Showing posts with label Lanao del Norte. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lanao del Norte. Show all posts

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Nagkalisod Para Limunsudan

In English: the trouble everyone had to go through to see Limunsudan Falls.

1. Getting up at 3AM. Lisod? For someone whose body really wants to be glued to bed? Yes, lisod, but our itchy feet kicked ourselves awake to get ready for our five–hour journey to Limunsudan Falls (and another five hours for the journey back).

2. Getting up earlier than 3AM? It must have taken more will power and/or many cups of strong coffee for these 30 soldiers who were waiting for us across the pension house, ready to load us into their three army trucks.

Three army trucks, thirty soldiers, one prayer
Photo by Jeffrey Wong

3. Convincing these soldiers to accompany unimportant people like us? No trouble at all for they weren't there to be our bodyguards but to answer a call of duty—to bring supplies to the Higaonon Tribe living in Barangay Rogongon. We were just the burdensome excess baggage, hitching a ride. (Actually, the Iligan Bloggers Society went through all the trouble to arrange transportation in the form of an—as in one—army truck because the long road to Limunsudan Falls would require a sturdy set of wheels. Hats off to Iligan Bloggers Society (IBS) for the transportation arrangement!)

At DSWD to load the supplies

4. Limunsudan Falls is, according to various web sources, just 55km from Iligan City but to cover that distance, one has to go on foot which would take at least three days of hiking up and down mountains, and in and out of jungles. To cut the travel time to five hours, we took the long way round: from Iligan City (Lanao del Norte) to Cagayan de Oro City (Misamis Oriental) to Talakag (Bukidnon) and through a small portion of Lanao del Sur to reach Barangay Rogongon, which is a part of Iligan City. We drove through three provinces just to get back to Iligan City!

 The long way round mapped by Pinay Travelista

4. Five hours of sitting on the wooden truck bench or on the flat truck bed or on lumpy sacks in an army truck that's rolling over partially smooth roads but mostly rocking over bumpy roads? A big pain in the butt. Literally. And machine guns pointing at my feet? Toe–curling. Yes, I had to curl my toes try to make my feet as small as possible in case one of the machine guns go off, it wouldn't blast my toes off.

Crossing a river

5. The entire Higaonon Tribe gathering, the datus (tribe chiefs) performing the ritual (IBS had to prepare white chickens as offering), and the chiefs giving a welcome talk. These humble and welcoming people went through all that trouble.

The datus performing the ritual

6. The datus and soldiers sparing some time to lead the short and easy hike to the viewpoint, where another ritual was performed, before we could take photos of the two–tiered 870–ft. high Limunsudan Falls. From the viewing area, it's hours of steep descent (that none would dare endure) to the waterfall.

 
Limunsudan Falls, so near yet so far


 Even my camera lens couldn't get too near

7. The Higaonon Tribe preparing a program of dance and song for us bwisitors. Oh the trouble this lovely tribe had to go through to welcome strangers.


8. The selfless soldiers getting soaked in the rain when they insisted in letting us sit under the tarpaulin while the trucks we were on rocked and rolled over rocks, puddles, mud, and slick roads on the way home.

I am grateful for Iligan Bloggers Society for making this arduous journey possible (and for letting me join WAT). I bow to the Higaonon Tribe for their hospitality. I salute the 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion of Iligan for delivering the goods to the Higaonon Tribe and for letting us, the excess baggage, tag along. Thank you all for going through all that trouble just so we could marvel at this mighty body of water that is Limunsudan Falls.


Limunsudan Falls is in Brgy. Rogongon—according to various web sources, just 55 km from the city proper of Iligan. For directions on how to get to Limunsudan Falls, please visit Pinay Travelista's blogpost.


Waterfalling Adventure Tour (WAT):
Waterfalling Adventure Tour 3.0 by the Iligan Bloggers Society, Inc. would not be possible without the following partners: Iligan City Government, 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion, IHARRA, and Iligan Chamber, and event sponsors:
https://imenchu.com/https://www.facebook.com/villasabarre

 
With the support of:
Keepsakes Iligan | Adventist Medical Center- Iligan | NPC Nature's Park | Bob NY USA | The Good Type | Margeuries House of Goodies
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Wednesday, September 3, 2014

The Hidden Beauty: Tinago Falls

A warning from an officemate: Good luck with the 400–plus steps to Tinago Falls.
I laugh and shoot back: Ah, you underestimate me. I am very fit... fit to roll down hundreds of steps.

After the 10–minute spins and bumps over stone and concrete (and sometimes broken) steps, Tinago Falls revealed itself and I am rendered breathless. Breathless from the sheer beauty of the place.


It was nice and cool down at the falls, with the surrounding greenery and the mist from the waterfall. We picnicked. We rode on the bamboo raft to get a massage (which felt like punches) under the waterfall. We climbed up the rock face off the side of the waterfall (I'm a liar. It was they, not we). They, realizing they were way way up, gathered courage to jump into the water. While I was content with floating around in the cold water.


