Balon-Balon Falls: Discovering 3 Secret Waterfalls in Cavinti, Laguna

Isn’t it amazing how many natural waterfalls are tucked away in Laguna? While there are hugely popular ones such as Cavinti Falls and Hulugan Falls, there are also “undiscovered” waterfalls known only among locals. Such as is the case for Balon-Balon Falls and two other neighboring falls in Cavinti, Laguna.

Here’s our visit to Balon-Balon Falls, Kipot Falls, and Porosa Falls. Locals also refer to these as the Tri-Falls of Tibatib.

Exploring the Tri-Falls of Tibatib

I was looking for a raw, off-grid adventure and I found out about these three waterfalls in Cavinti. I couldn’t find anything about them online apart from location pins in Google Maps, so I looked for a local guide to take us there.

I went with Hali, my brother and sister-in-law. We drove to Cavinti and then met up with our guide Kuya Eric in Bumbungan Eco-Park at around 7:30AM. From there, we drove for a few minutes before parking on the side of the highway where there is a trail that leads to our first waterfall destination: Balon-Balon Falls.

Balon-Balon Falls

From the highway, we followed a narrow trail that cuts through the surrounding farm and forest. The trail is easy and beginner-friendly.

We were lucky that the last rain had been a week ago, so the earth had time to dry up a little. However, it was still muddy on some parts. According to Kuya Eric, it only takes about 20 minutes to get to Balon-Balon Falls, but we took longer because we were careful not to slip in the mud.

We came across flat streams and, below that, Balon-Balon Falls.

All I could say was Wow. Balon-Balon Falls looked better than the photos that our guide sent to me.

The main stream is around 18 feet high, and it’s surrounded by mini-pools where you can swim. There is a lower basin on the left side where you can dive. According to our guide, the water in Balon-Balon Falls comes from Lumot Lake.

I got excited when I saw it. Don’t you just love the feeling of discovering untouched spots like a waterfall in the mountains? My sister-in-law was equally amazed especially as we were the only people there.

We went under the stream for a water massage. My brother and sister-in-law stayed there because they said the pummeling felt good against the back. It was too cold for me so I stayed on the sidelines with Hali, where I enjoyed dipping my feet in the cool water.

Our guide told us that Balon-Balon Falls and Kipot Falls are the best ones among the three waterfalls we’d be visiting that day, so we opted to stay there for a while.

Kipot Falls

Our next stop is Kipot Falls. It’s located 5-10 minutes downstream of Balon-Balon Falls.

Our guide told us we needed to do a waterfall crossing. That is, we needed to cross the stream on the right side of the falls because that’s where the trail is to Kipot Falls. We were surprised by this because we thought the trail only includes regular trekking. The current was strong and it seemed like it would be easy for a person to be carried away.

Our guide assured us that crossing was doable and he would help us to safety. We handed our things to him and he carried it safely to the other side, so it would be easier for us to balance our bodies.

The crossing was challenging — at least for me. I was the last in my group to go. I was nervous about the strong current. There is a boulder in the middle of the stream, and our guide instructed me to extend my leg and plant my right foot on a spot below it. However, I’m short, my legs are short, and I couldn’t reach the spot.

At this point I started wailing. Lol. Our guide even offered to stand in the middle to slow down the current. Instead, I asked him if it would be possible to place my footing elsewhere (somewhere above the boulder) and he confirmed that it was okay. That’s how I was able to cross the stream.

The crossing was certainly a first for us!

From there we took a short walk to Kipot Falls. We walked across slippery, mossy boulders and then had to trek on a sloping ground covered in giant roots.

Kipot Falls stands about 12 feet high with a huge, deep basin for swimming. It’s surrounded by lush trees, and with the sun beams passing through the canopy, it gives off an other-wordly feel.

There is a tarzan swing on the side of Kipot Falls, which our guide showed us how to use. Hali swam in the basin, while I stayed half-submerged on the side. I think this is a better swimming area than Balon-Balon Falls, though I didn’t want to get too tired so I decided to just take a half-dip.

We stayed there to rest and replenished ourselves with sweets for energy.

Porosa Falls

Our last destination for that day is Porosa Falls.

From Kipot Falls, it takes about 30 minutes to reach Porosa Falls. Our guide told us we had to trek back and then cross the stream in Balon-Balon Falls again. *cue shocked faces*

The crossing going back was just as challenging. As before, I walked on top of the boulder and I was faster this time because the current felt stronger and I didn’t want to get swept away. Afterwards, we went back to the main trail and then took a left on a fork road.

