Iligan City is a highly urbanized city in the Northern Mindanao region. It is geographically within the province of Lanao del Norte but administered independently from the province. It was once part of Central Mindanao (Region 12) until the province was moved under Northern Mindanao (Region 10) last 2001. (Source:  Wikipedia)

Iligan City is known as the City of Majestic Waterfalls because of its more than 20 falls, and the most famous of them all, the grandest and most majestic, The Maria Cristina Falls.

I've known Maria Cristina Falls from textbooks during elementary but since I wasn't studious then, never did I thought that its in Mindanao area. Not until I was able to visit Cagayan De Oro. Maria Cristina Falls is sometimes called "the twin falls" as the flow is separated by a rock at the brink of the waterfall. But during our visit, only one flows.

The Maria Cristina Falls is located inside the National Power Corporation (NPC) Nature Park. The park is developed to attract tourists and recreational activities such as zipline and canopy walk are added too. You have to pay an entrance fee of PHP35.00 and another PHP10.00 for the ride that will take you around the park and to the falls.

From Laguindingan Airport, we almost had 2 to 3 hours of travel before we reached the waterfalls. Exhausted since we had to transfer from one ride to another for almost three hours, but on that moment, we knew we will be rewarded by that majestic falls. And no regrets, the moment our eyes saw Maria Cristina, from textbooks during elementary to reality, it is indeed rewarding. 

Just by the sound of the 320 feet high waterfall, you will feel its so powerful that it supplies 70% of Mindanao's electricity. Not only that its pleasing to the eyes, it also helps.

We only stayed here for less than an hour since we had to go back to Cagayan De Oro. Going back, we traveled for almost four hours. A total of 7 hours going to and from Iligan, and just an hour to see that majestic falls, I had no regrets. Never in my life did I thought that I'll be able to see this gorgeous waterfalls. So yeah, everything is worth it.


xx, Joyce