Pagsanjan Falls

At the confluence of Bumbungan and the Balanac River across the Laguna de Bay from Manila is one of the Philippines' most popular attractions: Pagsanjan Falls. Also known as Magdapio Falls, this 100-foot-tall (30 meters) cascade is best reached on a "shooting the rapids" boat trip. In a long wooden canoe, two boatmen will paddle you about three miles (5 km) upstream through Pagsanjan Gorge (think monkeys, boulders, vines and tiny waterfalls) until you reach a natural pool just below the waterfall after about an hour.
From here, it’s popular to take a bamboo raft to Devil’s Cave behind the falls. Then it’s time for the most famous part of the trip: take on 14 rapids as you rush along the Bombongan River back to where you began.

Practical Info

If you avoid the busy weekends and public holidays, your drive from Manila to Pagsanjan should take about two hours. Come in wet season (August through October) for the biggest thrill, or in dry season if you’d rather have a more relaxing trip.