Siargao Island in the Philippines is mostly known for its stunning beaches, surfing, and chill-vibes. Unlike on Cebu, you won’t find numerous waterfalls here. TakTak Falls is the only waterfall on the whole of Siargao Island that is easily accessible.
We couldn’t leave Siargao without visiting the waterfall. Despite being a little bit far away from General Luna, it’s definitely worth a visit. Also, you can combine it with visiting a few other places along the way.
For example, Alegria and Pacifico Beach beaches are perfect stops for some relax. If you’re looking for a different type of adventure, head to the Maasin River basin.
To be honest, we truly enjoyed our time at TakTak Falls. Some of the best things you can do here are cliff jumping, tree jumping, and also swimming in cold water. I especially loved the fresh watere after surfing at Pacifico Beach.
Keep reading to learn where to find this spot, what’s the entrance fee or opening hours.
Where is TakTak Waterfall?
TakTak Falls is nestled in the municipality of Santa Monica on Siargao Island in the Philippines. We recommend visiting Cebu Island before or after traveling to Siargao, too.
The waterfall is situated not so far away from the coast. The closest beach is Alegria at 5 km. It only takes 10 minutes on a scooter.
When traveling from General Luna, you have two options. The first one is to travel along the Siargao Circumferential road on the west coast. This is the shortest and fastest route. It’s around 51 km and takes 1 hour and 10 minutes.
When traveling along this road, you won’t find many tourist spots on the way. You can visit a few lesser-known places such as beaches, springs, and a waterfall.
The second and more popular option is to travel along the east coast. It takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach the falls on a motorbike from General Luna. This route is 65 kilometers long.
The biggest advantage of the second option is that it takes you through multiple tourist spots on Siargao Island. You can visit Coconut Road, Maasing River, Magpupungko Rock Pools, Pacifico Beach or Tayangban Cave Pool.
You can also save the location of TakTak Falls to your Google Maps app.
How to get to TakTak Falls?
Rent a motorbike
One of the most convenient ways to travel around the island is on a motorbike. Most visitors stay in General Luna, where most accommodations and restaurants are located. Since it is the main tourist hub on the island, you won’t have trouble finding a scooter rental in General Luna.
The price is usually around 300 to 350 PHP per day.
However, if you want to stay in Siargao longer than a few days, you can negotiate a better price for a motorbike.
Optionally, you can also rent a motorbike online via Klook. The price is just slightly higher. But it might be more convenient if you don’t want to look for a motorbike on the streets. The owner is incredibly friendly and replies fast.
No matter how or where you rent a bike, leaving a deposit of around 1000 PHP or/and your national ID is usually required.
Roads on Siargao are in amazing condition. They’re often very wide and with almost no potholes whatsoever. It feels very safe driving around here. Additionally, there’s little to no traffic in most places. Don’t forget to wear a helmet when riding around the island on a motorbike.
One thing to keep in mind is that you won’t find many fuel stations outside General Luna. To avoid unnecessary troubles, leave the town with a full tank.
Since GL is a surfers’ paradise, you can even rent a motorbike with a surf rack installed. It’s great if you want to surf in different spots on the island since the rentals are not always available.
Important: Don’t forget to get an international driving license before leaving your home country. You should also never travel without reliable travel insurance.
Hire a tricycle
Optionally, you can also hire a tricycle driver. Hiring a tricycle will be more expensive, though. However, if you don’t know how to drive a motorbike, it will be a good option, too. You can also get a better price if you hire a driver for a whole day.
If you plan to discover many places around the island, traveling this way will cost a lot. So keep that in mind when planning your budget. To get the most out of your trip, we recommend finding a driver who speaks at least some English.
Where to stay?
The closest area where to stay when visiting TakTak Falls is Alegria Beach. It’s a beautiful and peaceful location. However, it is also remote and doesn’t have many facilities. You’ll only find a few restaurants and hotels here. So there’s not much to do in your free time.
