After visiting two islands, namely: San Victor Island and Poo Sandbar, we rushed further south of Davao Oriental (or some 23 kilometers away from Poo Sandbar to be exact) to reach this secluded destination.
I'm always up for adventure of any kind so when my eyes laid on this makeshift bridge connecting two side of Baganga, thrill ran through my spine. I was supposed to ride on the motorcycle to cross this bridge, but I insisted on walking across; it was both exciting and scary. If you look closely on the water, it was gushing roughly and nonstop. The water level might not be too deep but if by chance I fell, the strength of the water was enough to drift me away.
I still enjoyed the experience tho; it's like a preview of the watery adventure that afternooon. By the way, you need to pay a minimal toll to cross this wooden bridge. This bridge was built through the combined efforts of folks living near the area. This connectivity concern should be resolved by the local government but seeing delays, locals came together to source materials to complete the bridge. A living proof of Philippines' long-time tradition called Bayanihan.
We reached the Tourist Center and understood why locals needed to create a makeshift bridge. A flashflood occurred 2-3 days prior to my visit and wiped out the previously erected bridge. There was a major damage on the Tourist Center; for example, the wooden bridge/pathway that used to connect the Tourist Center to the waterfalls was nowhere to be seen.
The damages caused by the flooding was still evident during our visit. The in-charge was mopping the floor of the Tourist Center main hall to get rid of excess mud that had accummulated and dried up. Other section of the Tourist Center were still burried in ankle-deep sludge.
Since there's no established path that will take me right on the foot of the waterfall, we took all the chances to get as near as possible. This required navigating through huge rocks beneath the Tourist Center. I didn't mind. Again, this is the kind of adventure I looked forward to.
Our little exploration paid off. We reached the farthest we can go without getting wet and without subjecting ourselves to further danger. I may be adventurous, but I do know when to call it quits.
In all honesty, at some point, I thought of crossing the other side. "Perhaps I can swim as fast as I could and the next thing I'd know, I'm already on the foot of the waterfall, marveling at its greatness" But then I reminded myself of how silly this thought is.
If there was a rope tied on the other side that I could just hold unto and pull myself with, it would've made a huge difference on how this visit evolved. 😅
In this angle, the Curtain Falls demanded respect for its massive curtain-like structure that covers a stretch of at least 15 meters from one end to the other. If you haven't figured it out, this is the very reason why this attraction is called as such. Just like a curtain, it's dropping nonstop to cover whatever is behind those white cascades.
Instead of staying in the Tourist Center where there's nothing else to do aside from staring at the unreachable waterfall, I decided to just explore the place despite signs of dilapidation everywhere. Trees and plants were uprooted, the stairs leading to the viewing decks were eroded to the ground, a few parts of the mountain where the staircase were, have been devastated by the heavy rains. Despite all these, I was still persistent to reach the viewing deck. It wasn't raining but the ground was still damp; it was a slow but steady ascend to the top.
Similar with other destinations I visited that day, my driver and I were the only tourists around. This worked to my advantage as I've had enough of touristy destinations that are usually packed with huge crowd. Here and in the other destinations I've been in my Davao backpacking, it's just nature's unfiltered beauty and my restless soul: a perfect match!
My driver accompanied me all the way to the two (2) viewing decks. Unfortunately, the first viewing deck was beyond recognition. It was too risky to even set a foot on it's rotting wooden flooring. We moved to the next viewing deck where we finally stayed a bit and managed to get a better view of the Curtain Falls.
Beyond doubt, this has been the best view I could get. It was a bit far and definitely not one I expected but given what could only be permitted during our stay, I'm glad I still had the chance to visit this in person.
The curtain-like cascades of the waterfall was the highlight of the view from atop. Surrounded by the lush greenery and massive rocks at the bottom of the waterfall, there was nothing else I could ask for. Birds merrily chirping in tall branches, in their secret hidding place, I could tell paradise was within reach.
On my way down, I noticed water continually gushing out from a tiny portion of the mountainside. Either it had been here all along or the heavy downpour and the flooding in the area created a mini waterfall; nonetheless, I decided to stop by and soothe myself in the ice-cold water. I had been under the sun for hours on end and the quick bath refreshed my body in ways I could only imagine. I would've wanted to swim in the bigger waterfall's nature pool but still glad I could experience it in a way.
We hurried back to town as we still need to catch one last destination of this day before the sun sets. Are we gonna make it? Stay tuned!
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What an honor! Thanks Worldmappin Team! :)
You are very welcome @patsitivity! it was well deserved. ☀️
Keep up the great work 💪
Thanks for the support @hivepakistan 😁
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Wow this is a very beautiful place, the natural blend is really tempting, Thank you for sharing and have a nice day
Glad I could share bits and pieces of underrated destinations in the Philippines. :)
Ong ang ganda Jan, kakainlove yung falls .
Btw, ano camera gamit mo? Ganda ng kuha Lalo na 1st image 🥰
I'm just using my phone, @jane1289. Realme GT Master Edition. I got it for 15k only (promo in Lazada 2+ years ago). Very cheap but quality is on point! :)
I edited the first picture tho in Lightroom but the rest are posted raw, straight from my phone, no editing. :)
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a very beautiful place like heaven.
Totally agree @reachdreams! :)
👌
Omg! The place was too enchanting that looks like unreal!
I used to see like this in paintings, movies..you are so lucky that you able to visit.
Mindanao is tourism is fantastic!
Super ganda @lhes. Mindanao is blessed with a ton of waterfalls na sa sobrang ganda, you wouldn't want to leave once you see them.
Sayang lang that these destinations aren't usually in people's must-travel list. I hope our tourism board promotes more of Mindanao dahil sobrang ganda talaga. :)
I followed a vlogger TG and super Ganda iyong mga places na visited Niya in Mindanao.
Just the travel going there wasn't convenient.
True, hoping government would promote and not only focus on Boracay, siargao and Palawan. It was too expensive na
Cool place!
Wow, what an adventure! The Curtain Falls and its majestic cascades sound absolutely stunning, even with the challenges along the way. I wish I could visit this incredible place someday and experience the beauty and thrill you’ve described! 🌿
You should @jmjourneys! :) You can check out my previous posts about my solo backpacking in Davao Region. Wonderful place to go around indeed! :)
The photos you took seems like a Fantasy movie, what cool places! Perfect as a fantasy scenario! 😍
I didn't intend it to be but yeah heard the same from a friend when he saw the photo. 😁 The good thing is, it's real not AI generated. 😅😁
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its beauty of nature! the air must be very fresh and the noise of the river is the best.
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