Visiting Dodiongan Falls

One of the 23 waterfall attractions in Iligan City.

Visiting Dodiongan Falls in Iligan City has been in my bucket list since 2012. I always have the urge to visit this tourist spot because from what I saw on Facebook, the water flowing against beautiful rocks with luscious greens in the background is surely worth a visit. For a long time, priorities hindered me from doing so but I didn't stop asking my friends to go with me. Still and the same, we never had common days off from work and the plan was again put to bay.

Five years forward, Kenn and I agreed to met our good friend Kuya Paul, the campus president of Mindanao State University Mountaineering Club Inc (MSU MCI) - a SEC registered non profit organization in which the three of us are all affiliated. Hence our weekend escapade to the Majestic City of Waterfalls.

See nature in its crummy state and still appreciate it for what it is.

Dodiongan Falls is specifically located in Barangay Digkilaan, about 14 km away from the city proper. It is a budget-friendly destination in Iligan City as it requires no entrance and miscellaneous fees but a little effort to get there. I was too excited to witness Dodiongan Falls in its grandeur but when we arrived at the base point, one of the residents told us that it rained the day before so the water appears to be brownish. I looked at the river almost dismayed by the discoloration, but hey! I waited five-long years for time to allow me to embark on this adventure. I strongly believe that there's always more than just to seeing of sights so this natural process is not a good reason to back out. Besides, the rare opportunity to spend quality time with my partner and our friend (that is after college) can't be traded with shallow excuses aka kaartehan. Our short conversation with the local ended when our group head on to start our trek, which by the way, will take about 15 minutes with two river crossing in between. Yes, that's what effort is all about as mentioned earlier. Local guide isn't necessary for the trek since the trail is already established. Simply follow the stream but remember to observe precautions. With that being said, I suggest to search for weather conditions in Iligan City before visiting Dodiongan Falls for the river current may be strong after heavy rain.

Quite few guests got there ahead of us so we crossed the basin of the falls to get to the other side where we can settle our things down without mixing in with the crowd. After such, we then spent our time chatting and taking photos - all while we're in the water. The cold, mocha-colored water is not itchy and is still inviting to dip in and despite all, I still find the falls a beauty to behold. More than that, what matters to me most is the joy of connecting and strengthening relationship with the people I hold dear in my heart.

There will be times when we come into the the right place at the wrong time. & How we create a lasting memory is up to us.

A post shared by Johanns Cordita ツ (@sightseerpinay) on May 24, 2017 at 7:29pm PDT

TRANSPORTATION GUIDE

How to get to Dodiongan Falls. Coming from the city proper, take the Sta Filomena-Acmac jeepney lines and tell the driver to drop you off at San Roque crossing (the intersection after Mandulog bridge), fare is ₱8.00. Once there, you can see motorcycles or habal-habal alleyed at Barinaut terminal along the highway. Negotiate with the driver to send and fetch you to/from Dodiongan Falls on the agreed time. Fare is ₱35.00 off to the falls, ₱50.00 when going back to the city. According to the drivers, the reason with the price difference is that it's hard to take habal-habal from the base point so they would intentionally fetch the passenger there; but if you know how to haggle hard, you can convince them to let you pay a sum of ₱70.00 back and forth.

Note: If you are coming from Cagayan de Oro, you may drop off at the bus stop and just walk few meters back to San Roque crossing.

End notes

• Avoid teeming crowd by opting to visit Dodiongan Falls on weekdays.
• Bring your own foods and drinks. There is no store nearby.
• Execise caution especially on river trekking.
• Be a responsible tourist. Do not EVER leave your trash behind.