Enchanted River in Cotabato

👌👌👌👌 truly enchanting! for only 100php, u can safely swim in its clear waters. the tour guides are nice, knowledgeable, and takes great pictures!! u can also rent a boat to discover nearby islands for 500php

Its a phil.wonders at hinatuan SDS..

It wasnt crowded when we visited during weekdays. Its pretty far but i can say it was worth it. You can really relax there. Just wished there were more tables and food you can buy there.

True beauty of nature.Recommend to go during weekday. Weekends very crowded, boat available for tours very limited which we ended up skipping.

You will never enjoy its beauty if you will go there during long weekends..too many tourists..people covered its natural beauty.

I must say that the once magical river I visited 6 years ago is still or more magical. It was very clean and well maintained. You can see the fishes and by just looking at it, the blue clear water is very deep. First thing to do is pay an entrance fee of 100 pesos per person. Afterwards you can park the car uphill. Go down the stairs and a food park or stalls would welcome you with their amazing choices of seafood. You would walk like 5 to 10 mins to the river. But before that, take a picture with the enchanted woman head statue. It is still ongoing construction and it is still not fully painted. You can go inside and show the ticket. You have an option to rent a life jacket so that you would be able to swim on the swimming area. The swimming area improved and it got bigger. Enchanted River is really living up to its name.

Enchanting. Indeed.Its just sad that we cannot swim in the famous spot in the opening of this river after an accident few years ago. But in the remaining parts, the water is very clear and fresh that you can open your eyes underwater without getting irritations. Really worth it for P150 entrance

been told that the river is protected by fairies 🧚‍♀️ that give its sapphire/jade colors, engkantos, and supernatural beings that make the fish impossible to catch 🎣They have an interactive show from time to time as well.Read Rio Encantado by Modesto Farolan 📝

What can I say? The place is stunning. Its definitely worth the visit. I liked the fact that they closed off a part of the area so that the tourists dont disturb the fishes and that the surrounding area is well maintained by the grounds men. I also liked the fact that we are not allowed to eat near the area as people are generally messy and they tend to leave trash behind polluting the pristine waters. A must see site indeed!

Love all the seafooooods; Food was good and so the place was so enchanting! Especially reaching the river was so wonderful!! And you can relax and enjoy 💯‼️♠️♥️You can buy souvenir item too right on the entrance while waiting for the shuttle bus🥰🥰

A truly magical place. Do go with loved ones and experience its beauty like no other. Fish feeding is at 12 NN so if you want to see them do come around this time. We experienced fast currents while swimming so please do swim with caution. Nonetheless it was a fun time for sure.

The place itself is beautiful, serene, well maintained and organized.The fish feeding story is a little too commercialized, though (the reason for the -1 star). However, its message is thoughtful and well-intended.

Enchanting indeed. Years back we were able to swim and see different fishes down below. Not sure if its still allowed to swim.Go on a sunny day to enjoy the clear water view, avoid the weekends.

Place is good and relaxingBut over crowded when we visited....Nice amenitiesCr is cleanFood is affordable and fresh...Over all an amazing experience.

Nature formation is truly beyond imagination. Crystal blue water slightly salty perfect for a splash

Try to visit this place. Water is so clear and awesome. I know you will love this place. You will be relaxed.

This place is one of the most amazing places created by God. I am so grateful that I had already seen this wonderful place not just in the picture ^_^They serve delicious plates of seafood in their restaurant at a reasonable price. Come and visit this place and enjoy swimming in blue water with a normal temperature and not so salty water because I believe this water is a mixture of nature spring and seawater.

Its a 5hrs drive from Davao City but ite truly worth the long drive.You can go swimming into the river and experience the magistic view. There are also other activities like watching stingrays and sharks.The river it self is really enchanting!! True to its name…its super clear…deep and fascinating!

Had an amazing experience during our trip here. Food was great. Garlic butter shrimp and crabs are a must-try.

Absolutely beautiful place! Wonderful scenery and a nice place to swim. Careful though, the brackish water makes it harder to float.

This is a wonderful place to enjoy. And create some amazing memories, this is among one of the many amazing places to visit in this wonderful country of the phillipines, I highly recommend to anyone who wants to take a break from their daily routine and unwind. The entrance fee is 100 pesos per person, which includes usage of their dining tables, a shuttle ride to and from the enchanted river entrance, and a lifevest.

