The sound of rushing water grows louder as you make your way down the cemented steps. At the end of the trail, Tausuvan Falls drops dramatically into a cold natural pool in Bongolanon, Magpet, North Cotabato.
I like waterfalls that still feel connected to the landscape around them. Tausuvan Falls has that quality. It is developed enough for visitors, yet the surrounding forest still gives it a sense of wildness.
Although many people associate the waterfall with Kidapawan City, it is actually located in Barangay Bongolanon, Magpet. Kidapawan, however, remains the usual jump off point for visitors.
The waterfall also goes by Tawsuvan Falls and Tousuvan Falls. Its also referred to as Bongolanon Falls.
Where is Tausuvan Falls?
Tausuvan Falls sits in Sitio Waterfalls, Barangay Bongolanon, Magpet, North Cotabato.
The area lies along the foothills of Mount Apo, the country’s highest mountain. The landscape here feels very different from the busy streets of nearby Kidapawan with its thick vegetation and cool climate.
Forest covers much of the surrounding slopes. Streams run through the area, while farms and small communities occupy the more accessible land. The setting gives the waterfall much of its character. Tausuvan is not simply a cascade placed inside a tourist attraction. It belongs to a much larger mountain landscape.
Getting to Tausuvan Falls
Kidapawan City is the most practical starting point for reaching the waterfall. From the city, visitors can travel toward Barangay Ginatilan. From there, motorcycles or habal-habal can take you farther toward Bongolanon.
Motorcycle rides are also available around Crossing Mangga along the Davao-Cotabato Road.
Those bringing private vehicles can drive toward Bongolanon and follow the local signs for the falls. Road conditions can vary, especially after rain.
The final approach requires some short walking. A series of stairs and paths leads down toward the waterfall. It is not an exhausting mountain trek, but the return climb can still make you work for your swim.
How Much Is the Entrance Fee?
A PHP40 entry fee is required. There’s also a PHP10 parking fee for motorcycles and PHP40 for four wheeled vehicles. Use of cottages has another fee too. Note that the fee is used for upkeep and maintenance of the area. It is managed by the local Bagobo tribe in the area.
The Tausuvan Falls
The main cascade drops roughly 30 meters, or about 100 feet which makes an impressive descent over the rock face. The amount of water also changes with the weather. After rain, the cascade can become wider and more powerful.
At the bottom, the water gathers in a broad natural pool perfect for swimming. The water is cold. Really cold. And that is part of the experience. After walking down the trail, the first plunge can feel almost shocking.
What to Expect at Tausuvan Falls
Tausuvan Falls has facilities for visitors, including cottages, restrooms, and areas for eating or resting. The waterfall itself remains the main attraction. You can sit near the pool and watch the water crash down from the cliff. You can also swim when conditions are safe.
The surrounding vegetation creates a lush backdrop. Ferns, trees, moss, and other plants cling to the rocks around the falls. The rocks can become slippery, though. Stronger currents can also develop after heavy rain.
The Community Behind Tausuvan Falls
There is another reason Tausuvan Falls deserves attention.
The waterfall operates within an Indigenous community landscape. Sources identify the local community as Bagobo, with residents involved in tourism activities around the falls.
Community members have worked as guides, porters, motorcycle drivers, and other tourism workers. This creates a direct connection between the waterfall and local livelihoods.
Visitors are entering a landscape connected to Indigenous people and their ancestral environment. Respecting local rules and listening to community members should therefore be part of the experience.
More Than a Waterfall
Tausuvan Falls is easy to describe in numbers: it is roughly 30 meters high. It has a broad natural pool. It sits near the foothills of Mount Apo. But numbers do not really explain why the place stays with you.
There is the sound of water filling the forest. There is the coldness of the pool against your skin. There are the steep green slopes rising beyond the waterfall. Then there are the people who live around it and help keep the place going.
It is not simply a beautiful waterfall in North Cotabato. It is part of a living landscape, shaped by nature, community, tourism, and the long relationship between people and the mountain.
And perhaps that is the better way to see places like this.
Not simply as attractions to visit, photograph, and leave behind, but as landscapes with stories that continue long after the water disappears from view.
Tausuvan Falls
Bongolanon, Magpet
Cotabato
