AWESOME AWAO The Awao Falls are said to be the other precious natural asset of Monkayo, Compostela Valley, which is known for its gold mines. The falls, estimated to be at least 20 meters high, dwarf tourists who go on a heart-stopping ride on steep hillside roads to enjoy these wonders. FRINSTON LIM/INQUIRER MINDANAO
MONKAYO, Compostela Valley—For the daring and adventurous, this land, more renowned for its gold mines, has another precious natural asset to offer.
Nestled among the hills of the farming village of Awao and accessed through a system of trails with sweeping mountain vistas, the two waterfalls of Awao should be on every tourist’s list of must-see places.
With waters remaining almost crystal-clear even after a downpour, they are the latest in the growing list of attractions offered by Monkayo, the northernmost town of Compostela Valley province in the Davao region of southeastern Mindanao
“Awao Falls is an ideal getaway for those who love nature and adventure,” said Jong Diel, Monkayo municipal tourism action officer.
Thrill of the journey
For starters, the journey to the entrance to the falls is a thrill in itself, as visitors and tourists are treated to an exhilarating ride on a skylab, a sturdy motorcycle fitted with a contraption that can seat up to eight people.
This contrivance is the preferred, if not the only, mode of transport from the national road to the drop-off point, some 5 kilometers from the center of the village, where the trek to the falls begin.
There are two routes to Awao village—via San Jose village from Monkayo or through Sta. Josefa town in Agusan del Sur. The Monkayo-San Jose route is shorter but more difficult, so the less adventurous are encouraged to take the Sta. Josefa route.
Heart-stopping ride
The bumpy and sometimes slippery climb to the drop-off point on a skylab or habal-habal (motorcycle for hire) is more than made up for by the breathtaking and heart-stopping sights along the way: various tree species, ferns and other lush foliage covering the misty hillsides hundreds of feet below.
The ride is expecially hair-raising as the skylab negotiates the narrow hillside road, its passengers’ feet dangling precariously off the deep, gaping ravines.
The trip to the drop-off point lasts only several minutes but for the uninitiated, these moments could be the longest ride of their life.
“A foreigner who visited months ago said (the skylab ride) was like a roller-coaster’s. Bumpy yet exciting,” said Diel.
Despite being well-known as a local destination since the early 2000s, the falls only started to receive attention and funds for improvements a couple of years ago, according to local officials.
Moises Bacolod, the village chief, says the two Awao falls are fed by another cataract further uphill.
“They say there’s a third waterfall which feeds water to the two, but we have yet to find that water source,” he said.
20-meter drop
The falls are estimated to be at least 20 meters in height, although no official measurement is known to have ever been conducted, said Diel.
To fully appreciate the grandness of the sight, a person wishing to take a photo usually asks someone to stand using the falls as a backdrop.
Falls 1 is the more picturesque because of its curtain-like appearance, with multiple drops on the side of a rock cliff providing a postcard-like tableau.
Visitors can take a shower from the white foam cascading down the cliff or take a dip at Falls 2 further downriver. The second waterfall is reached after trekking through a shallow river with protruding rocks and a 25-minute sweat-drenching and butt-aching ascent on a steep hill, with only thickets and stumps and roots of trees to grab on to.
Comprising a series of cataracts measuring more than a hundred feet high, Falls 2 drops into a lagoon ideal for swimming and bathing.
Rock-climbing options
The more intrepid visitor can explore further, by scaling the rocky formation splitting the waterfall, using the cracks on the boulders as footholds while grasping on to grasses that grow abundantly on the face of the cliff.
“Here, visitors can do rock climbing up to the topmost portion of the falls and follow the path of the water. Falls 2 is not only good for swimming but also for more strenuous and exciting activities such as boulder climbing,” said Diel.
Because they want to make Awao Falls appealing even to children, the local government intends to push the promotion of Falls 1, and reserve Falls 2 for the more experienced and adventure-minded trekkers, Diel said.
He said the trail to Falls 1 is easier and closer to the drop-off point than Falls 2 so that even children as young as 7 years can enjoy the experience.
“Actually, we wanted to package Awao Falls as an excellent site for minor climbing in which even children can participate,” he said.
Social media campaign
According to Diel, the awareness and growing popularity of Compostela Valley’s latest tourism destination was achieved through a massive campaign using social media. With the help of a local group of photography enthusiasts from Davao City, a photo contest on the waterfalls was held which pushed the tourist spot’s reputation even further.
Marilou Alcaraz, the municipal tourism officer, said the local government is now allocating funds for the further improvement of the falls site.
The plans include the construction of a viewing deck for visitors to have their selfies and other photo ops in an area several meters away from the falls, camping areas for children, scouting and jamboree areas and toilets for visitors, said Diel.
Community benefited
Bacolod said the opening of the waterfalls to tourism has greatly benefited the community.
“We were able to collect more than P10,000 in gate revenues since November. We hope this will continue and more tourists will come to our place,” he said.
“Hopefully, more improvements in our facilities will help encourage people to come and visit,” he said.
The village collects P15 per person in the two ticket booths at the two entry points to Falls 1.
“Visitors usually come during weekends, but when it’s harvest time in Sta. Josefa, you can expect almost a daily stream of local visitors,” said councilor Armando Akiatan.
For skylab driver Raymundo Cantos Jr., the community has become vibrant and alive with the influx of tourists eager to experience Awao Falls.
“My income has increased, particularly during weekends when many people, even from other places, visit our village,” said the 34-year-old driver.
Cantos charges P50 per person for the ride from the village hall to Purok 6, the drop-off point where the trek to the falls begins.
Included in the future development of Awao Falls is the setting up of an area where cub scouts may conduct mini-jamborees and where backpackers can pitch tents.
Accommodation, transport
But Diel said accommodation is not a problem as visitors can quickly return to the Monkayo town proper or opt to stay the night in the towns of Sta. Josefa and Trento in Agusan del Sur.
Transportation is also readily available at Barangay Awao proper, such as skylab or habal-habal that can take tourists straight to Monkayo at P150 per person, or to Sta. Josefa P35 per person.
A few years ago, the local government was well on the way to developing Awao Falls as a tourist destination and involving the local community in its plans, said Diel.
About P750,000 had already been allocated for the development of the site, but the devastation wrought by Typhoon “Pablo” (international name: Bopha) in 2012 forced the local government to divert the money to the rehabilitation of the affected communities.
Possible power source
“But we don’t have to rush things. We still have many things to improve, especially our planned homestay business in partnership with the community. We also intend to tap our motorcycle drivers so they can also become partners in this endeavor,” said Diel.
Bacolod said the Department of Energy (DOE) is considering the waterfalls as a possible source of power, as it is ideal for the construction of a mini-hydropower plant.
“We’re told it would further boost tourism, much like what happened to Maria Cristina (Falls in Lanao del Norte). People from the DOE expressed interest over the prospect, but as of now I haven’t heard from them again. But we’re still waiting,” he said.
How to get there:
From Monkayo, skylabs and habal-habal go directly to Awao via the San Jose provincial road for P80 per person. Regular buses also regularly travel from Monkayo to Sta. Josefa at P35 per person. From Sta. Josefa, habal-habal motorcycles leave at 30-minute intervals for Awao barangay proper for P40 per person. Another skylab/habal-habal ride takes one from Awao to the drop-off point at Purok 6 for P50 per person.
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