Oct 5, 2024
Amazing!! - We had such a great tour with Andrei!
The boat ride to the Falls was definitely the highlight of the day!
First you will drive ~2 hours to get to the jump point for the Falls. On the way, Andrei was kind enough to stop at a roadside bibingka stall in Pila to let us watch it being made and try this delicious Filipino treat!
Once you get to the jump point for the Falls, you are led to a long wooden boat that holds ~2 people. It’s about a 2 hour journey to the Falls, navigating multiple rapids, with a rest break half way (only going to) where you can purchase (with cash) snacks and drinks. We were asked if we also wanted to purchase food and drinks for our boatmen and we kindly obliged. It was a very reasonable price.
Once you get near the falls, you will transfer to a large bamboo raft that holds ~8-10 people and 2 different boatmen pull the raft along a rope to take your under and behind the Falls to a cave where you can swim briefly. These boatmen were a bit pushy about tips. However, our main 2 boatmen never asked. We did feel it appropriate to tip all of them because the work was so strenuous navigating the boat through rocks and narrow paths by hand/foot.
Overall it was exhilarating at the Falls, but also a peaceful and beautiful journey on the way to/from.
At Hidden Valley Springs, you get to eat a wonderful buffet of Filipino food and enjoy relaxing pools. This was a welcome respite after our Falls adventure. (It was about an hour between the two and then, due to traffic, another 2 hours back to Manila.)
Andrei was fantastic! He was very accommodating and shared many things on the way about the varying cities and Filipino cuisine and culture.
I recommend wearing a swim-suit, with clothes over it, and water shoes. You will get soaked. You can change into dry clothes after you finish at Hidden Valley Springs. I also recommend a waterproof phone pouch so you can take pictures/video along the way. The boatmen are also willing to take pictures for you! Andrei was also great about telling us what to bring and taking pictures as well.
10/10 think this trip was worth the price, especially because we were the only 2 on the tour and Andrei was so kind as to make it very tailored to us!
Review provided by Viator
Oct 5, 2024
No hesitation - Wonderful scenery in pagsanjan. The ascent of the river in the middle of the forest, waterfalls, with butterflies of all colors and iguanas, it is magical, the pilots of the boat were incredible, of formidable efficiency to manage the rapids uphill as well as downhill, and very friendly. Hidden valley was peaceful, natural pools a delight, all surrounded by nature. Keep in mind that the Guide does not enter the site and that we are autonomous. So certainly there are transport times, and the cost when you are alone, but frankly, the places are worth it and in addition Guide and driver were warm, full of humor and info.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jun 18, 2024
Two beautiful places to see in one trip! - This trip was amazing. Here’s a bit of a breakdown for anyone looking to go!
First off- you will get wet and you will be in the sun. So sunscreen, towel and swim clothes. Also I highly recommend water shoes over flip flops. There are rocks and a bit of hiking and water shoes are easier. Also hidden valley has lockers, showers, and bathrooms. If you want to shower bring shower things. Ladies- bring toilet paper because there was none at the falls. (That’s common for a lot of places). If you want to tip or buy a drink or something- bring cash otherwise everything is paid for. (Hidden valley also sells soda and beer which need cash)
We were picked up from our hotel at 6am in a large comfortable van. Our tour guide, Eddy, and our driver, Marlon, were both friendly and let us know if we needed anything from them- to let them know. We asked to stop somewhere for coffee and snacks so Marlon found a spot with a Starbucks and snacks. Eddy answered all my questions regarding the Philippines with knowledge and enthusiasm… especially for 6am! Ha!
When we got to our first stop for the falls, we were given a quick heads up about pushy tipping culture and reassured that everything we are about to experience was already paid for and not to feel pressured unless we really wanted to. Also we could leave belonging in the car because they would take care of them. There were bathrooms, showers and changing areas.
The falls were beautiful. We were asked for tips or to purchase food at every stop, but if you said no thank you, they understood and kept going. It was very impressive how they maneuvered through the rocks and pulled the canoes through. The first part of the trip is in the sun, but once you get into the jungle area, it’s mostly shade. The second falls you can get on a raft and they will take you under the falls to a cave and you can get in the water. The water was cool and the raft guy took tons of photos for us with one of our phones. The trip back was significantly faster (going with the current of course).
When we got back to the van we started for hidden valley. Eddy pointed out some things along the way and talked about the springs and the volcano. He also answered my questions about the local architecture features as well as some history behind it. They also stopped along the side of the road so we could try Buco (coconut) water and Bibingka 🤤. It was very tasty and a perfect snack.
