When you’re in this part of Mindanao, you gotta blend in, right? Well, maybe I took it on an exaggerated level since this municipality of Lanao is not a Muslim town but the truth is, I almost ran out of clothes to wear for this adventure leg so I had no choice but to reuse my outfits. *wink 📍Cathedral Falls, Kapatagan
🇵🇭LANAO DEL NORTE ADVENTURE PRIMER🇵🇭
✈️🛳🚌 How to get to Lanao del Norte:
⏺ Take a plane from Metro Manila (e.g. Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific) to Laguindingan Airport (Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental).
⏺ Ride a bus or van bound for Iligan City, Lanao del Norte (travel time: 2.5 – 3 hours depending on traffic condition and number/duration of stop-overs).
🏄🏝🚴 Sites to Explore/Activities:
⏺ Maria Cristina Falls, Mimbalot Falls and Tinago Falls
📌From the city proper of Iligan, ride a jeepney bound for Buru-un (travel time: 30 minutes to 1 hour).
📌Hire a motorcycle to get to these three waterfalls to save on time.
📌You will be going down/climbing approximately 500 stairsteps to reach Tinago Falls.
⏺ Cathedral Falls and Sta. Cruz Falls of Kapatagan
📌From the terminal of buses in Iligan City, ride a bus bound for Pagadian City (travel time: 2 – 3 hours depending on traffic condition and number of stop-overs)
📌Hire a motorcycle/tricycle to get to Cathedral Falls. Getting to the waterfall would not require trekking.
📌As for Sta. Cruz Falls, the trek takes about 1 – 2 hours depending on your pace.
Right after my waterfall adventure in Zamboanga Peninsula that day, I rode a bus bound for Pagadian City then transferred to another bus which took me to the municipality of Kapatagan in Lanao del Norte. I could never forget that night when I reached this town. I almost used up my pocket money for my Tawi-Tawi, Basilan and Zamboanga Peninsula trips in this one adventure leg so I had to find an ATM. Unfortunately, there was no mainstream bank but thank the gods that I found a local one. I then walked towards a small eatery and ate one of the cheapest meals I had in my life. A 15-peso fish dish and a 5-peso cup of rice (all for less than half a dollar). I mean, it’s October 2016 but is this town not affected by inflation? I asked the owner of the eatery for the closest inn where I could spend the night and she told me to hail a pedicab for ₱5. Say what?!I got up early the next morning and chartered a tricycle to get to this waterfall, Cathedral Falls. Because I was still exhausted from all the boat rides in Tawi-Tawi and Basilan plus the roundtrip plane rides to get to Tawi-Tawi from Zamboanga, boy was I so glad when the tricycle driver informed me that getting to this waterfall does not require any trekking since it’s just along the road. When I saw this in person, I remembered seeing a look-alike of it from online photos although Cathedral Falls is just a MINI VERSION though. I searched Google and learned of Iceland’s majestic Svartifoss Falls. The presence of basalt columns is the distinct feature of both waterfalls. I only stayed for a few minutes and my guide brought me back to the town proper where I had breakfast first before heading to the bus terminal. The place was so quiet and I had to wait for the bus en route to Iligan City. Right before boarding the bus, I made my way to the toilet to pee but because I was traveling alone, I had to bring my gargantuan backpack with me inside the small comfort room. I could not leave it unattended outside since it’s Mindanao and people might think my bag has a bomb or something. Damn. This is one of the cons when you’re on a solo backpacking trip.
⏰⏳ SAMPLE ITINERARY:
4:00 AM ETD for Iligan City
6:30 AM Breakfast / ETD for Buru-un
7:30 AM Maria Cristina Falls, Mimbalot Falls and Tinago Falls
10:00 AM ETD for Kapatagan
1:00 PM ETD for Sta. Cruz Falls
3:00 PM ETA Sta. Cruz Falls
5:00 PM ETA Cathedral Falls
6:00 PM ETD for Iligan City
💰💶 ESTIMATED BUDGET (for a solo traveler): Php 1,500 – Php 2,000 (exclusive of airfare)
***Expenses may vary depending on personal consumption of food and other necessities. If traveling alone, you will solely shoulder the guide fees and tricycle/motorcycle transfer rates.
📜✏️ Tips/Reminders:
📌Expect Tinago Falls to be crowded during weekends, holidays and summer vacation.
📌Always check the weather first especially if you plan on visiting Sta. Cruz Falls since you will be crossing rivers to reach it. Expect rain during monsoon season (June-February).
📌Always observe the LNT principles.
☎️ Contacts:
📌Motorcycle Driver/Tour Guide in Iligan City: Kuya Chris (09161682548)
📌Tricycle Driver in Kapatagan: Kuya Pablo (09361591458) – he can also help you find a local guide if you will be visiting Sta. Cruz Falls.
It wasn’t originally part of the plan to take a side trip to see Marawi City. But since it’s just an hour away from Iligan, I decided to visit this Islamic city first before heading back to Iligan. I think it was almost 3:00 PM when I boarded my guide’s motorcycle. 📍Mimbalot Falls, Iligan CityMaria Cristina Falls was closed during that time for security reasons so my guide took me right away to this waterfall. I was stunned to see that only a few people were showering below its cascades. It turned out that almost all of the tourists and locals were enjoying the cold waters of Tinago Falls instead. 📍Mimbalot Falls, Iligan CityThere isn’t much to see in Mimbalot Falls. It’s not as majestic compared to other waterfalls in Mindanao so I quickly took my shots before we proceeded to the highlight of my visit here in the city of waterfalls.After leaving my heavy backpack at the registration area, my guide and I went down the concrete stairsteps to get to get here at Tinago Falls. I could already hear the shouting and laughing from the visitors enjoying their swim.Nestled in the jungle between the municipality of Linamon and Iligan City, Tinago Falls really is a piece of paradise. It would have been an epic experience had I visited on a weekday. It was a Sunday so I was already expecting it to be crowded. After all, it’s one of the most famous waterfalls in Mindanao. Boy was it so hard finding a spot without people in my frames. And the funny thing was, almost all of the tourists were looking at me because I looked like a crazy person wearing a Muslim outfit as I was posing by this waterfall yet I didn’t mind anyway.My itinerary for the day felt draining to be honest. With my huge bag of stuff good for one week of backpacking in Mindanao, I had to travel from Kapatagan to Iligan City then to Marawi City then back to Iligan again. I couldn’t afford to spend more time and take a swim at Tinago Falls due to my Spartan itinerary so after capping off my quick waterfall trip in Iligan, I was back on the road en route to Cagayan de Oro City then to Butuan City where my exit airport back to Manila is.
***For other destinations in Northern Mindanao, you may visit this link.