The trail to Kipot Fall was the easiest and we were there in no time. We had to hop off the top of the waterfall to get to the swimming area — again, our guide had to help me get down.

Kipot Falls is a wide 6-feet waterfall that flows down into an open basin. There is a spot where you can duck under the stream and get a water massage.

It was already raining by this time. We stayed a bit under the gushing stream for the massage, while our guide swam below. Then we decided it was time to go.

It took us several minutes to get back to the highway. We exited on another part of the highway, so we had to walk back to our car.

Overall, we had an awesome time discovering these secret waterfalls in Cavinti, Laguna. Hali and I had been in Cavinti a few times before, the last of which was a staycation in Lumot Lake. But this is the most fun we’ve had here. In fact, we felt so alive that we couldn’t wait to research about other destinations we could visit.

Watch a short clip of our trip here. You can see the waterfall crossing!

How to get here

Balon-Balon Falls, Kipot Falls, and Porosa Falls are located in Barangay Tibatib in Cavinti, Laguna. These falls are some of the best tourist attractions in Cavinti.

At the time of our visit in 2021, the tri-falls are not yet open to commercial tourism, so there is no registration area yet. We simply met our guide in Bumbungan Eco-Park, which is the nearest landmark a few minutes away. Then we drove to the highway, where there is a trail to Balon-Balon Falls.

It’s recommended to get a local guide to assist you to get there.

Here are the trekking details:

• From the highway, it takes about 20 minutes to reach Balon-Balon Falls.
• Kipot Falls is located just below Balon-Balon Falls, about 5-10 minutes away.
• From Kipot Falls, you need to trek back and then go to the other side of the fork road to reach Porosa Falls. The trek takes about 30 minutes.
• From Porosa Falls, it’s about 20-25 minutes to get back to the highway.

Reminders and Tips

• Things to bring: dry bag for your valuables, food, and water. Also bring your own trash bag.
• As said above, there is no registration yet and no facilities like shower rooms or toilets.
• You can visit these three waterfalls in a half-day. It will take 4-5 hours depending on how long you want to stay in each waterfall. We started the trek at around 7:30AM and got back at 1PM — our visit was relaxed and we were not in a rushed.
• It’s best to visit on weekdays. These falls are packed on weekends since they are local swimming holes. We were there on a Friday and there were no other people aside from us!
• The trails leading to the waterfalls are relatively easy. However, on rainy season it can still be challenging due to mud. If you’re visiting on ber-months, wait a few days after the rain to allow time for the trail to dry up.
• There are other nearby waterfalls you can visit in Cavinti, including Cavinti Falls (formerly known as Pagsanjan Falls), Naculo Falls, and many others.

Contact

Here’s the contact for our guide. There is no standard guide fee, so it’s best to ask him for rates. Just let him know you got the number from this blog!

• Kuya Eric: 09984095884

You can also contact Cavinti Tourism for information about the tourist spots in Cavinti, Laguna.

Has this post about Balon-Balon Falls in Cavinti, Laguna, been helpful to you? If you have questions or comments, let us know below!

What to read next:

Heading to Cavinti, Laguna? Check out these related posts!

• Cavinti Tourist Spots and Things to Do
• Cavinti Falls (aka Pagsanjan Falls)
• Shooting the Rapids to Pagsanjan Falls
• Balon-Balon Falls: Tri-Falls of Barangay Tibatib
• Cavinti Cave

Where to stay:

• Caliraya Lake Front Resort
• Sofia’s Lake Resort
• Julian’s Island Lodge
• The Cliff at Naculo Falls
• Mountain Lake Resort
• Best Cavinti Resorts, Glamping Sites, and Camp Sites

Do you like chasing waterfalls? Here are similar posts:

Waterfalls near Manila:

• Cavinti Falls (Laguna)
• Shooting the Rapids to Pagsanjan Falls (Cavinti Falls, Laguna)
• Hulugan Falls (Laguna)
• Tri-Falls in Tibatib (Laguna)

Other waterfalls in the Philippines:

• Depalyon Falls (Quezon)
• Dibulo Falls (Isabela)
  Ganano Falls (Quirino)
• Kaparkan Falls (Abra)
• Merloquet Falls (Zamboanga)
• Chasing waterfalls in Biliran
• Chasing waterfalls in Iligan
• Limunsudan Falls: Second-Highest Waterfalls in the Philippines
• Waterfalls Near Manila You Can Visit on Day Trips
• Best waterfalls in the Philippines