TRAVEL |PHOTOGRAPHY |PHILIPPINES
Hidden Waterfalls in Cotabato: Asik Asik Falls
A few miles outside of the town of Cotabato, there are a number of hidden waterfalls that can be found if you know where to look. The most popular falls are Asik Asik Falls, which is beautiful no matter what time of year it is.
Where is North Cotabato in the Philippines
North Cotabato occupies the northeastern section of Mindanao, Philippines and is bordered by Sultan Kudarat to the north, Sarangani to the east, Maguindanao to the south, and Lanao del Norte to the west.
It is home to over two million people, who predominantly inhabit towns and villages scattered throughout its 58 municipalities.
The majority of the population are Muslim Filipinos who live in rural areas. North Cotabato is known for its rich agricultural resources, including rice, corn, sugarcane, beans, fruits, and vegetables.
In North Cotabato, there is a hidden waterfall called Asik Asik. It’s shaped like a curtain (Creek) between the rocks. It can be accessed via Midsayap — Libungan then to Alamada before you can reach Asik Asik Waterfalls.
Driving to Alamada North Cotabato is possible. However, because some areas are pretty remote, it is recommended to have someone local who speaks the language.
We stayed at the place called iCloud 10. It does not show on the map yet because the place is very new. It is somewhere in Rangayen village which is part of Alamada Town. There are many smaller resorts and camping sites in Rangayen like The Tent City and Cocos Funville.
We took a bus from the main bus terminal in Davao City to Libungan. After Libungan, we had a pre-arranged motor taxi (TUK TUK of Thailand) pick us up which cost us PHP3,000 for 2 days of service.
There is no internet signal in Rangayen village. It is also chilling fresh air in this area. You need to bring your warm jacket for nighttime — it is fresher especially when it rains.
We arrived at night in Rangayen and therefore, we just relaxed and enjoyed the scenic view inside iCloud10 resort. (There is a cottage and a place to camp in this resort).
The following day, we had our breakfast meals arranged by the caretaker of the place. We then went on our way to Asik Asik Waterfalls which our Tuk Tuk driver arranged ahead of time.
ASIK ASIK WATERFALLS
Asik Asik waterfalls in Alamada North Cotabato were discovered by a farmer. According to the locals I was chatting with within the area, the tall rocks were covered with vine plants but when the farmer removed some of these vine plants, he found the water flowing from the rocks. It is not known where the word ASIK came from. The waterfalls were discovered back in the year 2012 and from then, the locals talk about them and post images on social media.
Asik Asik. The falls are known for their beautiful scenery and the availability of good camping sites nearby. Yes, at the registration office area, there is a place to set up your tent.
I highly recommend camping at the registration area if you do not want to waste too much time traveling from the other villages. It is also a good idea to camp right at the registration entrance area because it is easy for you to walk all the way down to Asik Asik. The hike will take you about 30 minutes only.
PHOTOGRAPHY
The best time to photograph Asik Asik Waterfalls is between 6 and 10 in the morning. I notice that the sun will hit on the wall and the falls, it creates shining and different colors of a rainbow on the floor.
There are not many people if you go early in the morning. People start coming as early as 8 in the morning.
The long exposure camera sittings are important in capturing the water to make it look dramatic.
I was using a filter that I attached to my lens. I was using the Fujifilm XT4 in my shots with these waterfalls.
Wrapping Up
❤️Driving:
Start to drive early in the morning when the sun is up. Have someone with you who speaks Visaya or even better speaks Ilongo and Muslim.
The road is good to drive aside from crossing the floating bridge which you need to be very slow.
The villages also informed me not to stop in any remote areas. There are gas stations along the way in case you need to go for a pee.
The good thing about having you drive up all the way to the registration office is a time saver compared to taking another transport from Midsayap (MiniVan stops here) or Libungan (Bus stops here). Always ask the bus conductor if they stop at Libungan or not).
❤️Bus or Van: Based on my experience, taking the Van from SM Ecoland Terminal is better compared to taking a bus from Ecoland Bus Terminal as the bus always stops. The MiniVan has about 10 people/passengers and it was faster and not so boring.
❤️Beware:
Never argue with any locals. Always say PO, with respect to any one of them. Never ever start any argument or anything that pisses off the locals. It’s best to always be nice to them.
Have your bottled water or drinks and some snacks with you.
Cost of travel by Bus and MiniVan
Going to Libungan by Bus cost me PHP 432 and in return, we took the Mini Van which cost me PHP 600.00 (one way for one person).
The Tuktuk for 2 days cost us a total of PHP 3,000 and I gave an extra PHP500 as a tip.
Our Cottage cost us PHP 2,000 for 2 nights and 3 meals local food prepared by the caretaker of iCloud Resort is PHP 1,000.
Total Cost: PHP7,532.00 (USD 150.00 estimated only).
If you happen to have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment and I will respond as soon as I can.
Thank you for reading.
P.S
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Elvie Lins ©2022
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