Niludhan Falls, Bayawan: 40 Meters Tall, 25 Wide, and Right by the Road
Niludhan Falls in Bayawan City is about 40 m tall and 25 m wide; our old page had those two numbers swapped. It sits in Barangay Dawis beside the Mabinay to Bayawan road, about 10 minutes down concrete steps from parking, not deep in untouched jungle. The fee, if any, is a few pesos. Swim in the basin with a vest: there have been drownings here.
Niludhan Falls · Sitio Niludhan, Barangay Dawis, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental · Checked 29 October 2026
Dawis · Bayawan
Width, not height
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40 m tall, 25 m wide
The size
Niludhan drops about 40 m and is about 25 m wide. Our old page called it 25 m tall; that figure is the width. In dry months the curtain splits into three thin streams.
Dawis, Bayawan
Where it is
Sitio Niludhan, Barangay Dawis, Bayawan City, near the Mabinay border and beside the Mabinay to Bayawan road. About 10 minutes down concrete steps from parking.
Small, if any
The fee
Older sources say free or a donation; a 2024 guide gives about ₱10. No 2026 figure was found. Bring coins.
Drownings in the past
Safety
Swimming is allowed in the basin. A 2019 visitor reported earlier drownings and free life jackets. Do not stand on top of the falls. Toilets were reported unusable in 2025.
From Dumaguete, 2 to 3 hours
Getting there
Take a Ceres bus toward Mabinay or Bacolod and get off at Paniabonan junction, then a habal-habal to Dawis; or ride to Bayawan and take a Mabinay-bound bus back. Confirm with the Bayawan City Tourism Office, (035) 430-0117.
Checked October 29, 2026.
How big it is
About 40 m from lip to pool and about 25 m across. In the wet season it falls as one curtain; in the dry months it splits into three thin streams. Guides compare it with Tinuy-an in Bislig. The mini Niagara line was ours, and it oversold it.
What is there now
Concrete steps lead about 10 minutes down from the parking area to the basin. There are concrete umbrella cottages along the river and a small eatery has served rice meals. A September 2025 update reported the toilets unusable and no phone signal. Older sources say entry is free or by donation; a 2024 guide gives about ₱10. No 2026 figure was found.
Safety
Swimming is allowed in the basin. A 2019 visitor reported earlier drownings and that life jackets were being lent free. Do not stand on top of the falls, and keep out of the water after heavy rain, when the river turns brown and fast.
Getting there
From Dumaguete, take a Ceres bus toward Mabinay, Kabankalan or Bacolod and get off at Paniabonan junction, 1 to 2 hours, then a habal-habal to Dawis; or go to Bayawan, 2 to 3 hours, and take a Mabinay-bound bus back, asking to be dropped at Niludhan. Fares in older guides are from 2017 and 2018. Before a long trip, call the Bayawan City Tourism Office at (035) 430-0117. From Cebu, start with the south Cebu route to Dumaguete. On the same side of Negros: Mag-aso Falls in Kabankalan.
Big water a long way from anywhere. The 7641 Islands tee is for the islands you have to work to reach.
Suroy Wear · Island Series
Frequently asked questions
How tall is Niludhan Falls?
About 40 m tall and 25 m wide.
Where is Niludhan Falls?
In Sitio Niludhan, Barangay Dawis, Bayawan City, beside the Mabinay to Bayawan road.
Is there an entrance fee at Niludhan Falls?
Older sources say free or by donation; a 2024 guide gives about ₱10.
How do you get to Niludhan Falls from Dumaguete?
Take a Ceres bus toward Mabinay or Bacolod to Paniabonan junction, then a habal-habal to Dawis.
Checked 29 October 2026.
