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Stories of town explorations.
This is a travel blog guide, review, and curation dedicated to Tulunan Falls of Pisan.

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🇵🇭 KABACAN, COTABATO
Waterfalls, NATURAL WONDERS, Cotabato, Kabacan This travel guide is divided into sections, organized in separate tabs for context-based navigation. Once I get to gather more data and materials for Tulunan Falls of Pisan, I will update this article. You can also expand thumbnail photos by clicking on them.

▼ OVERVIEW ▼ HISTORY TIMELINE ▼ REVIEW GUIDE ▼ WHERE TO STAY ▼ WHAT TO DO ▼ WHERE TO EAT


General: The word Tulunan came from the Maguindanao word "tulun," which means "a place of abundance."

Location: Tulunan Falls is located in Brgy Pisan of Kabacan town in Cotabato province. It's under Purok Bermuda. The waterfall base has an elevation of approximately 145 meters above sea level. For the exact location, check my Google pin here.

Route or Directions The entry or jump-off point is at Purok Kuweba, still in Pisan. The jump-off point is approximately 28 minutes away from Kabacan Terminal Complex. See the map below for the suggested directions and route if you're coming from downtown Kabacan. If you are using a navigation app, this is the GPS coordinates of the jump-off village: 7.200980, 124.870478.

Waterfalls, NATURAL WONDERS, Cotabato, Kabacan

Entrance Fee: As of this posting, the entrance fee per head is 10 pesos which you have to pay the moment you reach the village. The house near the parking area is where you are going to pay for the entrance fee. If you're not sure, you may ask the crowd—but beware of scammers.

Parking Details: There is a parking area at the jump-off village suitable for motorcycles. Parking fee is 5 pesos per motorcycle unit. See photo of the parking area below.

TULUNAN FALLS - PISAN

Trail profile: The trail from the jump-off village to the waterfalls base is approximately 500 meters. The start of the trail has an elevation of approximately 95 MASL. Approximate elevation gain on the trail is 53 meters from the start of the trail.

TULUNAN FALLS - PISAN

Opening/Closing Time: The area is open from 6 AM to 4 PM.

Facilities: There are three cottages for rent at 100 pesos each (as of this posting). There are no stores and restrooms. See photo of the cottage below.

TULUNAN FALLS - PISAN

Ownership: The waterfall is actually located inside a private property. Below is a selfie I took with the private owner of the waterfall.

TULUNAN FALLS - PISAN
TULUNAN FALLS - PISAN

2025-February-02 • This date became the first time I visited this waterfall. This date is also the basis of the information I initially added on this travel guide blog. Based on what I heard, Tulunan (falls) has been here since time immemorial; but it was only recently when they opened it to the public that they called it as "newly discovered" falls about 2 weeks prior to this visit.
Tulunan Falls, Kabacan, Cotabato, Soccsksargen, Mindanao Island, Mindanao Archipelago, (Philippines), Philippines, Southeast Asia, Asia, World, Vantage Point: Tulunan Falls, Waterfalls » 7.20468,124.867901

Location and Access Guide: The location of the place is a Muslim community. It is important to be aware of the cultural boundaries if you are a Christian. Location access is easy, as the roads leading to the village of Purok Kuweba in Pisan are paved. If you didn't bring your own vehicle, there are tricycles in the village. As to the fare, I have no info.

Directions Guide: If you are coming from Kabacan poblacion/downtown, I posted a route suggestion under the OVERVIEW section courtesy of Google Maps. The advantage of this waterfall is its easy accessibility from anywhere in Kabacan as the road network is efficient. I suggest using a motorcycle when visiting this place. You may not want to soil your car after a muddy hike.

Expenses Guide: The only mandatory expense you may utilize is the 10-pesos entrance fee (as of this posting). If you brought your own vehicle, parking fee is 5 pesos for motorcycles/scooters. Bringing your own food is not prohibited.

Parking Guide: If you're planning to bring your vehicle, the parking area is a small space under a tree. They charge 5 pesos per motorcycle as of this posting. I am not sure for four wheels. In our case, there are parts of the parking area that were muddy.