Very enchanting indeed. Ive only seen it on posters and videos and now Im living the dream. Such a mystical river with mystical fishes. Lol. Haha Of course the fishes are edible it is just that it is a puzzle of where they came from... Really!There is a 70 peso entrance. If you have a car there is a parking area for you guys and a cab will take you to the entrance of the viewarea about 200 or 300 meters only from the entry point (parking).Every 12 noon a narration over audio will be played while the staff will go feeding. All visitors are requested to go out of the water as the fishes will flock around the foods that will be scattered near the hole (the black part of the river.)I would say that that is entertaining and mystical at the same time. I was left in awe as blue, violet, orange, yellow, green, black,and gray fishes emerged to the surface as if undisturbed until the musics fade away and the staff got out of the water. There were still a few schools left freely roaming around the restricted area. There is specific area for swimmers to dive in to with ropes and styrofoams in placed.I was bedazzled to what I have witnessed and I will surely go back here. Once in a lifetime experience. Surely one for keeps. 😍

Worth the long ride very nice place and relaxing.. Everything is available in the place you dont need to worry if you didnt bring food because its available inside the enchanted river there also souvenirs if you want to buy

Its very enchanting.Staff are very accommodating, they attend to every thing you need.You wont get lost coz there are signages along your way to the enchanted river.Bangkeros, are very patient and friendly..they care also about your safety.

My 3rd time to be here and the water becomes clearer now. One of the best places to go in Surigao. Try also their seafood for lunch, yummy 😋😋😋

Late review (because I had visited Hinatuan on a late notice and I had just finished pending office work):One for the books.We came from an island hopping trip, this ones our last stop: the Enchanted River. There are two entry points, the other one is the main one, ours was thru the riverbank by bangka. We logged in the entrance tent by putting our names and paying the P100 fee, which should cover entrance, environmental fee and life vest use. The latter, a must, is for safety of course since the water is a bit deep and the current is relatively strong. We brought and used our own, to ensure we follow health protocols but we didnt get any discount. Hehe.The main attraction, which has the I-cannot-see-the-bottom deepest pool, is prohibited to all visitors but you can still take pictures of it from good angles on some platforms. TheSun wasnt really high up because God is good and He gave us cloudy but good weather. Also, trees are abound so they shade out sunlight from the rivergoers.Afterwhich, we settled our stuff on a cemented gutter, just alongside the pedestrian path at one side of the river. Huts were at the second level but we didnt bother. Some life vests were lying along the path, probably from other tourists who had left earlier and were kind enough to leave it there for the next users. I believe theres no corkage, albeit I didnt see any food/beverage counters selling within the park.Suggestion: bring in your own food and water. CLAYGo, of course.Careful in going down the pool steps as some parts are rocky. Barefooting is okay since you will be floating and swimming almost all the time in the water. Temp check: 25 degrees Celsius. Cool. Blue. Refreshing.Suggestion: once in the water, try to get through the ropes and to the other side of the river. Less people, more space to try your swimming skills.After 30 minutes of water fun, its time to go. Took some pictures before a 15 minute hike uphill (downhill for you if youre going in from the usual entrance spot lol)Shuttle is okay but were adventurers and we need to burn the calories from the baon we ate earlier. Then up the road, there are stalls selling souvenirs like shirts, ref magnets, keychains, etc. If youre persuasive, you can haggle and lucky to get discounts/better prices. More up ahead were cars and vans parked as the local authorities usually dont allow parking inside the park itself ( oh so thats why they have that shuttle hehe). More up ahead, theres this construction of the head of Enchanted Goddes or so. We need to hike a little bit more to Hinatuan Adventure Park (HAP), which we were staying at and is just a stone throw away from the Enchanted River entrance. Please check my Gmaps review of HAP as well.A suggestion: stay at Hinatuan Adventure Park. They have WiFi there! You can ask them to plan other sidetrips as well to make sure Hinatuan experience is going to be worth it.

late review:a must if your traveling to Surigao. A perfect place that perfectly fits for its name " Enchanted River". it is a brackish crystal clear water used to be believed by locals to be inhabited by "Diwata"... with very big fishes that do synchronized swimming during feeding time at noon with music background._Update: Restrictions has been done, limiting access to the main cave.

Now cleaner due to extensive maintenance. However access like swimming at the deep part which is the source of the water is no longer allowed. Roads going to the site is now complete.

