Looking for a budget-friendly escape in Mindanao? Look no further than Lanao Del Norte and Misamis Oriental (MisOr). Located in Northern Mindanao Region (Region X), these adjacent provinces are fast becoming favorites for penny-pinching travelers. Both endowed with diverse landscapes, a quick weekend trip to these two provinces offers you a wealth of wonders to feast your eyes on: family-friendly white sand beaches, impressive waterfalls, and beginner-friendly mountains.
With a well-connected transport system, you can also easily and affordably hop from one point to another. I only spent a total P11,300 for me and my daughter (or P5,600+ per person) for a three-day visit, RT flights included.
Discover how you can explore these two provinces cheap and easy with this guide!
WHAT TO SEE IN MISAMIS ORIENTAL AND LANAO DEL NORTE
Instead of the tourist-favorite rapids in CDO – a popular spot for white water rafting in MisOr, albeit quite expensive for a party of two – we explored lesser-known destinations in Misamis Oriental’s western side. Then, we spent one night in Iligan to see a couple of falls in its Tourism Triangle and capped off our trip by camping overnight in MisOr.
Here are the attractions we visited, plus fees, directions, and tips.
ATTRACTIONS IN MISAMIS ORIENTAL
- Isidro Beach, Initao
Initao’s beachfront is lined with a plethora of resorts, from downright cheap to mid-budget. Isidro’s Beach is the least crowded in the area, perhaps because of its no-videoke/ no-loud music policy. Unlike the other resorts on the strip, there are no accommodations or restaurants here; just a few nipa huts and a small sari-sari store selling toiletries, beer, and sodas. Tent camping is allowed for those who wish to stay the night.
The beach features cream-colored sand and gentle waters surrounded by coconut trees, making it a hit among families with small kids.
From Isidro’s, you can walk to a mangrove forest, which is part of the Initao-Libertad Protected Landscape. Stay until sundown to witness a dramatic display of colors on the horizon!
How to get to Isidro’s Beach in Initao
At Laguindingan Airport, take a van going to the Laguindingan Bus Terminal, (P50) then board a bus going to Iligan (P30). Tell the driver to drop you off in Initao. Isidro’s Beach rests on the right side of the highway, about a kilometer away from the Initao-Libertad Protected Landscape (the national park is on the left). It’s the first resort on the strip if you’re coming from Laguindingan. There’s a signage outside the gate. You won’t miss it. Travel time from Laguindingan is 20 minutes.
Entrance fee
P110 for adults; P55 for children below 7 years old
Other fees (optional)
- Nipa cottage: P1,200 to P1,500
- Overnight fee: P60/head
- Picnic table with tent: P700 or P100/pax
- Camping fee (6pm to 6am): P160/head*
*Bring your own tent. You can stay before 6 pm and after 6 am, but additional rates apply.
Tip: If you’re staying for just a few hours, you can opt to pay only the entrance fee, then just find a spot on the beach to place your bags on. That’s what we did. Public showers and change rooms are available free of charge.
- Nyor’s Playground/ Mt. Anggas – Gitagum/ Alubihid
There are currently four trails used by locals. Arguably, the most popular is the G. Pelaez trail, which starts at the Our Lady of the Hermit Church. It requires an ascent through narrow ridges to reach three prominent peaks, including one with the NPC communication tower. While kids have been known to use this trail, it is best used by experienced climbers. We were quite close to that trail and it is definitely not novice-friendly, especially if you have a fear of heights.
The trail we used – the “Like a Virgin” trail – is exclusively used by Nyor’s, a CDO-based mountaineering group that offers day hikes and overnight camping at a viewing deck called Nyor’s Playground. This trail is safer if you are a beginner or have kids with you. It features a challenging 30-minute ascent to the camp site, with a short but steep and precarious walk on a cliff. This is probably the hardest part of the hike. The rest of the seven-kilometer loop is pleasant and benign, hence the trail’s name.