Trail Guide: The trail is like a walk in the park. Be careful of some parts, though. Despite the almost flat trail, there are sections that are slippery and muddy. I slipped and fell twice on this hike. It's a 15-minute hike from the village to the waterfall passing through farms, plantations, and mountain landscapes. Along the trail, several species of forest plants are abundant. The lower cascades of the creek are also visible along the trail.
TULUNAN FALLS - PISAN

There are no available homestays or inns around the area. I also don't recommend staying with the locals due to the lack of tourism management guidelines as of this posting. The waterfall's popularity became viral with unexpected influx of visitors, so the community did not expect a sudden arrival of multitude, crowding their small mountainside village. There are three cottages available at the base of the waterfalls, . The owner charges 100 pesos per hut as of this posting.
TULUNAN FALLS - PISAN

Hiking: Enjoy a softcore leisure hike. Notice the lower cascades along the trail. Don't forget to view and enjoy the mountain landscapes and the trail that dissects a certain banana plantation.

TULUNAN FALLS - PISAN

Swim at the waterfall: The path of the cascades are not slippery. The rocks were mineralized, and they stick to your feet. Take a shower in a safe corner and enjoy the waterfall massage.

TULUNAN FALLS - PISAN

Climb the waterfall: The waterfall has several layers per drop. You may want to climb the highest cascade that is open to public. Observe safety and precaution first.
There are no restaurants around. There is a sari-sari store at the village.


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▬ END OF TRAVEL GUIDE ▬



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▼ COTABATO ▼ TRAVEL GUIDES ▼ UPDATED GUIDES AND REVIEWS

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MORE TOWNS OR LOCATIONS YOU MIGHT LIKE TO EXPLORE:
SM S LI C T M V P B SC


UPDATE HISTORY FOR THIS BLOG POST

2025-March-02:
• YouTube video of Tulunan Falls added.
2025-February-16:
• This post was published.
NAGUSTUAM DIAY NABASAM/NAKITAM? MABALIN MO MET I-LIKE.
Stories of town explorations.
This is a travel blog feature, travel guide, and curation dedicated to the Magsaysay Beach as a subject matter (in Santa, Ilocos Sur).

• This blog is an ongoing personal journal project. This page will be updated intermittently. My goal for this curation is to create stories, reviews, and documentation about the Magsaysay beachline in Santa.

• To view more photo details and contexts (like location, date taken, and camera used), you may put your mouse cursor over the image if you are using a PC. If you are on a mobile browser, touch and hold the image until a window pops out.

• All photos included in this article are actual photos of the beach taken by me. Photo thumbnails could be enlarged by tapping or clicking it.

🇵🇭 SANTA, ILOCOS SUR
EDMARATION This article is divided into sections, organized in separate tabs for context-based navigation. All of the sections are works-in-progress. Once I get to gather more data and materials for specific topics related to Magsaysay beachline, I will add additional tabs. I have also collected various materials for this beach stored in my drive. Hence, aside from writing updates about this beach, I will also write about my previous visits in this beach.

▼ ACTUAL VISITS ▼ HISTORY & CURERNT EVENTS ▼ OVERVIEW

This section is where I will post any new original materials I obtained related to Magsaysay beach. It could be a blog or a visual/photo update.

 ►  2022-December-19



This is my latest actual intentional visit to Magsaysay beachline. It was a part of a spontaneous ride, though; but reaching the area, I decided to intentionally document the area. It happened during the pandemic period with less stringent mobility rules. The specific segment I visited was the part of the beach below the Santa Seawall, alongside the Manila North Road.

MACARTHUR HIGHWAY
MACARTHUR HIGHWAY MACARTHUR HIGHWAY MACARTHUR HIGHWAY MACARTHUR HIGHWAY MACARTHUR HIGHWAY MACARTHUR HIGHWAY
I noticed that an erosion control intervention was applied to this part of the beach. Based on my research, DPWH placed tetrapods on the beach to control erosion.

This was also the first time that I personally stepped onto the beach area. I did not go to the waters, though. This place is very familiar to me because I always pass by here everytime I travel down south of our province going to the towns after Santa and major cities like Baguio and Manila. I found out that there is a stair going down to the beach area.

At that time, I noticed that the beach area had no soft consistency. Instead of sand, it seemed like they were replaced with gravel and mountain rocks. This part of the beach is actually very prone to landslide. I suspect that the rocky beachline could be a result of erosion from the mountain slope in front of it. The seawall in front of it actually speaks of the erosion incidence in the area.