Once at hidden valley he got us our tickets and told us where to go and where they would be when we were done. We went to the buffet first and the staff was very inviting and helpful. The food was pretty good. But we were more excited to go to the springs! The springs were very relaxing. The warm pool was the perfect temperature for relaxing. And the closer to the warm falls you are, the warmer the water. Same one with the soda pool except colder. We also hiked to the hidden falls. Towards the end of the hike it did get a bit dodgy, but they had a guide to help you along the way.
All in all it was a very relaxing day. When we were done the longest part was the ride home due to traffic in the Philippines being terrible. We all fell asleep. Marlon was a very safe driver and at no point did I feel unsafe. We arrived back at our hotel around 7.
All in all we enjoyed a very relaxing day and felt very well taken care of. I highly recommend this trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
May 11, 2024
Overall amazing and simply breathtaking!! - I wasn't sure what to expect on our excursion to Pagsanjan Falls and Hidden Valley Springs but it definitely did not disappoint. The scenery and people we encountered went above and beyond our expectations. The trip to the Falls was a breathtaking experience with views that one only dreams of. The amount of labor put into the canoe guides is applaudable and extremely respected and appreciated. The Hidden Falls grounds and pools were beyond relaxing and beautiful. I would highly recommend this excursion to anyone visiting the Phillipines, especially if you're near Manila and have a free day off.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Apr 16, 2024
Thrilling Riverside + Hot Spring - This trip is one of the best amazing countryside side trip that we have here in the Philippines. River pathways was very quiet thrilling and fun heading to the falls, the water is clear and cold good for this SUMMER SEASON.
After the activity we drove down to the hidden valley springs and have some Filipino Authentic Cuisine and it was a buffet especially the snacks too.
This tour is highly recommend and we definitely do this tour again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Apr 16, 2024
Pagsanjan Falls in Laguna - This place is simply amazing. The guides are awesome. One of the best experience we’ve been to. Nature along the river was spectacular. It was well worth the trip. If you are looking for places to go, this would be recommended. It is a great place to enjoy your summer vacation. Pagsanjan, Laguna is just about 2-1/2 hours drive from Metro Manila. Pagsanjan adventures have some magical hook that kept me longing to visit the place all over again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Apr 16, 2024
Had an amazing experience, will definitely plan my next tour with them. Amazing👍 - Had an amazing day with the tour. Unforgettable experience wonderful scenery combined with a fun and joyful tour guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Apr 16, 2024
Fun day in Manila - Very good product knowledge with regards to the subject involved in our tour. Assisted us in anyway possible. Exceeded. My experctations
Review provided by Tripadvisor
May 10, 2024
Poor value for the experience - Trip was super expensive (would recommend doing it yourself with a private driver or even a taxi). There was very little commentary from the guide (he was lovely, answered questions, slept a lot) so you really just need the driver. The boat trip to the Pagsanjan falls was great - but can organise this yourself. Be prepared to be in full sun for an hour. The hidden valley springs were ‘ok’. The included buffet lunch was average (not even a soft drink included for our total tour cost of US$240 - I find this underwhelming). Again you get dropped and do this yourself ….so it’s an expensive swim really. Didn’t have enough time here to swim and go to the falls so can’t comment on what they’re like. The vehicle was air conditioned which was great, sorted out the issue with the seatbelts, but would expect a bit more modern and comfortable, including wifi, for the cost.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Apr 9, 2024
Really fun day of adventure and relaxing, but wouldn't pay this much again - Overall, this was a really fun day and Seana and the driver were both lovely but I don't think this tour is worth the price point ($240pp) which is why I'm giving 3 stars. Seana was very communicative and picked us up promptly at our hotel and during the first part of the drive, we had a great conversation and Seana shared a lot of information about Filipino culture. The tour was myself, my partner, and one other solo traveler and the van was very comfortable for our group of 3 (plus Seana + the driver).
We had a couple issues on the canoe trip to Pagsanjan Falls. First, the three of us shared a canoe which was uncomfortable given that we were all tall. Given the price of this tour and the relative price of the canoe portion (online suggested it's $20pp), it would have been nice if my partner and I had our own canoe because it was extremely cramped and uncomfortable sharing such a tight space with someone we didn't know. Also, our boat started breaking apart about half way into the tour and rusty nails and screws were sticking out, along with shards of splintered wood. It felt extremely unsafe. We convinced another oarsman to trade boats with us, but they requested 500 pesos as a 'rental fee', which we paid because we didn't feel safe going down the rapids in our boat. Seana was going to follow up with the Ministry of Tourism to report this, but we didn't hear back about a resolution or possible refund.
The Hidden Valley Springs was beautiful and a really wonderful way to spend the rest of the afternoon. I especially liked the short (~30 min) hiking trail to the waterfall and exploring the grounds. The buffet lunch was also delicious and the amenities at the resort (locker room, showers, etc) were really nice.
We really enjoyed this tour, but we felt it was overpriced for the experience.
Review provided by Viator