You will pass by the Warrior Tree – a lone agoho tree located midway – Our Lady of the Hermit Church, and finally, the multi-tiered Abaga Falls where you can swim and rest. Majority of the trail consists of loose rocks and soil akin to Mt. Tapulao.
Nyor’s camp site is pretty small and can accommodate only around five to six tents at once, which minimizes footprint and ensures you get a quieter, more intimate experience. It is also the best spot for sunrise and sunset viewing as it offers 360-degree views of the highest peaks in Mindanao, including Dulang Dulang, Kalatungan, and Kitanglad.
How to get to Mt. Anggas
- DIY via G. Pelaez
In Laguindingan, take any Initao-bound bus. Get off at G. Pelaez (ask where the barangay hall is), then get a habal-habal to take you to the jumpoff. Guides are available at the jumpoff.
- DIY via Sikiton (route used by Nyor’s)
Go to Laguindingan Market. Take a habal-habal to Sitio Sikiton. At the barangay hall, hire a guide to take you to the mountain.
- Hassle-free hike with Nyor’s Playground (recommended!)
Entrance fee
Nyor’s Playground offers the following*:
- Day hike – P600/head inclusive of:
- Guide
- RT transpo to bus terminal
- Side trip to Abaga Falls
- Overnight camping – P1,200/head inclusive of:
- Guide
- Tent
- RT transpo (from Laguindingan bus terminal to Laguindingan airport)
- Side trip to secret beach and lighthouse in Moog (10 minutes from airport)
- Side trip to Abaga Falls
- Overflowing coffee and the company of lovely mountaineers
For hikes to Mt. Anggas and side trips to Abaga Falls and Moog, you may contact Raul Ilogon of Nyor’s Mountaineering Group via his mobile number, 09164333878. Or send him a private message via Facebook.
*Fee is waved for kids ages 7 and below.
- Abaga Falls
How to get to Abaga Falls in Misamis Oriental
We got here on foot as it is along the way coming down from Mt. Anggas. It is included in both day and overnight camping trips with Nyor’s.
Entrance fee
P20/ head, but if you’re doing the hike with Nyor’s, entrance fee is waived.
- Palanhay Beach – Brgy. Moog, Laguindingan
Situated about 15 minutes from the airport, Palanhay Beach is a little-known beach in Brgy. Moog. The beach, fringed by centuries-old rock formations and coconut trees, is part of an extensive protected marine sanctuary. Marine life is very rich compared to other coasts near Laguindingan, with seaweeds, fishes and corals thriving abundantly underwater. There was even a walo-walo (banded sea krait) that came close to us while swimming just a few meters from shore.
How to get to Palanhay Beach
If you have a car, simply make your way to “parola” or the lighthouse in Brgy. Moog, where Palanhay Beach is located. If you are coming via public commute, take an Alubijid or Initao-bound jeepney at Gaisano Mall in CDO (P30). Alight at the Alubijid Public Market, then take habal-habal or motorcycle to the beach (P50).
Entrance is free but do check if it’s open prior to arrival. When we visited in November 2018, it was closed to visitors as part of the protection efforts of the sanctuary. We were only allowed because the caretaker knows Nyor’s. If you’re doing the overnight hike with Nyor’s, a side trip to the lighthouse is part of the package.
- Punta Sulawan – Brgy. Moog, Laguindingan
As well, the area surrounding Punta Sulawan is archaeologically important. On site, you will see fossilized giant clams, and a 3,000 BC settlement on a nearby hill (just beside the highway) which was recently discovered by an archeologist.
ATTRACTIONS IN LANAO DEL NORTE
- Tinago Falls – Iligan City
Also called “The City of Majestic Waterfalls”, Iligan City is home to over 20 waterfalls. The most prominent of which are collectively called the “Tourism Triangle”: Mimbalut Falls, Maria Cristina Falls, and Mimbalut Falls. These three are located in or near Linamon, just around 30 minutes from Iligan.