The relaxing time at Tinago Falls had to come to an end and we had to pack up after just three very short hours. (We still had Maria Cristina Falls on the itinerary.)

I paused at the bottom of the stone stairs, took a deep breath, and stared at the neverending steps. And the real meaning of the warning dawned on me: Good luck with the 400–plus steps on your way back from Tinago Falls.

I huff and puff up the steps. I am breathless once again.


Tinago Falls is located 13.8 km from the city proper of Iligan. For directions on how to get to Tinago Falls, please visit Traveling Morion's blogpost.

For your information:
♦ No entrance fee but donations are welcome.
♦ Lifevest rental Php 25
♦ Table rental Php 75
♦ Raft ride Php 10 per person
♦ Bring food and drinks; there are no restaurants nor stores down at the falls.
♦ You can hire a porter to lug all your stuff to and from the waterfall. Rate per way will depend on the porter.
♦ Changing rooms and toilets are available.


Waterfalling Adventure Tour (WAT):
Waterfalling Adventure Tour 3.0 by the Iligan Bloggers Society, Inc. would not be possible without the following partners: Iligan City Government, 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion, IHARRA, and Iligan Chamber, and event sponsors:
https://imenchu.com/https://www.facebook.com/villasabarre

 
With the support of:
Keepsakes Iligan | Adventist Medical Center- Iligan | NPC Nature's Park | Bob NY USA | The Good Type | Margeuries House of Goodies
2 comments: Labels: , ,

Sunday, August 17, 2014

The Powerful Maria Cristina Falls

Maria Cristina Falls is so powerful that as I stand on the viewdeck of the hydroelectric plant fronting this 98-meter waterfall, I see billows of mist, even with just one of its drops flowing (on weekends, both drops come rushing down full force at 11AM). The mist reaches me....or maybe it's just the rain. But, believe me, it is very powerful—it provides a large chunk of Mindanao's electricity.

 

I was in the mood to be a nerd that day and would have loved to have a tour of the power plant, but time was limited and, besides, I think a request for a tour would have to be arranged in advance.


Maria Cristina Falls is located within Iligan City's National Power Corporation (NPC) Nature's Park, just 9.3 kilometers from the city center. NPC Nature's Park can be reached by taking a jeepney bound for Buru-un (fare is Php 11).

NPC Nature's Park
Daily 9AM to 4PM
Entrance Fee Php 35
Park Shuttle Php 10

Other things to see/do at the park:
Zipline
Canopy walk
Picnic
Mini zoo
Butterfly garden



Waterfalling Adventure Tour (WAT):
Waterfalling Adventure Tour 3.0 by the Iligan Bloggers Society, Inc. would not be possible without the following partners: Iligan City Government, 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion, IHARRA, and Iligan Chamber, and event sponsors:
https://imenchu.com/https://www.facebook.com/villasabarre

 
With the support of:
Keepsakes Iligan | Adventist Medical Center- Iligan | NPC Nature's Park | Bob NY USA | The Good Type | Margeuries House of Goodies
4 comments: Labels: , ,

Sunday, August 10, 2014

The Disappearance of Mimbalot Falls

Be alarmed. Mimbalot Falls has disappeared.
Disappeared behind an eyesore.
Obscured by development in the form of Paradise Resort and Eco Park.

 Paradise Resort and Eco Park has made Mimbalot Falls unparadisiacal

Look beyond the eyesore to see the 90–ft. beauty of Mimbalot Falls.
If you'd rather not donate to the resort's idea of paradise
(read: skip paying the entrance fee of Php 50),
take the little path on the left.


If the rush of water entices you to strip and dip,
then you might have to pay that entrance fee after all.
But some little birds told me that they saw communities, cows, carabaos (water buffaloes), goats...
well, you get the picture.


Mimbalot Falls is in Barangay Buruun, 11 km from the city proper of Iligan. For directions on how to get to Mimbalot Falls, please visit Pinay Travelista's blogpost.


Waterfalling Adventure Tour (WAT):
Waterfalling Adventure Tour 3.0 by the Iligan Bloggers Society, Inc. would not be possible without the following partners: Iligan City Government, 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion, IHARRA, and Iligan Chamber, and event sponsors:
https://imenchu.com/https://www.facebook.com/villasabarre

 
With the support of:
Keepsakes Iligan | Adventist Medical Center- Iligan | NPC Nature's Park | Bob NY USA | The Good Type | Margeuries House of Goodies
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Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Dodiongan Falls: Expectation and Reality

Nice and sunny. That's what I woke up to while aboard Trans–Asia approaching Cagayan de Oro. Nice and sunny on the road to Iligan City from Cagayan de Oro City on a Super Five bus (Php 85, travel time of 2 hours; buses leave every 20 minutes starting 4AM with the last trip at 1045PM from Sunday to Thursday and 1245AM on Friday and Saturday). Nice and sunny as I dumped my bags in Jasmine Pensionne House. Nice and sunny when I entered Jacko's Kan-anan with the members of Iligan Bloggers Society and the participants of the Waterfalling Adventure Tour (WAT). Nice and sunny. Is what we were all expecting the afternoon we were to go to Dodiongan Falls, the first waterfall on this waterfall–choked 3–day itinerary.

