Tinago Falls: The Hidden Gem of Iligan City

I am currently living away from home for almost three years already. Before, going to any of these — parks, waterfalls, a flowing swimming pool, and beaches — had been quite convenient. But the table flipped over now that I am currently residing in Luzon.

My hometown is located in Lanao del Norte, the Land of Beauty and Bounty. It is also where the City of Majestic Waterfalls is geographically situated - Iligan City.

Iligan City is well-known for its hydroelectric power plant using its very own, Maria Cristina Falls, the main source of power in the whole Mindanao region. Aside from that, the city boasts not one but 23 (and counting) breathtaking waterfalls that will surely captivate your heart.

So when I went back home in May, I had planned to go to the must-visit places and must-try food in Iligan City. As much as I want to tick off everything, my stay there was just short since I came home for the national election. And one of the places I was able to visit is Tinago Falls, the Hidden Gem of Iligan City.

Tinago Falls is situated in the boundary of Iligan City and Linamon town, but geographically speaking, it is within the vicinity of Iligan City. Its name is derived from a Filipino term meaning hidden since Tinago is in a deep ravine on the outskirts of Iligan City. It is one of the main tourist attractions of Iligan City and is known for its majestic cascading water drop surrounded by lush green. The water that flows from it is the discharge of the man-made Lake Lanao in Balo-i, Lanao del Sur.

There are two routes to choose from: via Buru-un and Linamon. From the city proper, tourists can opt to ride a Buru-un liner jeepney or mini bus (beep).

In Buru-un, the landmark is Basic Knead Bakeshop on the right side, while in Linamon, the landmark is Caltex Gasoline Station and Ogies Lechon Manok on the right side, as well. In front of the establishment of any of these two serves as the jump-off point of Tinago Falls. Motorcycle drivers are parked there. Make an arrangement first for your fare, and then off you go.

In my case and my classmates in high school as well, we all live near the jump-off point. Probably a three to five-minute ride away from our home. Thankfully, one of us brought a car, so it was convenient to go from here (Timoga Cold Springs) to there (Tinago Falls).

Going to Tinago Falls was the result of my spontaneity and thirst for swimming. I was with my boyfriend and high school classmate in Timoga early in the morning to have a good cold swim in the free-flowing 16-ft pool and also to its Olympic-sized pool. When the crowd was starting to fill the area, I decided to vacate and head on to the majestic Tinago.

Linamon route offers around 500 descending steps to reach Tinago Falls, while the other one has only around 300 descending steps. Even though Timoga Cold Spring (I've yet to blog this, by the way.) is in Buru-un already, we still chose the Linamon route not knowing it was closed since Typhoon Odette hit the area and resulted in a landslide affecting the staircase going to the falls.

Buru-un route is a little bit harder to navigate because of the steep road. Thankfully, my classmate is an experienced driver already, and we reached the entrance in no time.

_{That's the other side taking the Linamon Route. It is temporarily closed because of the landslide caused by Typhoon Odette}

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Upon entering, we need to log in, write our names, and pay 50 PHP each for the entrance fee. We were welcomed and introduced to a guide even though we told the in-charge that we were one of the locals. She had a short introduction about Tinago and mentioned the rules to follow.

We walked for a few meters to reach the staircase. The trees were towering and we were serenaded by the orchestra of nature. It was refreshing to see and hear nature again. Then we started descending to the man-made cemented stairs which are around 300 steps. Descending is not a problem. There are stop points in the staircase with benches which is convenient during the ascending part.

As we go deeper, we heard the gush and rumbling of the water, and then we slowly had a glimpse of Tinago. There was a crowd already. The guide, while holding our life vests, led the way to our cottage. We ate first, had some catching up, and then we all went down.

Tinago Falls never failed to amaze me with how stunning she was - truly a must-see beauty. The water from the cliff full of trees, passing through the cascading rocks, and down to the deep pool-like basin was quite strong compared to my previous visits. The current was strong, and a thick rope was placed under the bridge that served as a net. Behind the falling water is a small cave where staying there is a must and just listen to the reverberated sound of the falling waters.

The basin was vivid emerald green and the rainbow didn't show up this time, unfortunately. But as always, the water was cold and refreshing, and we immediately rode to the balsa (bamboo raft). The locals in charge of the balsa hopped in and started pulling the rope that leads to the main water drop. We offered to help them, but they rejected it and said it is no longer allowed that the guest will help in pulling. We just sat on the raft and waited until the rumbling of water was loud and the drop was powerful. The water kept on coming, and it was too strong that I can barely open my eyes. Some of us decided to take off our vests and feel the power body massage of Tinago Falls. We stayed there for five minutes, just enough to feel and enjoy the body massage.

Now the fun didn't stop there. I decided to swim to the right side of the pool. It took all my energy to swim and arrive there. I sat on the rock formation and my classmates started to come over. We stayed there a little longer and decided to go near to the main drop with the help of the rock formation. I was the first in line. It was exhausting and my arms were about to give up, but it was fun and exciting. As I went nearer to the main drop, approximately 4 meters away, I told them I can no longer hold on. The water kept on splashing to my face, and the rocks were too little to be a support. So we decided to drop simultaneously and let the current lead us to the other end of the basin. One thing that I wasn't able to do was climb to the rock and take a leap and have a good splash.

The closing time of Tinago Falls is at 3:00 PM. There is available comfort and a bathroom, but we decided to rinse over at one of our classmates' house. It was almost closing time when we started ascending. It was torture to my already exhausted legs from all the swimming. I just came out from swimming and yet I was already sweating. Taking pictures was the least of my concern. Thus, I don't have any photos going up to the entrance.

If you are into chasing waterfalls, then Iligan City should be on your top list.

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_{Related blog:
3 Places in Iligan City That I Highly Recommend Visiting}

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