Badiang Spring Pool
Imagine sitting bellow a spring with waters flowing from your back. The euphoria is simply addictive and it is one of the greatest things to do, especially on holidays. At Bohol, same as Cebu has Springs that allow tourist and locals to enjoy the waters and relax while cold water run through their body. Badiang Spring which is situated in Bohol has a resort with pools for friends and family to unwind.
he Badiang Spring is located along the coast of Valencia town, at barrio Anas, in the province of Bohol. This is one province of the Philippine archipelago that has developed into a tourist destination.
Valencia town is 42 kilometers away from Tagbilaran City, the lone city of the province and its capital. It lies east along the coastal highway. The town is a 4th class municipality with a population of over 7,000 spread into 35 barangays.The Badiang Spring Resort is relatively small and fenced in. At the top level and thru openings in between trees and dense foliage, one sees the blue sea beyond. Wide cement steps provided with metal handrails lead down a cliff towards two (2) swimming pools: one big and the other designed for children.As you go down the steps, the waterfall is at your left-hand side. The water gush forth from two pipes and the side of the falls, instead of a rugged cliff, has been landscaped. It is now easier to rest on the wall and allow the cool rushing water to engulf oneself.
Badiang Spring is an underground freshwater spring that gushes forth over a cliff only a few meters high forming an attractive waterfall. The water is icy cold and flows directly to the sea which is only a few steps away.
The area where the spring is located is scenic. The top of the cliff is full of trees and from there you look towards the mesmerizing blue expanse of the sea. Under and on the sides are rugged cliffs with intermittent tall coconut palm trees, old talisay trees, and other tropical foliage.
The area is a favorite haunt of the locals, who either bathe under the falls or go swimming in the crystal clear water of the sea beyond. It is also a source of drinking water of the surrounding neighborhood. Likewise, the water that flows to the sea is where the locals wash their soiled clothes.
The beach is not of fine sand. It is a beach of round and smooth stones – a joy for pebble collectors. The crystal clear blue sea beyond is ok for swimming and for snorkeling. The water is icy cool near the spring’s outlet and warmer further off.
Nowadays, the area where the spring is located looks different: more attractive and convenient to bathers. Gone were the days when I bathe in the spring under its natural surroundings . . . and for free
Before, only a small pathway leads down a rugged cliff towards the spring’s natural outlet. Coming out from the top side of a cliff, the rushing water flows naturally over it, forming a waterfall. The water then winds its way thru a stony ground towards the sea.
Now, due to the ever increasing influx of tourists, local and foreign alike, the LGU (Local Government Unit) and the eco-tourism council of the town where it is located developed the area into a tourist haven.
With an entrance of P20 per adult and rental fee of cottages, huts and shelters, the municipality earns and is able to give jobs to some of their constituents. With the resort as an initial project, the government is aiming to develop more income-generating ventures and turn the sleepy town into a tourist destination.