Even though we lost two days in Anda due to the canceled ferry in Siquijor, we didn’t let it stop us from exploring this quiet corner of Bohol. We managed to fit in a couple of memorable day trips—exploring mystical Lamanok Island, wandering Cadapdapan rice terraces, and cooling off at the breathtaking Can-umantad Falls.
We didn’t try to see all of Bohol in one go; instead, we concentrated on sites close enough to reach by public transport, making these half-day trips from our base in Anda, Bohol relaxed and memorable.
Lamanok Island: Mystical, Sacred, and Slightly Surprising
Early in the morning, we grabbed a tricycle from Anda market square and headed to Lamanok Island, a place shrouded in mysteries—the first being that it isn’t really an island, but a peninsula. You can only reach it by boat, which is why everyone insists on calling it an “island.” Who knew a peninsula could pretend to be an island so convincingly?
After paying the fee, we set off along a wooden boardwalk toward the boat dock.
Mangroves crowded the path, but in some spots they receded to reveal black, brackish water that smelled strongly of mud.
It was eerily quiet—no birds, no insects, just the soft creak of the boardwalk under our feet. Some sections were quite rustic, with boards missing or broken, turning the walk into a small adventure before we even reached the dock.
We arrived as the first visitors of the day. But the site seemed to run on its own schedule—no boats were ready because they were still being repaired. So we waited, gazing at the distant “island” across the wide expanse of water, rippling in the fresh breeze.
While waiting, a small show unfolded: a dog jumped off the dock and strolled through the shallow water, which barely reached its knees, all the way to the island. We laughed, realizing that if we’d brought our water shoes, we could have walked across too.
Crossing to the Island
When our boat ride finally began, that thought was quickly confirmed. Progress was painfully slow. The boat scraped the bottom in multiple places as it inched through the warm, shallow water, stirring up mud and turning the water cloudy.
Once we arrived, we were greeted by our enthusiastic guide Gonzalo, who led us through the island’s fascinating secrets.
He explained that Lamanok is a revered place, where spirits are said to dwell and local traditions hold deep meaning.
Actually, we had two enthusiastic guides on this tour, as Gonzalo had a dog with him who seemed to confirm his every word by wagging its tail—clearly knowing Lamanok even better than its master.
Prehistoric Cave Paintings
First we climbed the stairs up the cliff, following a narrow trail along the edge. We even had to squeeze through some very narrow rock openings before reaching our first stop: a cave with prehistoric paintings.
Our guide said these paintings are 10,000 years old, among the oldest in the world alongside French and Spanish sites.
Unlike their European counterparts, these didn’t depict people or animals, but red fingerprints and handprints that stood out vividly on golden rocks.
It was fascinating to see something this ancient up close. Soon, we were ready to move on, away from the merciless tropical sun radiating off the sun-baked cliffs.
The Witch’s Cave
Next was the “Witch” cave, which thankfully gave us some respite from the heat. Legend says Ka Iska, a young woman from a nearby village, was thought to be a witch and blamed by superstitious villagers for some missing pregnant women. She escaped to Lamanok, living for decades in this cave, where she survived by gathering and eating shellfish. The cave is still littered with empty shells. Ka Iska apparently lived for over 100 years. Shellfish must be very good for your health!
Ritual Cave
If the cave with 10,000-year-old paintings had huge historical value, the next cave was the most important spiritual site on Lamanok.
Shamans from different Philippine islands visit Lamanok every Easter to renew their healing powers. Each brings an offering for the spirits, usually a chicken. Half the chicken is left in the cave; the other half is shared with participants. This is where the island gets its name: manok is the local word for chicken.
Our guide mentioned that just a few weeks ago, a shaman had even brought a whole pig as an offering after a successful healing.
Standing in the cave, Gonzalo poured some liquor into an empty bowl—for the spirits:
“I do it every time I am here,” he said.“And the next day the bowl is empty.”
Being a spirit on Lamanok must be a thirsty job.
By the time we finished exploring Lamanok’s mysteries, more visitors were already crowding the beach, waiting for our guide—Gonzalo was the only one available that day. We were very happy to have arrived at opening time, so we didn’t have to wait or share this experience with a crowd. With the visit done, it was time to head back to the boat, not knowing that our adventures for the day were far from over.
The Eventful Return
The boat ride back was quite eventful. To reach the boat, we had to wade through ankle-deep water, which felt almost hot on our feet. Valery wisely removed his shoes. I, less wisely, did not. Mud clung to the bottom of my footwear, loudly sucking at each step. Suddenly—twang!—a strap snapped, leaving me hobbling along with a crippled sandal.
Somehow, I made it to the boat and got in. We started our ride back and watched in fascination as our boat wasn’t rowed at all—instead, the driver walked through the shallows, towing it behind him. It was a very weird, slow-motion experience and honestly, quite boring. “I wish we had our water shoes and just walked back,” I thought, glancing from our driver to my ruined footwear. Maybe I had offended the Lamanok spirits somehow, and this was my punishment.
I was still worried when we got home—this was my only pair of sandals for the trip. Sneakers in the heat sounded miserable, and finding new sandals in sleepy Anda seemed impossible. Could the rest of our Philippines trip be ruined for me?
“Why don’t you try to fix it?” Valery suggested. Skeptical, I asked our host for help—and like magic, he jumped on his motorbike, found a cobbler, and an hour later, my sandal was fixed. The best part? It cost just 100 PHP (~2.40 CAD). The day was saved!
Practical Tip
- Getting there: Hire a tricycle from Anda Market Square—drivers know exactly where to go for the Lamanok tours.
- Tricycle cost: Expect to pay around 300 PHP total for two people, including the ride there and back plus a 2-hour wait.
- Timing: Arrive early—around 9 a.m., ideally on a weekday. There is only one guide, so coming early helps avoid long waits and crowds.