Therefore, we recommend staying in General Luna or the Cloud 9 area. In comparison, General Luna is full of life, with many night-time activities. On the other hand, Cloud 9 is better if you plan to surf there a lot.
Best hotels on Siargao
Check availability
TakTak Waterfall entrance fee
Entrance fee: 50 PHP per person
Parking fee: 20 PHP per motorbike
The entrance fee to TakTak Falls on Siargao Island is 50 PHP per person. But locals pay smaller fees. Additionally, motorbike parking costs 20 PHP.
You’ll find the ticket booth soon after you leave the main road. You are also required to register – write down your name and nationality.
Once you pay the entrance fee, keep driving for less than a minute to reach the waterfall. The parking area is next to the waterfall.
TakTak Waterfall opening hours
Opening hours: 8 am – 5 pm
The official opening hours are from 8 am till 5 pm.vYou can practically visit the waterfall at any time. However, the ticket booth is only open after 8 am. If you arrive earlier, make sure to pay the entrance fee when leaving.
You may be asked to leave after 5 pm. But since the water is quite fresh, you may want to enjoy this place when the sun shines in the area. After 5 pm, the sun doesn’t shine here anymore.
About TakTak Falls
TakTak Waterfall on Siargao might not be the most fascinating waterfall you’ve ever seen, but it’s worth a visit if you’re already heading north. However, I would not drive all the way up here only because of this place.
TakTak is very popular amongst locals. You’ll meet many kids from surrounding villages playing around in the water.
It’s a perfect spot to wind down, enjoy the sun, and be surrounded by lush green forests. You can also relax in the pool. Two inflatable wheels are available for everyone to use.
If you want to escape the crowds or hustle and bustle of GL, this is the place to go. Since it’s so far away from the main tourist spots, not many tourists visit this place.
You will find two interconnected pools in the area. The first one is right under the waterfall. While you can reach the bottom on its edges, the water gets deeper in the center.
The second pool is perfect if you just want to chill and lay in the water. This one is also great for little ones. It makes this place amazing for families with kids and people who can’t swim.
Cliff jumping
You can have a lot of fun playing around. If you’re an adventurous person, you can climb up and jump from the top of the waterfall. Be careful since the rocks are slippery, especially in the upper section.
It is also possible to jump from a tree hanging above the pool. However, the pool isn’t too deep everywhere. Make sure the water is deep enough before you jump from the tree. You have to jump towards the waterfall to have a safe landing.
Apart from cliff and tree jumping, you can climb to the top. You have to go around through the jungle. Don’t climb directly through the waterfall since it’s dangerous. I wasn’t there personally, but I saw the locals climbing there.
Facilities
When it comes to facilities at TaTak Falls, you can buy some snacks and drinks at the small bar. You can find it right next to the pool. They will also let you use their toilet if you ask. You won’t find any showers in the area.
It’s important to note that there’s not much space around to spread out your towel and lay down. A narrow concrete path was built around the waterfall, and that’s about it. You can expect to spend around an hour or two in the area.
Tip for a trip: Are you an adventure lover? Then, you will enjoy fun activities at Siargao Wakepark. Try a 60-minute wakeboarding or hydrofoiling session.
Travel Insurance
One of the worst things you could do is travel without insurance. We never go on a trip without travel insurance. Anything can happen during your adventures.
Our go-to company is SafetyWing. They will save you hundreds or thousands of dollars if something goes wrong.
If you purchase the insurance through our link, you still pay the same, and we will earn a small commission. This helps us run our blog. Thank you ❤️
Best time to visit TakTak Waterfall
Dry season: March – October
Rainy season: September – February
I highly recommend planning your trip to Siargao during the dry season, which starts in March and ends in October.
Coming during the rainy season might be a good idea if you’re tight on a budget. You can expect lower prices for almost everything. If you love surfing, you should come between July and December.
There is no specific best time to visit during the day. We came in the afternoon, and it wasn’t crowded at all. Therefore you don’t need to worry about too many crowds. No matter what time of the day you come, you’ll enjoy your time at the waterfall.
