Mantayupan Falls, Barili is the tallest waterfall in Cebu, and an easy day trip from Moalboal. Water cascades 98 metres through the jungle into a milky green coloured pool, so if you love chasing waterfalls and want to connect with nature, Mantayupan Falls is one you should definitely add to your list.
Known by locals as Ambakan Falls, Mantayupan Falls is very easy to reach, and one of the awesome things to do in Moalboal. Set in the jungle, the falls are a beautiful area to hang out. Surrounded by nature, it’s a cool and refreshing place to visit if you want to escape the heat of the Philippine sun, but also perfect on a cloudy day as you will be walking amongst tall trees. Moalboal Eco Lodge share a lovely day trip from Moalboal: Mantayupan Falls in Barili, Cebu. 
Sign showing the height of Mantayupan Falls, Barili, Cebu
Mantayupan Falls is definitely one to visit if you like waterfalls. It’s tall, impressive, set amongst the jungle and a decent amount of water cascades down the mountain. It’s the second most popular waterfall after Kawasan because of it's accolade of being the tallest waterfall in Cebu.
From Moalboal, Mantayupan Falls are located in Barili, about an hour from our Eco Lodge. On our journey we passed fields of corn, mangrove trees, cows grazing, valleys and hills filled with coconut palm trees. When visiting waterfalls, remember to be a responsible tourist and always take your trash away with you. 
Entrance to Mantayupan Falls, the waterfall is about a minute away from here
At Mantayupan Falls we parked in the parking lot, paid our entrance fee, walked about a minute along a short path, and voila, we were at the steps to the waterfalls. Out of all the waterfalls in Cebu, Mantayupan Falls is the easiest to reach with minimal walking, so anyone can visit and enjoy them.
We discovered that Mantayupan Falls is also a mini hydro power plant that has been providing hydro-electric power to Barili for over ten years. As we run an Eco Lodge, we were obviously impressed with this renewable source of energy. We chose to go to the smaller waterfall first which were just a few steps away. I heard there are usually three falls here but despite visiting in rainy season, we saw just the one waterfall.
The 1st waterfall milk green pool isn't large, but it's very pretty
This 14 metre high waterfall fell into a large milky green rock pool. The water changes colour slightly depending on the time of year, sometimes it can be milky blue/green, after heavy rain it could be brown, but we visited on an overcast day so it was milky green.
We hung around at the small waterfall for a few moments just to soak up the beauty, but through the trees we could see a bridge leading to the main waterfall. It looked pretty impressive so we decided to head towards the sound of the roar.
Clearly this bridge is very popular for Instagram selfies! Safety first ladies and gents
First we had to cross the swing bridge, and I couldn’t help but be impressed by the beauty of the jungle surrounding us. As we crossed the bridge, looking down we saw part of the rock pool
A different angle of the bridge - it's so pretty looking down
Walking up the stone lined path, we had the 98 metre tall waterfall in our sights which was directly ahead of us. It was spectacular, and we loved listening to the roar of the water plunging into the large rock pool.
To the left was a stream caused by the falling water, the English would call this a bubbling brook.
The beautiful, stunning Mantayupan Falls, Barili, Cebu
The time we visited there was no one else here, just a worker cleaning the algae from the rocks in the waterfall. During high season or certain times of the day, this waterfall is filled with tourists and their orange life jackets. We definitely felt lucky being able to take our time with photographs and enjoy the surroundings in peace.
There is a raft here that you can usually rent for P100 to paddle over to the waterfall, however at the time of our visit, no swimming was allowed so we just sat on the rock and admired the Falls instead.
When it was time to leave, we thought we would take a drive around to see what else was in the area. We stumbled across a small fishing village with stilt-houses built over the mangroves, and a few colourful fishing boats were tied up in the ocean.
Colourful bangka boats in a fishing village nearby
We also passed a bright green church set amongst palm trees, it stood out against the cloudy grey sky and caught my eye.
This bright green church couldn't help but catch my eye!
To my wonderful surprise, we came across a wall of street art! I used to love travelling to new places and taking self-guided tours looking for street art, Singapore for example has some wonderful pieces but there are very few in the Philippines.
For help regarding Philippines travel and visa requirements, visit our Travel Information page
We stumbled across a wall of street art
This street art had an ocean theme, and it may not have been the best we have seen, but I appreciated it and enjoyed taking photos.
Check out our Philippines Street Art post:
Jeepney Street Art in Moalboal 
Moalboal Eco Lodge - the perfect place peace and relaxation
Where to stay in Moalboal
When visiting Moalboal, Moalboal Eco Lodge is the perfect place to stay. Located in the middle of a peaceful field, it’s close enough to walk to restaurants and the beach, but far away so you can have a good night’s sleep. There is plenty of space so you sometimes feel you have the place all to yourself. Nestled in amongst palm trees, bamboo and coconut trees, Moalboal Eco Lodge have beautiful Bamboo Cottages suitable for solo travellers, couples and friends. We have two private rooms and a spacious Deluxe Room with sofa, plus a shared breakfast area, and a beautiful hammock/yoga/sunset deck. Take a look at our rooms! Visit our Eco Shop* for all your plastic free, zero waste, palm oil free travel products! (*10% from every purchase is donated to help street dogs in Moalboal) Heading to the Philippines? These articles may be helpful! Bucket List Ideas and Experiences in the Philippines Fun Facts about the Philippines Is Oslob Whale Shark Watching Ethical? Things You Should Know Before Visiting the Philippines Must-Try Filipino Foods
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