Iligan, Camiguin and Cagayan de Oro: Travel Guide and Itinerary

FROM MANILA/CEBU- ILIGAN
Iligan City is geographically part of within the province of Lanao del Norte. Laguindigan Airport is still the access point when going to Iligan since there are no airports in Lanao del Norte.

• By air, Take flights from airlines mentioned above.
• At the airport, ride a shuttle van going to Laguindingan Intersection. The fare is PhP 50.00
• In the intersection, ride a bus bound to Iligan City. The fare is PhP 145.00 and travel time is around an hour and a half.
• By sea, You can also check ferry lines mentioned above.

Shuttles in Laguindingan Airport

FROM CDO - CAMIGUIN
Camiguin is an island in Northern Mindanao. Air and sea travel are options but air travel is limited since its airport only serves flight coming from Cebu City.

Van routes in Agora Terminal

From the city proper, ride a jeep going to Agora Market Terminal

Ride a bus or van bound to Balingoan Port. The fare is around PhP 150++ and travel time is 2-3 hours.

In Balingoan Port, take a ferry or RoRo vessel going to Benoni Port in Camiguin. The fare is around PhP 150-170 and travel time is a max of 2 hours.

At Benoni Port, there are motorbikes that you can rent or multi-cabs you can hire to get you around the island.

Waiting area in Balingoan Port

Where To Stay

Cagayan de Oro City is highly urbanized so finding a place to stay here is not a problem. Same goes for Iligan City. While you can stay in beach resorts in Camiguin.

CAGAYAN DE ORO

• Win Min Transient Inn (Agora): +63 088 856-8043 (Recommended)
• D’Morvie (Yacapin Street): +63 088 856-7197
• Park View Hotel (Triso Neri Street): +63 088 857-1197 / +63 088 857-1198
• Executive Pension (Mabini Street): +63 088 856-4360
• Victoria Suites (Tirso Neri Street): +63 088 309-2222 / +63 088 22-72-2222 / +63 088 857-4447

Win Min Transient Inn at Agora Terminal

ILIGAN

• Famous Pension House (Tibanga/San Miguel): +63 063 225-3968 / +63 922 8919636 / +63 063 225-3966
• Jasmine Penssione Home (Tibanga): +63 063 222-1362
• Alya Vista Lodge (Poblacion):+63 063 223-3915

CAMIGUIN

• Casa Absuelo (Catarman):+63 088 387-8020 / +63 949 362-7760 / +63 928 706-3640
• JJE Pension House (Poblacion):+63 088 387-2094
• Chumz Travelodge (Mambajao):+63 088 387-9549/ +63 917 303-7305
• Paras Beach Resort (Mambajao): +63 088 387-9008 / +63 917 715-2285
• Ardent Hot Spring Resort (Mambajao): +63 088 387-0948

Ardent Hibok-Hibok Spring Resort

Attractions and Activities

Here's a list of places to visit and see and activities that you should definitely try!

• Chasing the Majestic Waterfalls of Iligan City - Around 23 waterfalls are located in Iligan City. You can have a day trip to the city to visit some of the accessible ones like the Maria Cristina Falls, Mimbalut Falls, and the ever beautiful Tinago Falls.

  The majestic Tinago Falls

• Buy Pasalubong from Iligan - Take home Cheding's Toasted Peanuts for pasalubong.

  Iligan's pride, Cheding's Toasted Peanuts

• Explore Camiguin Island - Visit the most popular landmark in Camiguin, the Sunken Cemetery and take a selfie at the Guiob Old Church ruins then hike the Walkway to the Old Volcano. You can also just take a dip in Sto Niño Cold Spring, Bura Soda Water Park, and Ardent Hot Spring or continue the chasing waterfalls adventure in Katibawasan Falls and Tuasan Falls.

  Sunken Cemetery Marker in Camiguin

  .
• White Island and Mantigue Island in Camiguin - Take a million selfie in White Island with Mt. Vulcan and Hibok-Hibok Volcano at the background and go beach bumming in Mantigue Island.

  White Island with Mt.Vulcan and Hibok-Hibok

• Taste the Lanzones of Camiguin - Be sure to buy Lanzones that just costs around PhP 15-30 per kilo! Camiguin also celebrates Lanzones Festival every third week of October.

  The sweetest Lanzones!