Parking and Entrance - far from the entrance / ticketing booth, Entrance fee for Adult is 40 pesos, Children is 30 pesos, Senior Citizen at 35 pesos and kids below 5 ft is free of entrance.Food, Table and Restaurant - you can bring your own food they have designated area for you angmd your family to eat, you can order different dishes from them seafoods such as fish, crab, shrimp and local viands, thay can cook according to what you want, 100 pesos for table and chair rent where you can use for the whole day.Enchanted - about 500 meters walk from entrance or you can ask for the free shuttle, no food and drinks allowed in the area. 8 am is the operating time and shuttle ride start at 10 am.

Get ready to be enchanted! The water was cold and crystal clear! Unfortunately, we were not able to swim in the deeper blue water because they already enforced restriction areas for swimming  Also we were life vest because of the regulation, so we were not able to swim freely.

Enchanted indeed. Great place to swim for the whole afternoon.Just wondering, the water is salty. i was expecting a fresh water... but still the experience is amazing.PS There is a boat station. 1 trip going to an island is worth 500 pesos. I was not able to go since our time is limited. We still need to go to Villa Rosalina for the next days adventure which is Island Hopping in Britania group of islands.

Truly is enchanting with blue waters. They have a cultural show during lunch time where a boat is shown feeding the fishes. This is done to show how the locals would thank the water god for giving them good bounty. Food goven to the fishes are in minimal quantity to ensure this does kot disrupt their natural diet. You will notice fishes coming out minutes before the show starts as if they know it is about to start. There is a designated swimming area. Previously, one can swim on the deeper end but this is now prohibited.

We went here during our vacation in the Philippines with my husband and family. It is one of the cleanest, clearest and bluest water I have ever seen. We weren’t disappointed when we arrived here. I would highly recommend this place to visit 👍🏻

Indeed Enchanted River is breath taking 💓 I super loved it here. There is a spot for tourist to swim and there is a part in where people are not allowed to swim, maybe it was because it was too deep and fishes, big color fishes are there. The main thing is when its 12 noon, its fish feeding time. Everyone is encourage to stop swimming and spend time watching the fish feeding highlights which of course shows respect to nature and its living species. In addition, the water is blue and is clear too 🌼

The place is good and the water is clean. Very worth it, however there are a lot of charges going on on almost you do. so always ask if do you really need it. Example of the charges I have encountered are:Chairs and table set for dining areaEntrance fee charges to all destinationsLife jacket is advised to be required, however its an only an option if you really need it.

With its mesmerizing beauty, youll also get to enjoy the strong current of Enchanted River which makes your swim a little challenging, yet fun experience. Although there are no cottages in the vicinity, you could just think of it as part of what makes the river charming and enchanted.

True to its name, the place is enchanting! I love the emerald green color of the river. Too bad they already closed the deep area of the river for swimming. Still it is a very nice place to visit.

Visited last January 2019. Must visit!We Loved the place but they are not allowing people to swim in the blue lagoon anymore. they have swimming area which salt water comes together with fresh water. Water is very clear. :There are shower and toilet rooms in the area but the water is a lilbit salty too. Try to visit on weekdays, fewer tourist in the swim area.

Over rated place. Not what you see in photos uploaded.It might have been beautiful first thing in the morning when the water is undisturbed by people going for a swim. It is slightly hazy. I did not feel the wow factor for this place.When I went there around 10 am. You can swim without a life vest if you are 51" ft and above.They have temporary shower room with salt water as your rinsing water. Youll enjoy more with their boating which is 500php per boat good for 5 people only. But you have to pay 20 php every pitstop you boat goes which is a real pain in the neck of you are stretching your money.

A top destination in Surigao Del Sur. Couldnt get over with its crystal blue water. Nice to chill and relax. The place might get crowded sometimes so prepare to get in line just to take pictures.

This place is really Enchanted. As the salt water comes together with fresh water. Crystal clear water. Amazing experience was you can open your eyes below the running water from enchanted river and it does not hurt. Also part of your skin becomes somewhat silky. Anyway, that was our experience. Although, the establishment now reserves the deepest area to avoid accident and use them to attract people during fish feeding. Very majestic and a few nature could still offer for now.

