The hike back down from Agbalala Waterfalls was as difficult as the climb up to it. The only consolation we had was we were well rested before tackling the boulder-ridden path. With the tide rising, we were unable to pass through the beach we previously came from so we had to take an alternate route.

We clambered up a steep trail from the rocky beach to access a track on a mountain ridge. The path was quite easy to navigate if not for the searing heat of the midday sun. We were also running low on drinking water, which only made matters worse.

The trail was about five foot at its widest and a feet and a half at its tightest; the mountainside was on our right so no problem with that; the sheer drop on the left however was the thing to watch out for. It’s about a three-storey dive to the sea below, the bushes growing on the sea cliff our only salvation should we be unfortunate or clumsy enough to trip and tumble down.

After a sweltering hour of hiking, we finally passed Aluyan village, which was our starting point to Agbalala Falls. It was then an uphill climb again to the smaller waterfalls in the area. The trek was shorter than I expected and we arrived at the Apyas Falls in no time.

The diminutive Apyas Waterfalls is just eight feet high with a depth of about five feet. Being easily accessible, the place is a favorite among the locals. The place has already been sanitized for people though, with concrete steps and platforms built along some parts of the pool’s edges.  Its green pool is shaded by the canopies of the surrounding trees so having a dip even during the harsh midday sun is no problem for people sensitve about their skin.  Various groups were already at the site when we arrived with a few preparing their picnics on site complete with stoves and large cooking wares.

We were all quite hungry and extremely thirsty so swimming was really the farthest thing on our minds. It was also a bit crowded so we decided to pass dipping on its pool. With cold halo-halo and a hearty lunch on our mind, we were contented to just take a couple of photos and move on.