- Main Lamanok tour: 400 PHP per person, which includes the boardwalk access, boat transfers, and a guided tour lasting about 1–1.5 hours.
- Other tour options:
- Mangrove boat tour: 250 PHP per person
- Snorkeling tour to see giant clams: 250 PHP per person (bring your own snorkeling gear)
We didn’t know about the snorkeling option and didn’t bring swimming or snorkeling gear—too bad, as we would have loved to see the giant clams. Next time, maybe?
From Rice Paddies to Waterfall Pools
Another day, we decided to explore Cadapdapan Rice Terraces and Can-umantad Falls near Anda, Bohol, using public transport—and luck was on our side.
We left early, arriving at Anda Market just after 6 a.m. for a quick carinderia breakfast.
At 6:40 a.m., we caught a bus heading to Tagbilaran and were advised to get off at Guindulman Public Market. From there, we waited only a short while for a van going to Ubay, which dropped us at Lungsodaan Public Market—the start of the road to the terraces. A driver even waved over a tricycle for us—helpful locals everywhere! We reached Cadapdapan before 8 a.m., despite using three different modes of transport. Not bad at all.
Cadapdapan Rice Terraces
Our tricycle parked at a small restaurant perched on a hill, with a sweeping view over the rice terraces below. November was not the best month to see them, as most of the rice had already been harvested, leaving muddy patches and shallow puddles behind. Still, the terraces were striking, running layer after layer up the hillside, backed by distant green mountains.
The terraces were beautiful from this viewpoint, but we wanted to get closer.
Makeshift boardwalks and narrow paths wound through the rice fields, so we went to explore.
Some balancing was required on the old, shaky boards, but we made it through.
Along the way, we passed villagers tending the fields, standing knee-deep in the mud.
Seeing that effort up close made it impossible not to appreciate how much work goes into growing rice.
I still don’t like rice, but I now have a deep respect for it.
As time went on, the sun climbed higher, and suddenly something magical happened. What had been brown, muddy patches turned into shimmering reflections of bright blue sky and fluffy white clouds—like dozens of mirrors built into the hillside. Clearly, every season has its own enchantment if you stop long enough to notice it.
A short trail led up a small hill for even more views, which we shared with a couple of contemplative resident cows, perfectly unbothered by time or seasons.
Can-umantad Falls
After spending enough time among the terraces—and under the increasingly hot sun—we returned to the restaurant to begin the next part of our visit. A trail to Can-umantad Falls starts right from there. It first descended through more sunlit rice fields before entering a blissfully cool forest where light softly filtered through the leaves. We heard the waterfall long before we saw it, its roar echoing through the otherwise silent woods. Fine mist hung in the air, making it cool and damp—a huge relief after the hot walk through the fields.
That same moisture, however, had its downside. The steep concrete path leading down was wet and coated in green moss, making it extremely slippery.
We moved carefully, sliding and stumbling in places—I even fell once—but eventually reached the bottom and caught our first glimpse of the waterfall.
Our timing turned out to be perfect. The waterfall still carried plenty of water from Tropical Depression Verbena a few days earlier, yet it had calmed enough for safe swimming. A few locals were already enjoying the calmer lower pools, but it wasn’t crowded. We happily joined them, relishing the cool water after the heat of the day. The pools weren’t large, but deep enough for a pleasant swim. We floated in the calm water, then moved to the rapids, where it rushed forcefully between pools. In these spots, the rushing water gave a natural hydromassage, and we lingered, savoring the sensation.
We stayed in the lower pools until we noticed people swimming closer to the roaring main cascade. Encouraged, we carefully made our way over, slipping on wet rocks, until we reached the base of the falls. There, we joined the other intrepid swimmers, letting the powerful water crash over us and laughing like children. The force of the falling water was exhilarating and a little scary, sometimes knocking the air out of us—but it felt like pure joy.
Return Journey
Eventually, we made our careful climb back up to the restaurant. The journey home was almost as smooth and fast as the one out.
As soon as our tricycle arrived at Lungsodaan Public Market, a bus pulled in, and we hopped straight on—a lucky break, as these buses only run about once an hour.
The bus dropped us at Guindulman Public Market, where we finally hit a small snag: a long wait for the bus back to Anda. After about 15 minutes with no bus in sight, we decided to share a tricycle with three other passengers. It was snug, but it cut the price in half.
We arrived back in Anda just in time for lunch, proof that this trip is both very doable and affordable using public transport. Rice terraces alone would not justify the effort and expense of this trip, but combining them with the waterfall made it a perfect half-day trip from Anda.
Practical Tip:
Public Transport:
- Bus from Anda Market to Guindulman: ~25 PHP per person, runs about once per hour.
- Van from Guindulman to Lungsodaan: ~50 PHP per person.
- Bus from Lungsodaan back to Guindulman: ~20 PHP per person.
Tricycles:
- Lungsodaan to Cadapdapan terraces and back: ~600 PHP for two, including waiting time.
- Guindulman to Anda Market: ~50 PHP per person if shared; ~200 PHP for two alone.
Tips:
- Get off at Lungsodaan, not Candijay, for the shorter tricycle ride to the terraces.
- Early weekday visits are best to avoid crowds and midday heat.
Less Rush, More Connection
Looking back at these trips, we were reminded why we love traveling at our own, slower pace. Unlike a fast, full-day tour in Siquijor, which involved a lot of driving and hopping from one sight to another, these half-day adventures let us connect with each place we visited—the mysterious island, the quiet terraces, and the cool waterfall pools. We didn’t just see the sights—we felt and experienced them without rushing, on our own schedule. Both these trips left us with lasting memories, a deeper appreciation for each place, and plenty of energy to enjoy the afternoons that followed.
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