However, since it’s a popular place for locals to cool down, avoid public holidays and weekends.
Best restaurants around TakTak Falls
You won’t find many restaurants around. If you want to enjoy lunch or dinner, we highly recommend 3B Bar & Restaurant. You can eat directly on Alegria Beach, unquestionably the most beautiful beach in Siargao.
The menu offers a few simple dishes like fish and chips, seafood, chicken curry, and more. We tried burgers, which were simple but tasty. Don’t expect something extraordinary.
If you don’t want to eat at 3B Bar & Restaurant, you can go to Burgos. There you can choose from a few restaurants. A popular place is Beshie’s Brew and Bites. You can expect friendly staff, mouth-watering food, and cheap prices here.
Don’t forget to check out the beach once you’re there.
Other places to visit near TakTak Falls
Alegria Beach
Alegria Beach is by far the most beautiful beach in Siargao. The beauty of the beach absolutely amazed us. To reach Alegria Beach, you have to drive a motorbike for 1 hour and 20 minutes. However, TakTak Falls is only 10 more minutes from here.
The beach has a stunning turquoise color, clean white sand, and chill vibes. Additionally, we were almost alone on the beach. It was just us and a few locals enjoying a karaoke session.
If you’re looking for surf spot, it’s not possible to surf directly on Alegria Beach. However, you’ll find a few “secret” surf spots around, which are mostly known only by locals.
The biggest advantage of this beach is the fact that you can swim here even during low tide. After visiting a few beaches around the island, you’ll realize how special that is!
Luckily, the first few meters are sand only, even during the peak of low tide. While the water is not very deep, it’s more than enough to cool down and have a good time.
Pacifico Beach
Pacifico Beach is another amazing spot for surfing and sunbathing. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced surfer, you can enjoy surfing to the fullest at Pacifico Beach.
In general, you can find two surfing spots at Pacifico Beach. The first one for advanced surfers is at the beginning of the beach. The second spot, which is for beginners, is at the end of the beach.
Apart from surfing, you can also enjoy beach swings and sunbathing. You can find swings at the beginning of the beach. This area is a private land. Therefore you have to pay a small fee of 20 PHP per person if you want to chill there.
This is the only place with palm trees and some shade on the beach. It’s worth paying a few cents for more comfort. Don’t forget to check the tides before going to the beach. During a low tide, it’s impossible to enjoy the water.
Coconut road
Coconut Road is undeniably a must-visit attraction on Siargao. It attracts many tourists each day, and I’m not surprised why. It’s a wide and long road surrounded by thousands of palm trees.
It’s the perfect place to take breathtaking photos. Whether you have a camera, phone, or drone, you can take some nice-looking pictures.
Before going to Coconut Road, you have to stop at the Coconut Viewpoint. From there, you can admire Siargao’s natural beauty.
Come early in the morning to take photos without people. The best time to visit Coconut Road is right after sunrise.
Best guided tours on Siargao
- Island hopping tour – Visit the three most beautiful islands near Siargao. The tour takes you to Naked Island, Daku Island, and Guyam Island. Additionally, you will also stop at two snorkeling spots. This was an unforgettable experience!
- Sohoton tour – Visit incredible Sohoton Cove! This trip takes a whole day, but each stop is unique. You will visit caves and different lagoons, swim with jellyfish, and enjoy cliff-jumping and rope swings.
- Land tour – Perfect for those who don’t want to drive a scooter. The tour takes you to Coconut Road, Magpupungko, Maasin River, and Sugba Lagoon.
TakTak Falls – conclusion
TakTak Waterfall offers a unique opportunity to enjoy Siargao’s beauty. For now, you can enjoy the waterfall almost to yourself before the tourism boom. Siargao is getting more and more popular each day.
Jump from a tree, or a cliff, enjoy cold water, and relax by the pool. Combine visiting TakTak Falls with Alegria Beach and enjoy a day in a tropical paradise. For more travel inspiration check our other blog posts.