Expectation
Dodiongan Falls on a sunny day
Photo by Pinay Travelista

Gray and drizzling as the old white van we were in navigated the road to Dodiongan Falls. Gray and drizzling as we bumped along the uneven dirt road to the jump off for the 20–minute easy hike to Dodiongan Falls. Gray and drizzling as we trudged over rocks and grass. Gray and drizzling as we crossed the river twice.

Brown and raging, the state of Dodiongan Falls was when we reached it after what seemed like more than 20 minutes. Brown and raging it stayed while we took turns taking photographs of Dodiongan Falls under the shelter of somebody's umbrella. Brown and raging still when we heard a lady call to his son, who had been leading our way, to come back. Brown and raging it persisted so we decided to turn back.

Reality


Steady and pouring, the rain was as we slowly traced our way back. Steady and pouring, the rain made the river swell. Rushing and rising, the river swallowed up the trail we had taken just a few minutes ago. Rushing and rising, the river widened and we carefully clung to rocks and plants in the hopes of not falling into the river. Rushing and rising, the river had risen to impassable depths and forced us to take another way up and down the side of the mountain, making the 20–minute easy hike into a 40-minute workout.

Soaked but happy, we all were. To have come back safe. To have seen Dodiongan Falls.

Dodiongan Falls is in Barangay Bonbonon, 14.5 km from the city proper of Iligan. For directions on how to get to Dodiongan Falls, please visit Pinay Travelista's blogpost.


Waterfalling Adventure Tour (WAT):
Waterfalling Adventure Tour 3.0 by the Iligan Bloggers Society, Inc. would not be possible without the following partners: Iligan City Government, 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion, IHARRA, and Iligan Chamber, and event sponsors:
https://imenchu.com/https://www.facebook.com/villasabarre

 
With the support of:
Keepsakes Iligan | Adventist Medical Center- Iligan | NPC Nature's Park | Bob NY USA | The Good Type | Margeuries House of Goodies
2 comments: Labels: , ,

Sunday, August 3, 2014

All In a Day's Eat in Iligan

Iligan Bloggers Society, Inc., the people who caused me to expose my bald head after I met them, sure thought of everything for the Waterfalling Adventure Tour (WAT). Including food. They made sure the waterfall chasers wouldn't starve before, during, and after the chasing.

Breakfast
La Salle Road, Pala-o, Iligan City
0906 932 8729
Monday to Saturday 8AM to 9PM
 Rice topped with shredded meat (chicken, beef, or tuna) wrapped in banana leaf, add a bit of palapa, and I have a tasty, spicy breakfast for just Php 25. I just wish it had more meat. Warning: Use palapa sparingly, unless you have a fire extinguisher handy.


Lunch
National Highway, Hinaplanon, Iligan City
(063) 222 4610
Monday to Saturday 9AM to 9PM
Sunday 9AM to 730PM
 A huge lunch in preparation for the 20-minute easy hike to Dodiongan Falls? Jacko's Kan-anan generously prepared a feast of vegetables, meat, and seafood, subconsciously knowing the participants, right after lunch, wouldn't be merrily skipping over grass and rocks to get to (and from) Dodiongan Falls.


Dinner
National Highway, Tambo, Brgy. Hinaplonan, Iligan City
(063) 221 1740
Daily 11AM to 10PM
The grill of tatay must have been busy that night that only one grilled item was served for dinner and the rest were cooked off the grill. But no one complained. The food was good and the seafood fresh. Lucky for me, I picked the right seat—right in front of the seafood tinola and adobong bihod (Tatay's specialty).


Nightcap
Brews Almighty
National Highway, Brgy. Tibanga, Iligan City
(063) 221 3836
The group recalled their days of adventure over coffee, desserts, and laughter at Brews Almighty. The recommended nightcap? Durian cappuccino (Php 100)—coffee that not only smelled faintly of durian but had bits of durian in it—paired with suman with latik (Php 20).



Waterfalling Adventure Tour 3.0 (WAT 3.0):
All in a Day's Eat in Iligan (you're here!)


Waterfalling Adventure Tour 3.0 by the Iligan Bloggers Society, Inc. would not be possible without the following partners: Iligan City Government, 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion, IHARRA, and Iligan Chamber, and event sponsors:
https://imenchu.com/https://www.facebook.com/villasabarre

 
With the support of:
Keepsakes Iligan | Adventist Medical Center- Iligan | NPC Nature's Park | Bob NY USA | The Good Type | Margeuries House of Goodies
2 comments: Labels: , , ,
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