The Majesty of Cathedral Falls

Amazing Panorama of Rocks and Water

Lanao del Norte is known for its myriad of bodies of water, especially its magnificent falls. Let’s skip the household names like the Maria Cristina Falls for now, though, and check out one other tourist-perfect body of water — the Cathedral Falls.

Located in Barangay Waterfalls (yes, the barangay is actually called that) in the municipality of Kapatagan, Cathedral Falls is famous for its amazing rock formations. It’s like something straight from a movie — a powerful gush of white water streaming from the cliff face, falling to a pool that’s just begging for a swim. The water may not be clear at times, nonetheless, it is still tempting to swim in there. But to be on the safe side, I would prefer not want to swim especially when there’s no life jacket. The falls itself is about 35 feet high, and was said to be first discovered by a tourist around the 1940s.

On either side of the falls itself, the rock formations come straight out of a Hollywood movie. The tall columns of rock fused with each other form interesting patterns, and are broken in several places by the lush growth of trees. The rocks are reminiscent of those pipe organs found in cathedrals, hence the name. They seem to be basalt columns.

I first visited Cathedral Falls with some friends, and I immediately fell in love with it. I visited the falls again with my wife and kids about a year later. Around this time, the falls had already gained popularity thanks to social media, but it still hasn’t turned into that touristy place. At least the number of visitors flocking to it is not that much, and not even enough to cause any negative environmental impact. Hopefully it could be kept that way!

When we went there, we felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. The Cathedral Falls experience is a very relaxing one, and is perfect for whether you want a little fun with nature or just a quiet time away from the city. Imagine it — aside from the joyful conversations of your companions, the only other things you will hear is the continuous splash of falling water.

One great thing with Cathedral Falls is that it’s not a hassle to reach. It’s just around 5 minutes drive from the highway, and the trek is pleasurable – passing through small village and rice fields. Because of this, it’s the perfect detour especially for motorists going to Kapatagan. The falls is a perfect pit stop, if you’re looking for something to refresh you on your journey.

If you’re on a commute, the falls is still within easy reach. If you’re coming from Iligan, you can take a bus to Pagadian and get off at the Kapatagan Terminal. There are habal-habal motorcycles and tricycles that will take you to Cathedral Falls. It only takes a little under 20 minutes to get there, and the fare is a measly PHP 15 each.

Cathedral Falls is just one of the many treasures in Lanao del Norte that, while not really hidden, has managed to stay out of the radar of the throngs of tourists. Hence, it still presents a pure nature experience to anyone who would see it. And don’t forget to take a sweeping picture of the falls’ amazing panorama of rocks and water!