Like Maria Cristina Falls, Tinago Falls is highly popular among families and barkadas. Tinago translates to “hidden”, owing to the falls’ location in a deep ravine. It takes 500 steps down to reach it (15 to 20-minute walk on concrete stairs).
The 240-foot high cascade’s main draw is its massive curtain, through which spring water gushes rigorously throughout the year. The falls plunge to a blue-green basin, which remains nippy and clean despite the hordes of tourists.
One of the highlights of this cascade is the cave that you can access in the main falls using a bamboo raft. It’s exhilarating and refreshing!
How to get to Tinago Falls
You can hire a habal-habal from Iligan City to explore the Tourism Triangle. Price is P600-P700 for a half-day tour. Highly recommended if you’re pressed for time or want to tour all three the most convenient way possible.
If you’re coming from CDO, take a bus to Iligan City. Board an Ozamiz/ Pagadian-bound bus or Linamon-bound jeepney and alight at Linamon’s poblacion (in front of Cebuana Lhuillier). Habal-habal drivers are available to take you there for P100 to P150 roundtrip.
Fees
- Entrance fee: P25 per person; free for small kids
- Parking fee for motorcycycles: P10
- Table and chairs good for 3 persons: P50
Other fees (optional)
- Rafting: P30 per person
- Life vest: P25 per person
- Go very early. The falls gets packed at around 10 am. Admission starts at 8 am.
- Bring a waterproof casing for your phone, if you want to take a photo or video of you while rafting. The locals sell waterproof casing at P100 each, but I can’t vouch for the quality.
- If one of the caretakers approaches you offering to take your selfies at the falls, you’d be charged for it afterwards. Learned it the hard way. Thought they were just being “nice”.
- Maria Cristina Falls – Iligan City
If you’ve read a geography book for elementary students in the Philippines (aka Sibika at Kultura), then you’ve probably encountered Maria Cristina Falls. High up on many travelers’ bucket list destinations in Mindanao, this powerful cascade stands at 320 feet, making it one of the 10 highest known waterfalls in the country. It lies on the Agus River in the town of Maria Cristina and powers the Agus VI Hydroelectric Plant, which supplies electricity to 80 percent of Mindanao.
How to get to Maria Cristina Falls
From CDO or Laguindingan Airport, take a bus to Iligan City (P135). In Iligan, take a Linamon or Buru-un-bound jeepney or a bus to Ozamiz or Pagadian. Alight at the steel bridge in the town of Maria Cristina. You will see a signage pointing to Maria Cristina Falls at the left side of the road. Take the NPC shuttle (P50), but make sure to call beforehand to see if the shuttle is operational (it wasn’t when we visited).
Otherwise, you will be required to take another habal-habal going inside (compulsory according to park management; P120 roundtrip). If you came with your own habal-habal or private car, your vehicle will not be allowed entry.
Fees
- Entrance fee: P35 for adults; free for kids
- Motorbike to the falls and back: P120 roundtrip
- Iligan lechon – Iligan City
If you’re a fan of lechon, don’t leave without sampling Iligan City’s version of this pork dish! The city loves this pig so much that they have an annual lechon competition involving beloved restaurants and sidewalk stalls.
The city’s version boasts extra crispy skin with tender meat. While Cebu’s is popular for its tasty and often herb-laced meat, Iligan’s version reminds you of pork roasted in your backyard – simple, rustic, but also well-seasoned that it doesn’t need sauce. It’s sometimes paired with soy sauce, calamansi, and chilli – which works pretty darn well, too.
How to get to Peping’s Lechon
There are plenty of lechon stalls in the city, but we got ours from Peping’s Lechon, which our habal-habal driver recommended. Peping’s is a frequent winner of the city’s lechon competition – and we soon discovered why!
Price
P440 per kilo. You can buy as little as 1/4 kilo (P110), which is good for 2 persons, or even a cheaper single serving if you’re a solo traveler.