On the other hand, I noticed the presence of a creeping vine called "kadena de amor" in the beach area. The vegetation starts from the mountain slope below the highway then creeps down to the beach area. See image gallery above for the photos I took on this day.

For the full story of this visit, check this link: ▼ 🇵🇭 SANTA • This beach in Ilocos has stories to tell

🇵🇭 SANTA • This beach in Ilocos has stories to tell


HISTORY OF MAGSAYSAY BEACH
(TIMELINE OF EVENTS)


2024-August-18 • The SK of Magsaysay did a beach clean-up together with the BFP Santa, PNP Santa, and Samahang Ilocano-Santa Chapter. [2]



2006-May-16 • The town of Santa was reportedly the hardest hit town when the waves brought down a concrete seawall constructed along the shoreline of Magsaysay and other barangays. Typhoon Caloy reached Signal #4 when it moved northward and reached peak intensity with 10-minute sustained winds of 175 km/h (110 mph) on May 15. [1]

______________________________________


BIBLIOGRAPHY:
• [1] Molina, T. (2006, May 17). Big waves leave Ilocos coastal folk homeless. Philstar.com. https://www.philstar.com/nation/2006/05/17/337017/big-waves-leave-ilocos-coastal-folk-homeless
• [2] 𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐊𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐀𝐍 Brgy. Magsaysay

For a clearer context, the name "Magsaysay Beach" here refers to the beachline under the jurisdiction of Magsaysay District, a barangay in the town of Santa, Ilocos Sur. There is no official or designated beach name yet to this area, so I'd call it the Magsaysay beachline.

 ►  Santa Seawall and the Beach

MAGSAYSAY DISTRICT BEACH, SANTA, ILOCOS SUR
🇵🇭 SANTA • JACKSTONE BREAKWATER PROTECTS THE COASTLINE FROM FURTHER EROSION IN FRONT OF THE SEAWALL.
A certain part of the Magsaysay beachline is located in a delicate area that is prone to coastal erosion. A segment of this beachline is located in front of the Santa Seawall. Some parts of the beach line are also good for swimming and other beach activities.

The DPWH placed tetrapods (jackstone breakwater) on the beach below the seawall to mitigate further erosion. Powerful big waves are common in this area during typhoon season. The Santa Seawall fronting this beach has been destroyed multiple times.

 ►  Manila North Road and the Beach

MAGSAYSAY DISTRICT BEACH, SANTA, ILOCOS SUR
🇵🇭 SANTA • THIS SEGMENT OF THE MANILA NORTH ROAD WAS ERECTED ALONGSIDE THE BEACH.
A segment of the ▼ MANILA NORTH ROAD

🇵🇭 LUZON ISLAND • MacArthur Highway or Manila North Road (Local Guide + Review)

(MacArthur Highway) is visible from the beach area. In fact, this segment of the highway runs on top of the Santa Seawall.

The beach area has become narrower, though, due to constant erosion.

 ►  Luna Hill and the Beach

MAGSAYSAY DISTRICT BEACH, SANTA, ILOCOS SUR
🇵🇭 SANTA • A PARTIAL VIEW OF THE VERDANT LUNA HILL (OBSTRUCTED BY THE SEAWALL) CAN BE SEEN FROM THE BEACH AREA. IN FACT, THE SEAWALL ITSELF IS PART OF THE MOUNTAIN SLOPE THAT DIRECTLY MEETS THE SEA.
I haven't seen a beach area fronting a gigantic mountain here in Ilocos aside from the Magsaysay Beach. This natural design is unique here in Ilocos Sur. In fact, the mountain slope of the Northern Luzon Heroes Hill National Park ends at this beach area. This explains why the beach fronting the seawall is very prone to landslides and coastal erosion.

A drone photo may somehow justify the beauty of this scenery. I'm also curious of the original view when the road and the seawall weren't there yet.

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C T M V P B SC IS L P

UPDATE HISTORY FOR THIS BLOG POST
2024-December-01:
• Related articles html & scripts added and configured.

2024-November-29:
• This post was published. NAGUSTUAM DIAY NABASAM/NAKITAM? MABALIN MO MET I-LIKE.