• Extreme activities in Bukidnon - Try out some adrenaline pumping activities in Dahilayan Adventure Park like the 840-meter zipline, the drop zone, and sky tower base jump!

  The 840 meter zip line in Dahilayan Adventure Park, Bukidnon

• Whitewater rafting in Cagayan de Oro river - Continue the extreme activities by white water rafting in Cagayan de Oro River!

  High Five!

• Mapawa Nature Park - Another destination for extreme seeking travelers. Mapawa Nature Park offers extreme activities like zip-lining, rappelling, and canyoneering.
• Eat local/Explore the City - Go to Cogon Market to have some humba (somewhat like adobo) in Humba ni Aling Violy then sikwati and putomaya for dessert.

  Puto maya and hot chocolate or "sikwati" (top left) with Humba (top right) in Cogon Market

• Buy some pastel for pasalubong - Aside from Cheding's Roasted Peanuts, be sure to also take home some pastel, a famous bread from Camiguin that you can also buy in Cagayan de Oro

  Pastel from Missy Bon Bon and Vjandep

• Visit the Divine Mercy Shrine in El Salvador City - Have a little side trip in El Salvador City to visit the Divine Mercy Shrine that has a 50-foot statue of the Divine Mercy Christ.

  Divine Mercy Shrine in El Salvador

Itinerary

This is our 5-days, 4-nights itinerary for our Iligan, Camiguin, Bukidnon and Cagayan de Oro Trip.

• Day 1 - Chasing Waterfalls in Iligan City
• 07:00 AM - ETA Laguindingan Airport
• 07:30 AM - ETD Iligan City
• 09:30 AM - Start of tour/ETA Maria Cristina Falls/Mimbalut Falls
• 12:00 NN - Lunchtime (Ihaw-ihaw eateries along Linamon Highway)
• 12:00 NN - Sidetrip Macaraeg-Macapagal Ancestral House
• 01:30 PM - Tinago Falls
• 05:00 PM - Back to CDO/Stay in inns at Agora Terminal
• Day 2 - Camiguin Island Day 1
• 05:30 AM - Wake up call/Breakfast
• 06:00 AM - ETD Agora Terminal to Balingoan Port (2-hour bus ride)
• 09:00 AM - ETD Balingoan Port to Benoni Port in Camiguin (2-hour ferry ride)
• 11:00 AM - ETA Camiguin/Check-in to accommodation
• 12:00 NN - Lunchtime
• 01:00 PM - Start exploring the island:
• --:00 PM - Katibawasan Falls, Soda Water Park, Tuasan Falls, Sto Niño Cold Spring, Ardent Hotspring
• --:00 PM - Back to accommodation/Dinner/Rest
• Day 3 - Camiguin Island Day 2
• 06:00 AM - Wake up call/breakfast
• 06:00 AM - Continue island exploration: Walkway to Old Volcano, Sunken Cemetery, Guiob Church Ruins
• 07:00 AM - White Island
• 09:00 AM - Mantigue Island
• 01:30 PM - Late lunch/Checkout
• 03:00 PM - ETD Benoni Port to Balingoan Port (2-hour ferry ride)
• 05:00 PM - ETD Balingoan Port to Agora Terminal, CDO (2-hour bus ride)
• 07:00 PM - Check-in to hotel/accommodation then dinner
• Day 4 - Bukidnon and Cagayan de Oro
• 06:00 AM - Wakeup call/Breakfast
• 06:00 AM - ETD Agora Terminal to Brgy. Dahilayan, Bukidnon (an hour or more travel time)
• 08:00 AM - Extreme Activities in Dahilayan Adventure Park
• 11:00 AM - Go back to CDO
• 12:30 PM - Lunchtime/Prepare for White Water Rafting
• 01:00 PM - White Water River Rafting
• 06:00 PM - Back to hotel/accommodation then dinner
• Day 5 - Cagayan de Oro and Going Home :(
• 07:00 AM - Wakeup call/Breakfast
• 07:30 AM - Optional: Mapawa Nature Park
• 07:30 AM - Optional: City Tour
• 12:00 NN - Lunchtime
• 03:30 PM - Prepare and pack up
• 04:00 PM - Visit Divin Mercy Shrine in El Salvador City (on the way to airport)
• 05:30 PM - ETA Laguindingan Airport

Chilling out in Sto. Niño Cold Spring

Expenses

Here's a breakdown of our expenses (per person in a group of 5 persons) during our trip. This only includes necessary expenses like fares, food, tour guides, entrance fees, and accommodations. Tips and other expenses like "pasalubong" are not included.

