing up to Alamada. It was an interesting jeepney ride with goods strapped on top, and a man standing and clinging on the jeepney door entrance. It was again an uneventful ride up the mountains. It felt just like any other place in the Philippines, just more mosques and hijabs. A final tricycle ride and I was off to my place to stay in for the night.

Entering Digos City

Rest stop at a petrol kiosk in Kidapawan City

Pikit, a town with a not so desirable reputation based on news articles

Tricycle ride in Alamada. Tricycles are the Filipino version of motorised "tuk-tuks".

A gloomy welcome

With my guide, we started early the next morning. The motorcycle traversed chilly and misty roads and we had to routinely clear our glasses of the fog. It was the day of Eid al-Fitr (Hari Raya as we call it in Singapore) and we passed through a square in a Muslim village where locals, in attire similar to Malaysia and Singapore’s baju kurung, were kneeling and deeply engrossed in prayer, marking the end of Ramadan. Very surreal and another scene I wouldn’t typically associate with the Philippines!

Travelling along the cold and misty roads

Very peaceful countryside. We stopped for petrol.

The roads were mostly smooth, with some parts still being cemented giving a few bumps along the way. We reached Asik-Asik falls after a bit over half an hour and started the long descend down. My guide advised us to stop after every few dozen steps, which we did, and it was especially helpful on the hike back up. There were rest stops along the way, with views of the mist rolling off the mountains and the undulating hills. From the start, one could hear the roar of the water but prior to the discovery of the falls in 2010, locals thought it was river currents. 

Entrance to Asik-Asik falls

It was a long trek to and from the falls

Friendly village dogs raced down alongside us, filled with energy

At the bottom, the sound of water gushing down reached its maximum crescendo, and we finally crossed the hanging bridge to the base of the falls. We have arrived.

It was worth all that trouble. The falls easily ranks high up in my list of waterfalls I’ve visited. It was past 7am and there were only a handful of people- almost empty! It was serene and tranquil, as if one with nature. Unlike most waterfalls, it does not seem to have a source and water oozes out of the rocks. With the contrasting green vegetation, it made for a very surreal curtain of cold water with a stony clear pool underneath. I was told that the plants would at times bear flowers of different colours, which would add to the spectacle. The dogs partook in the majestic scene, as they waddled by the water’s edge. 

Just amazing 

A faint rainbow can be seen at the base here

Really friendly dogs

With its strong air of mystery, it was easy to see why many myths surround it. Lots of people claim its waters have healing powers, some tell of a story of a mythical guardian, or of a gigantic tree that fell which unveiled this natural beauty. But one thing is for sure- the mysterious nature and grandeur of the falls attracts many to visit. Those who braved the journey would certainly be rewarded by the stunning panorama and thrill. A rainbow formed at the base every now and then too, amazing! The water was cold, but after travelling all this while you have got to take a dip. I was glad we were there early as more visitors started to appear as we were leaving, breaking the silence. The Sun was also not high up yet, making for a relatively cool stroll up and down the trail. An incredible and definitely memorable experience!  

Awe-inspiring. Imagine what it would be like for those that discovered it?

After a delicious warm meal at the top, it was time for the long journey back to Davao. Checks now much more stringent, we occasionally had to get down and let military personnel do bag checks- a bit inconvenient for a backpacker but necessary for safety. Locals have shared that the more checks there are, the better. They claimed that martial law helps maintain peace and order in their area, and I certainly hope that peace prevails.

Chicken tinola

Pastil- a local Muslim dish where rice and toppings are wrapped in banana leaves, giving it unique fragrance.

Taken on the way back to Alamada

I know and have been told that Davao City is very safe and it is the areas out of the city that one has to take extra caution of.  I did not feel that I was in danger at all, military presence very evident and locals helpful and friendly. There is tremendous tourism potential here (I heard there are more waterfalls being discovered), and I am glad I did not let all the negativity dissuade me from visiting. 

The local tourism authorities were really helpful and went out of their way to make this visit comfortable and convenient. It was great to hear more stories about the local communities. The guides acts as a lens as to how life is like in this area. Also, due to accessibility issues and convenience, they would prefer if tourists plan their trip with accredited guides. Some tourists  I met (they were studying in a university in Manila) told me they found their guide through Facebook, so that is another way to go aside from contacting the local municipality directly.

From the conversations with my guide, I learned that the local municipality is heavily investing in tourism- increasing accessibility and planning to put into place a more robust and sustainable framework. I heard of plans for a more environmentally friendly approach, setting up of modern waste management facilities and making the trek less arduous for the elderly and movement impaired, to name some really promising ones. Improvements were already evident from my visit. Much of the roads from the town proper to the falls are now paved, a far cry from the rocky brain rattling, hymen breaking descriptions I have read in blog posts from years ago. I can't wait for more developments in the area as it certainly brings with it much needed employment and prospects for those living there (I do believe that if you extrapolate this view, you would have less people that are disillusioned and desolate. This makes the populace less susceptible to extremist and alternate ideals, which would decrease the influence of groups who want to threaten stability. Call me naive, but I do think there is a correlation). Though with that being said, I hope they are able to keep the tranquility and laid-back vibe of Alamada. No regrets, and I would love to be back and explore more of this severely underrated town.

-June 2019

(I returned to Davao City a few months later and had an amazing experience at the Kadayawan Festival! Click here to read!)