WHERE TO STAY IN LANAO DEL NORTE
Iligan City offers several budget-friendly inns with options for a 12 or 24-hour stay in an air conditioned room starting at only P300. Shorter/ per hour extensions are available too.
We stayed at StayLite Suites in Brgy. Pala-o in Iligan. The pension house is tucked in a quiet corner of San Miguel Village, a short walk from The Strip, a food and lifestyle complex. It’s also near the Iligan Medical Center.
What we like about this inn is it’s cheap and away from the hubbub but highly accessible to public transport. There are a few habal-habal drivers just outside the property waiting to take you terminals in Iligan as well.
We also like that they have 24-hour room service (which is great because there are no eateries in the immediate vicinity), although orders do take some time. It’s mostly Western grub. Food is okay for the price (all below P100 and come in huge servings). There are affordable snacks, instant noodles, and other essentials for sale at the lobby too, if you don’t fancy anything off their menu.
How to get to StayLite Suites
From CDO or Laguindingan, take a bus going to Iligan City. Fare is P100. Travel time from Laguindingan is about one and a half to two hours. At the terminal, take a habal-habal to StayLite Suites. Fare is P50.
You can also take a jeepney (look out for the ones with the signage “Medical”), then alight at First Assembly of God in Ubaldo Laya Avenue. Walk for a few minutes until you get to Champaca Street where the pension house is situated.
Rates
StayLite Suites features two types of rooms, both of which are fully air conditioned and are equipped with a queen-size bed, cable TV, a desk, intercom, private bath, and complimentary WiFi.
Rooms are pretty basic and modest in size, so don’t expect too much. Sheets are very thin. There’s free parking, luggage storage, and 24-hour security.
We booked a Regular Room, which is sufficient for two people. We were billed P500 for a 20-hour stay. Below are the rates for Regular and Regular Plus Rooms.
Regular (comes with 22″ flatscreen TV)
12 hours: ₱ 300
24 hours: ₱ 600
Regular Plus (comes with 32″ flatscreen TV)
12 hours: ₱ 350
24 hours: ₱ 700
INTERNET/ MOBILE ACCESS IN ILIGAN AND MISOR
Except for some parts of the road to Tinago Falls, cellular signal and mobile data (Smart, Sun, and Globe) are present in almost all, if not, all areas in Iligan, Laguindingan, and Initao. Laguindingan Airport offers free high-speed WiFi, too. If you are connecting to the airport’s WiFi or any public WiFi hotspot for that matter, I highly recommend getting a VPN service. VPNs provide encryption while you use the net by scrambling your data, so you can safely surf without worrying about your online privacy and security (e.g. passwords) while traveling.
You can check out this ProPrivacy guide to learn more about VPNs.
HOW TO GET TO MISAMIS ORIENTAL AND ILIGAN
Laguindingan International Airport in Misamis Oriental serves as the main gateway to Northern Mindanao. Local air carriers AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, and Philippine Airlines serve several flights daily to Laguindingan from Clark and Manila. Airfare costs P1,500+ on the average, but can be obtained for as low as P500+ during seat sale promos. We got ours (Clark to CDO) at only P999 per way.
At the airport, several buses and passenger vans can take you to other provinces and cities in the region. Laguindingan Airport is located about an hour-and-a-half by bus to Iligan in Lanao Del Sur.
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SAMPLE 3D/2N ITINERARY FOR MISAMIS ORIENTAL AND ILIGAN
This was our itinerary given our flight, but you can change it up and add more activities if you are taking an earlier flight to CDO.
