“Tinago Falls is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and majestic waterfalls in the Philippines, with clear and turquoise waters water hidden in the mountain of Iligan”.
Oh! If there is a waterfall that really captivates my heart, it would be the Tinago Falls. As of the moment, It is, by far, one of the most beautiful falls I’ve seen in the Philippines. It is truly a majestic waterfall and a wonder to behold. You can never go wrong in visiting this place.
About Tinago Falls
Tinago Falls is a majestic waterfall located in between Linamon and Iligan city, Lanao Del Norte in the Northern part of Mindanao Island, Philippines. Tinago is a Filipino term meaning “hidden”, so, don’t be surprised with the falls being hidden in a deep abyss. The falls have a height of 240 feet (73 meters) from the cliff. Today, it is one of the most popular and visited tourist attractions in Iligan.
How many steps is the stairs before reaching Tinago Falls?
To reach the waterfalls, you need to trek for approximately 500 descending steps called the winding staircase.
How to get to the Tinago Falls?
From Manila, take a flight going to Cangayan De Oro (CDO) Laguindingan Airport. You can check available flight in airlines like cebu pacific or Philippine airline.
Note: Tinago falls is located in Iligan City and 82 km away from the Laguindingan Airport and takes about 2 hours journey. So, your journey should be bound to Iligan.
For DIY: From Laguindingan Airport, take a bus, van or taxi. If you choose the bus option, initially take the airport shuttle bus to the national highway, which costs around 30–40 pesos. From the highway, wait and catch a bus on the road bound for Iligan. You also have the option to take a van from laguindingan Airport directly to Iligan.
Once you reach Iligan, from the bus terminal, take a jeep going to the city center. From the city, you can charter a motorcycle (habal-habal) going to Tinago Falls, otherwise, if you are a group, you can take a tricycle. If you are in a budget, you can try first taking a jeep from city center with signage Purakan and drop you off the crossing, after that, take habal-habal or tricycle going to Tinago Falls.
My Experience
During my 2023 vacation in the Philippines in the month of April, I had the chance to visit Tinago Falls, one of the most beautiful waterfalls hidden in the mountains of Iligan. It has been on my bucket list for a long time, and I am really glad I made it there. Of course, this visit would not be possible without the support of our couple friends, “Mark & Claire,” who are based in CDO. It was them who guided us through this journey of our Mindanao vacation.
So, early in the morning, upon arrival at Cagayan De Oro Laguindingan Airport, Mark & Claire welcomed us and fetched us at the airport. Our first destination was the Tinago Falls in Iligan, which took about 2 and a half hours journey. Upon arriving in Iligan, we decided to take our breakfast in the restaurant along the road prior to heading to Tinago Falls. Definitely, we took the chance to order local dishes like fish and lechon. It was a good start to the day; the food was delicious, and the weather was also sunny and pleasant.
Ok, it’s time to travel, going to the Tinago Falls. From the restaurant, it took us 30 minutes before we reached the entrance of the waterfalls. Expect a steep road as the waterfalls is located and hidden on the top side of the jungle. Upon arrival, we paid around 50 pesos for the entrance, then took a group photo before going down. By the way, to reach the waterfalls, you need to trek for 500 steps going down. On our way, we greeted the locals in the Visayan language, “maayong buntag” with a warm smile. I think descending is an easy trail, however, the ascending when returning was a bit difficult. Anyhow, you will not be disappointed once you see the Tinago Falls.
Upon seeing the waterfalls, all we said was “wow”. No doubt, Iligan known as the city of Majestic Falls! And Tinago Falls was a natural proof of this. The waterfall is amazing with bluish-colored water, it has multiple streams falling from a height of 73 meters. It is truly a wonder to behold. With its massive pool, many people can swim at the same time. What was more interesting was you could take the floating bamboo raft attached to the rope pulled by the locals to reach the small cave under the waterfalls and listen to the rumbling waters. It was an adventure experience, and we really enjoyed it. I also had the chance to try the cliff jumping. Overall, it was an amazing experience.
What are the activities to do Tinago Falls?
Aside from swimming and picnic, you can also take the floating bamboo to reach the small cave under the waterfalls and listen to the rumbling waters. In addition to that, if you are an adventure junkie, you can try jumping on the allowed height of the cliff. Also, nowadays, free diving activity is becoming popular in Tinago Falls.
When is the best time to visit Tinago Falls?
The best time to visit this Majestic Falls is during the summer, from the month of March to May, when the waterfall is exceptional beautiful with bluish-colored water. In addition, this month, there has been minimal heavy rainfall, which is safe for tourists.
Where to stay?
There are numerous resorts and hotels available in Iligan depending on your budget.
Just book in advance to ensure your reservation. I usually reserve on booking.com.
In our case, after visiting Tinago Falls, we travel back to Cagayan De Oro, where our friends are living, we stayed in their house, hence we did not spent anything for accommodation.
Travel Tips
- Wear a comfortable footwear
- Don’t forget to visit Maria Christina Falls in case it is open. In our case, during that time, visiting this fall is not allowed. Mostly, you need authorizations before entering the premises.
- Visit in the morning to experience less crowd
- Bring Cash money for entrance fee, cottage and floating bamboo raft
- If you are only staying for short period of time, I suggest no need to rent a cottage like what we did, we only put our bag on the side.
Essential Things to Bring!
- Money in Cash (PHP)
- Swimming attire
- Sun glass
- Packed food. Water and drinks
- Sunscreen for summer season
- Cap for head sun protection
- swimming goggle for snorkeling
- Power bank
- Camera
So, have you been to Tinago Falls in Ilagan? Please share your thoughts, I would like to know your experience.
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