I just saw this picture way back in 2013 on one of my friends post in Facebook, . from then on, I promised to myself that one of this day I will be stepping my feet on this tourist spot and I will experienced its clear water and swim on it.and then in September 2014 i was given a chance to finally made my dream come true and this is to visit this place. I am very excited it came to a point that when I first step my foot on this place my heart is palpitating and then all I wanted was to take pictures. we were lucky since we visit the branch not peak season, there were only few tourist on the area, we were able to swim on the deep part of course with our life jacket on since we dont know how to swim (duh!!fishes are also visible and as far as I know this is the best water resources Ive been so far. there is a area which is prohibited and as what the caretaker told us only for professional divers are allowed to enter beyond that point.at exactly 12 noon all tourist were asked to go out of the water because they were having their traditional fish feeding. i personally witness it and we were very amazed that when exactly 12 noon they play an enchanting music and then little by little fishes were going above of the water, there was this man throws food on the fishes. other locals told us that fishes on that area is sacred, they were not allowing to catch fish there. because they believed that once you catch the fish a bad luck will happen to you.also there is an available store on where they were selling fresh seafood and you chose what kind of dish you want and they will cook it for you.What I noticed is that during peak season you will not enjoy the placed because I am sure that there were lots of tourist coming there, since the area is very limited and the space is not that big, there will be shortages of swimming area, also life jackets were very limited. but among all, the experienced is one of a kind and given a chance I will surely come back to this place.

A very unique experience though it’s far from the city itself, it’s totally worth it!! They have lifejacket for rent here for 15pesos. It’s not allowed anymore to swim in the deepest part for the fish not to be disturb at the same time for safety. They have designated area for swimming. Souvenir shops and parking lot are available also. After paying your ticket for entrance, You will ride a tourist cab to get there in the river. Rates depends on the season! So enjoy your trip here

This place is really enchanting and beautiful. It is pretty well-known so transportation isn’t that much of a problem. They have a free shuttle service from the entrance gate going to the Enchanted River for the convenience of the tourists. Also, rates are affordable. Entrance fee for adults is P40 per person (less than $1). Tourists have the option to go boat riding for P500 for 3 hours good for up to 5 persons (around $10).

The place was so beautiful. You can do activities like Island hopping, Swim with fishes;stingrays;big fishes; even small sharks. It was such a wonderful experience. You can go to the Rock Island the view there was stunning together with their floating cottages.

One of the wonders of the world. The water is crystal clear, cool and salty. This torquise blue water comes from a infinite depth pool which may be a result of some volcanic activity during the stone age.The big fishes in the deep pool surfaces during feeding times and looks like Grouper.The management has done a great job to bar swimming in this super deep pool as there was an fatal incident. Swimmers with life vest are allowed to swim down stream which is shallower and crystal clear too.Further down the river is the boat jetty which takes you to a tour of island hopping where you can swim with stingrays and sharks.The beach and water at Pacific View Resort is enticing

We enjoyed our visit here even if we were not able to catch the 12nn feeding time where they say fishes gather to a feeding frenzy. It is very clean, clear and the most beautiful river I’ve ever seen. They don’t allow food in the river area to preserve its cleanliness, you are only allowed to bring water or any drinks. They don’t have a cottage or table near the river so don’t bring a lot of things.

its a very unique and beautiful place. the river is really enchanting... been here last year and decided to go back. unlike before that they let people swim in the blue lagoon now its forbidden. you can still swim though in the outer part of the river. but the good tthng now they also offer boating and island hoping 500pesos for 3hours is cheap you can eat in a resto feed the fish in the cages swim with sting ray and sharks!!! yes you can do that,overnight stay is also available. now you have much thing to do during your visit. but eating and washing is also forbidden near the site where the cottages is previously located. dining area and rinsing was moved away near the parking area. they say they want to preserve the area. although i hope that the local government is true to its words. i dontt think having a cottage and let visitors to eat, wash and change their clothes near the lagoon will affect it as much as the quarrying does. along the way and near the site you can you can notice quarry sites. i feel sad and worried to see that.

There were so many people that we didnt get to enjoy the place anymore. When someone swims, the water gets bubbly and blurry. It is better to spend an overnight here so you can get to see its enchanting beauty. We however enjoyed the fish feeding show.

A very beautiful and mysterious river. Its "pepsi-blue" water teeming with big fishes is really a mystery to most. It is a fact that its depth is not yet fully measured and nobody knows where it leads. Just recently, swimming in it was banned. Lucky for me I got to take a dip in it a few years back.