DAY 1: WHITE BEACHES OF INITAO, MISAMIS ORIENTAL
12:05 pm Flight from Clark Airport to Laguindingan/ CDO
1:40 pm Arrival in Laguindingan Airport, MisOr
Take Super-5 Van Shuttle to Laguindingan Bus Terminal; wait for non-AC bus
2:00 pm Board bus to Initao
2:30 pm Arrival in Isidro Beach
6:00 pm Washup
6:15 pm Take motorela (P10) to Initao bus terminal or wait for Iligan-bound bus at highway
7:30 pm Arrival in Iligan Integrated Bus Terminal, Lanao del Norte
Take habal-habal to StayLite Suites in Iligan
8:00 pm Dinner; rest
DAY 2: FALLS IN ILIGAN CITY, LANAO DEL NORTE
7:00 am Wake up; quick breakfast or coffee
7:30 am Start habal tour of falls; take out lechon at Peping’s along the way
8:15 am Arrival in Tinago Falls in Linamon
Hike down to falls; swimming, rafting
10:15 am Leave for Maria Cristina Falls (factor in hike back up to entrance)
11:00 am Arrival in NPC grounds; take habal-habal to Maria Cristina Falls
11:10 am Arrival in Maria Cristina Falls; photo ops
11:45 am Take habal back to NPC gate
11:50 am Go back to lodging
12:30 pm Arrival in lodging; wash up and eat lunch
1:30 pm Take habal to Iligan Integrated Bus Terminal
Arrival in bus terminal; take AC bus to Laguindingan
3:30 pm Arrival in Laguindingan Bus Terminal
Meetup with Nyor’s Mountaineering Group
3:45 pm Arrive in Nyor’s Playground jumpoff point
Start hike
4:15 pm Arrive in camp site
Pitch tent; relax
7:00 pm Dinner; socials
9:00 pm Lights out
DAY 3: HIKE MT. ANGGAS + MARINE SANCTUARY
5:00 am Wake up for sunrise; photo ops
6:00 am Light breakfast
6:30 am Break camp
7:00 am Resume trek
9:30 am Arrive in Abaga Falls; swimming
11:00 am Depart for Laguindingan Market
11:20 am Lunch in Seafood market or carinderia
12:00 pm Depart for Moog
12:15 pm Arrival in Palanhay Beach and Punta Sulawan lighthouse
Swim
2:00 pm Depart for Laguindingan Airport
2:15 pm Arrival in Laguindingan Airport
3:20 pm Board flight back to Manila
5:00 pm Arrival in Manila International Airport
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| Initao beach |
SAMPLE EXPENSES (CLARK-CDO; CDO – MNL)
DAY 1:
P999 – Flight from Clark to CDO via AirAsia (seat sale)
150 – Terminal fee at Clark airport
50 – Lunch at Jollibee Dau
30 – Non-AC bus from Laguindingan to Initao
110 – Entrance fee at Isidro Beach
100 – Super-5 AC bus to Iligan
60 – Habal-habal from Iligan bus terminal to lodging
250 – Accommodation/ head (P500 for 20-hour stay for 2 at StayLite Suites)
130 – Dinner at StayLite Suites
TOTAL FOR DAY 1: P1,879/head
DAY 2:
110 – 1/4 kilo lechon for breakfast and lunch from Peping’s (good for 2)
60 – Rice and water for breakfast and lunch
600 – Habal-habal tour to Iligan Tourism Triangle
50 – Entrance fee to Tinago Falls for 2 (P25 each for you and habal-habal driver)
10 – Parking fee for habal-habal at Tinago Falls
50 – Table and chairs for 3
30 – Rafting to basin of Tinago Falls
100 – Waterproof casing for phone at Tinago Falls
25 – Life vest rental at Tinago Falls
120 – RT habal-habal ride from NPC to Maria Cristina Falls
35 – Entrance fee Maria Cristina Falls
50 – Habal-habal ride from lodging to Iligan Bus Terminal
200 – Water, trail food, and dinner for hiking at Mt. Anggas
115 – Super 5 bus fare from Iligan to Laguindingan bus terminal
TOTAL FOR DAY 2: P1,555/head
DAY 3:
1,200 – Overnight camping and hiking fee at Mt. Anggas with Nyor’s
50 – Lunch at Laguindingan (roadside eatery)
P999 – Flight from CDO to Clark via AirAsia (seat sale)
TOTAL FOR DAY 3: P2,249/head