• Day 1: CDO and Iligan
• Fare (Van Rental from CDO-Iligan-CDO with tour): PhP 2900.00 / 5 = PhP 580.00
• Entrance Fee (Maria Cristina Falls): PhP 50.00
• Food (Lunch at Glorias Ihaw-Ihaw): PhP 160.00 
• Entrance Fee (Mimbalut Falls): PhP 25.00
• Entrance Fee (Donation in Tinago Falls): PhP 20.00
• Others (Bamboo raft in Tinago Falls and Life Vest): PhP 10.00 + PhP 20.00
• Food (Dinner at Agora Terminal): PhP 70.00 
• Accommodation (AC Room Win Min) PhP 1260.00 (good for 3) = PhP 420.00
• Total: PhP 1355.00

  Ihaw-ihaw and puso rice in Gloria's Ihaw-Ihaw, Iligan

• Day 2: CDO and Camiguin
• Food (Breakfast in Agora Terminal): PhP 100.00
• Fare (Van from Agora to Balingoan Port): PhP 100.00
• Fare (Terminal Fee in Balingoan Port): PhP 15.00 
• Fare (Ferry from Balingoan Port to Benoni Port, Camiguin): PhP 170.00
• Transport (2 Motorbike Rental for 24 hours): PhP 1200.00 / 5 =  PhP 240.00
• Transport (Gas for the 2 motorbikes): PhP 200.00 = PhP 40.00
• Food (Lunch in Guerrera Asian Restaurant): PhP 175.00
• Entrance Fee (Soda Water Park): PhP 30.00
• Entrance Fee (Sto Niño Cold Spring): PhP 30.00
• Food (Dinner at Luna Ristorante): PhP 700.00 / 5 = PhP 140.00
• Accommodation (AC Room near Paras Beach Resort): PhP 1500.00 / 5 = PhP 300.00
• Total: PhP 1340.00

  Riding in Camiguin
• Day 3: Camiguin and CDO
• Entrance Fee (Katibawasan Falls): PhP 30.00
• Transport (Extra Gas for 2 Motorbikes): PhP 150.00 / 5 = PhP 30.00
• Entrance Fee (Ardent Hotspring): PhP 30.00
• Food (Lunch at Ardent Hotspring): PhP 130.00
• Transport (Boat to White Island): PhP 450.00 / 5 = PhP 90.00
• Entrance Fee (Environmental fee for White Island): PhP 40.00
• Fare (Terminal Fee in Benoni Port): PhP 15.00 
• Fare (Ferry from Benoni Port to Balingoan Port): PhP 170.00
• Fare (Trike from Balingoan Port to Bus Terminal): PhP 8.00
• Fare (Bus going to Agora Terminal): PhP 85.00
• Accommodation  (AC Room Win Min) PhP 1260.00 (good for 3) = PhP 420.00
• Total: PhP 1048.00

  Sunset in Balingoan Port

• Day 4: Bukidnon and CDO
• Food (Breakfast in fast food in Agora Terminal): PhP 100.00
• Fare (Van Rental CDO-Bukidnon-CDO): PhP 2500.00 / 5 = PhP 500.00
• Activity (Zip Challenge Package in Dahilayan Adventure Park): PhP 1000.00
• Food (Lunch in fast food SM CDO) PhP 100.00
• Activity (White Water Rafting): PhP 1100.00
• Other (Photo and Video CD of the rafting): PhP 500 / 5 = PhP 100.00
• Food (Dinner in Divisoria): PhP 100.00
• Accommodation (Hotel near Divisoria): PhP 1500.00 / 5 = PhP 300.00
• Total: PhP 3300.00

  Divisoria in Cagayan de Oro



• Day 5: CDO
• Fare (Cogon Market): PhP 7.00
• Food (Breakfast at Humba ni Aling Violy): PhP 46.00
• Food (Sikwati and Puto Maya): PhP 20.00
• Fare (Cogon Market to Divisoria): PhP 8.00
• Fare (Van Rental CDO to Airport with side trip to Divine Mercy Shrine): PhP 150.00
• Total: PhP 231.00

  Durian, anyone?



• Total Expense: PhP 7274.00

What are you waiting for?