We were still on Day One of
chasing waterfalls in Iligan City. After a quick sightseeing trip to
Mimbalut Falls, our next stop was Tinago Falls. I revisited
Tinago Falls last year with friends and extended family. In that trip, I wasn't with my hubby and daughter Gianne and I promised to be back with them.
The 10 to 15-minute habal-habal motorcycle ride from Mimbalut Falls took us across the border that delineates Iligan City and Linamon, Lanao Del Norte. It's been 10 years since I've taken that route. There has been much improvement in the road that led to the entry to Tinago Falls but the road still gets rough as one gets closer.
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| It was Gianne's first time on a habal-habal |
As soon as we got there, we climbed down the long staircase that led to the majestic falls and its deep pool. True to its name, Tinago Falls is a gem hidden deep in a ravine. One could not see it unless he gets right to the pool that catches its cascade.
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| Official Rates and Fees (Linamon Side) |
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| Stairway to Tinago |
Since it was a weekday, there were very few other tourists. We prefer it that way most of the time, so we could get some peace and quiet as we enjoy nature.
The water that fell from the cascade was noticeably lesser than it was on my previous visit, perhaps because I returned in the summer. But Tinago Falls was still enchanting as always. The cascade maintains its might and strength, and its vast curtain of water that seemingly fell from cracks in the rock wall made for an awe-inspiring yet extremely calming view.
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| Adding to the enchantment was the rainbow that appeared as the sun veered to the west. |
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| Family picture. We have a photo taken from this spot in 2002. |
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| Gianne at "The Great Valley"- it's what she called this place when she first saw it ten years ago. |
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| Notice the log under the bridge? They say it fell from upstream during a typhoon. |
The raft that tourists use to get to the main cascade was not available at that time. The local attendants said they arrived one morning and found that the wire that guided the raft was broken. They figured someone must have taken the wire and sold it as junk.
We took our time diving and swimming into its cool waters. Gianne and I even dared to go to a small cave hidden by the water curtain. It was reminiscent of The Hobbit's Gollum lurking underneath the Misty Mountains.
We watched as local kids took turns diving from the rock wall that stood at one side of Tinago Falls. They dove and swam with ease, completely oblivious to the fact that the pool was more than 80 feet deep. It must be amazing to be a child and have this marvelous waterform in your backyard.
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| Local kids. Just another day in their backyard. |
On my
last visit, I took photos of the garbage that littered the picnic area in the Iligan side of Tinago Falls. I emailed the photos to local and regional tourism offices and they replied acknowledging receipt of my complaint. I did not hear back but I checked if the situation has changed. There was a some improvement, but a cleaner, garbage-free picnic area would still be better.
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| Iligan side picnic area, January 2012 |
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| Iligan side picnic area, January 2012 |
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| Iligan side picnic area, March 2013 |
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| I was delighted to see the doggie again. He was still friendly as always. |
After a quick snack and picture-taking, we packed up. There were no real shower rooms but the water was clean so we decided to just change into dry clothes and shower at the hotel instead.
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| Couldn't resist taking a photo of my new Merrell Siren Sport 2 with the waterfall background. |
It was another fun day in the great outdoors. I was glad to have been back with Gianne and hubby. We made the most of the day hanging out and bonding, away from gadgets or digital connectivity - there's no mobile coverage down at the waterfalls. I felt blessed for having done this with the people I love most. Perhaps God gave us the great outdoors not just remind us of his power, but to give us respite from our daily burdens.
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| Crossing the border back to Iligan City |
Related entries:
ChasingWaterfalls in Iligan City
Chasing Waterfalls: Mimbalut Falls
To see my other waterfall adventures, click here.
