The Magik of Alamada – Asik-Asik Falls, Cotabato
Asik-Asik Falls is really one of a kind, and pictures I have seen from the internet would and could not do justice to how this cascade looks in reality.
Part I
The Enduring Road to Alamada
Originally, the plan for our two day jaunt in Mindanao is to day hike Mt. Apo (2954+) in Davao Del Sur, then spend the rest of our Day 2 at the shores of Samal Island.
But there’s a change in our itinerary. Our friend based in General Santos City, Enciong Alave, who also happened to join our day hike, created an event in Asik-Asik Falls with side trips in SOX and Maguindanao that same weekend.
I convinced our friend to create another one, with only the three of us if there’s no participants who’ll be joining. After some final haggling with the quotation for the trip, all was set that same evening before our flight to Davao.
After our Mt. Apo Day Hike, we arrived back in General Santos City past 10:00 in the evening. We had a quick rest before meeting our tour operator by 12:00 midnight. Our souls were even tired and fatigue was about to set in. With the 215 kilometer distance and an estimated 6-7 hours drive from GenSan to North Cotabato, we could still catch some sleep on the way. With no further ado, our van rolled down to Cotabato under the pitch black sky blanketed in millions of stars.
At around 02:30 in the morning, our van came to an abrupt stop. I peered blindly from the van’s window pane and noticed that an armed personnel were already scanning the insides of our van with his flashlight.
To our relief, we found out that we were at the Midsayap-Marbel Road Military checkpoint and that curfew hours is being implemented. We will be allowed entry to Cotabato by 04:00 in the morning. So we stayed at a nearby eatery and had some coffee until the curfew got lifted.
Love at First Sight
06:00 in the morning came and the seemingly never ending bumpy road then resumed into a cemented one. Eventually, we reached the jump-off point in Sitio Dulao, Brgy. Upper Dado in Alamada.
Upon opening the van doors, really cold air blew past us giving us that chilly Baguio kind-of-morning.
From here, we registered and had our names written on the logbook. We were required to pay 50php for the entrance fee. Going, downhill the cemented stone steps that was about 376 steps to the river where the waterfall is located.
Upon setting foot at the last stair before the rocky river bank, we had our first glimpse of the waterfall.
We continued on until we stopped at the makeshift wooden bridge then gazed in awe with the sight that was right before us. Jackpot! Asik-Asik Falls is really one of a kind, and pictures I have seen from the internet would and could not do justice to how this cascade looks in reality.
It was surreal just to look upon this hidden gem was all worth it. From the 60 meter high cliff with a flattened hill above, spring water gushes out from god knows where crevices of the rocky escarpment. Asik-Asik was wide at 140 meters and spans throughout the whole bend of the river.
From the crevices, it is carpeted in lush foliage of fern and mosses that complements the gossamer curtains of the grand and surreal view.
Unlike any other waterfall in the country, Asik-Asik Falls, is an entirely peculiar one on its own right. Instead of having a river or stream on top of it that feeds the downpour of water, this one has none. This has baffled out locals for a long time until it was known that a natural spring underneath the hill feeds this natural wonder.
It is located at the lower slopes of Mt. Ragang, also called as Mount Piapayungan or Blue Mountain. Daday Falls, an even more taller single cascade waterfall just lies a few kilometers away. Additionally, a lot more still lies undiscovered that has similar resemblances to that of Asik-Asik.
People may have got used to it that it is just a normal thing for them. But the rediscovery of this was because of a military operation somewhere in the year 2000, the armed personnel sort of found out this hidden gem. Their pictures circulated around that called the attention of some of the travelers.
The word Asik-Asik was coined from the term “to sprinkle”. Because of its enchanting beauty, this tourist destination has promised and continues to be a brighter tourism potential for the people of Cotabato.
Still, Pastil…
We spent an hour dipping on its icy cold waters, frolicking like kids who experienced to swim in the river for the first time.
Eventually, the sun’s already up and we still have several more destinations to visit. We had our clothes changed at the bathrooms for a fee.
Breakfast was already being served at the eatery. There’s this 10 php meal wrapped in banana leaves that they are selling so we decided to give it a try. This Mindanaoan delicacy was called a “Pastil”. A cup of rice (usually the highland variety) is topped with shredded chicken or meat toppings called as “Kagikit”. Then it is cooked in soy sauce and vinegar resulting into an Adobo like dish.
After topping the rice with meat it will be covered in wilted banana leaves.
After consuming one serving, I was looking forward to even more serving right after.
There was this strange simplicity in this delicacy that made it really savory. You can add a hard-boiled egg (which I did), tuna flakes, tomatoes, eggplant and adobong sitaw for an extra side dish.
Along the way, the highlands of Alamada was too majestic not too look upon. From afar, the ridges of Mt. Akir-Akir looming over the fields of Libungan stands solitary.
The people we met that day were even extra nice: from the aunties in the eatery, the uniformed personnel in the checkpoint, and the locals along the way, so far, the experience has started to be this good.
How To Get There
- Nearest Airport hub is located in Cotabato City, the Awang Airport.
- From Cotabato City hail tricycles or Payong-payongs to take you to the Van Terminals that has trips bound for Midsayap, Cotabato, trips depart once full and is from 06:00am to 05:00pm every day. (Fare: 70php-100php, 1.5+hrs travel time)
- Please don’t confuse yourself with Cotabato City from Cotabato Province. Cotabato City is part of the ARMM Region and is a city in the province of Maguindanao. Whereas, Cotabato or North Cotabato is a province of the SOCCSKSARGEN Region.
- Upon arrival at Midsayap, Cotabato there are two options:
- First option, take jeepneys that are bound for Brgy. Dado in Alamada (Fare: 70php-100php, 2.5hrs travel time.) Upon arrival at Brgy. Dado, charter a Skylab or Habal-Habal to bring you to Brgy. Upper Dado which is also the jump-off point of Asik-Asik Falls. (Fare: 100php, 30minutes travel time)
- Second option, and is the fastest is to charter a Skylab or Habal-habal to take you directly to Brgy. Upper Dado in Alamada, they charge 700php-800php for the roundtrip ride and it can usually accommodate two (2) persons at a time but I suggest to have only one (1) passenger since the road is in bad conditions, specially on rainy seasons. (1.5hrs travel time)
- They charge 50php for the environmental and entrance fees, while additional 20php for using their bathrooms. No guides are needed.
- Travel Hack: Try their PASTIL.
Next Stop: Grand Mosque of Cotabato City
TransitPinas would like to thank Sir Mark Anthony Plecerda of Buen Viajeros for the hassle free #RoadtripMindaNow day tour arrangement!
The 2018 #RoadtripMindaNow Adventure Series
Updated as of April 05, 2018
