Getting Around Iligan City

Listen! clikity clak...clickity clak...did you hear that!

Way before the jeepney, the Iligan tartanilla or "kalesa" (horse-drawn carriage) was the Philippines' king of the road. This is only available at Iligan's Old Road from Ubalda de Laya Ext through Brgy. Tambacan

The route will pass Pala-o Supermarket, School of the deaf - Iligan, City Centre, Shopping Areas, Ancestral house, Restaurants, Tambacan Bridge etc.

The Kutsero (driver) will collect 6 pesos for the said trip within Ubaldo-Laya to Brgy Tambacan or it can be hired depending with the arrangements. the said carriage can accomodate 4-6 passengers.

try this now!

In recent years, the number of taxis in Iligan City has increased. Another transportation option for those who prefer not to take the jeepney (which has fixed routes) and go straight to their destination.

When I was younger, there were only minicas (very compact vehicles) but those were phased out in the 90s and taxis have taken their place. Ask first how much you are being charged for the trip (drivers rarely use meter) so there are no surprises.

There's no commercial airport in Iligan, so no direct flights. You have to land at Cagayan de Oro airport, and travel by land to Iligan City, which is 88kms away.

Several carriers regularly fly from Manila to CdO, like Philippine Airlines, Air Philippines and Cebu Pacific. Check out the airlines' websites for details on schedules and fares.

A very common mode of transportation in Iligan is the jeepney (jip). Most places are accessible by jip. The routes would converge in the city proper. Just ask anyone in the streets and they will direct you to where you can wait for the right one.

Fare as of 12/06 is P6.50 for regular passengers and P5.25 for students and senior citizens. Unlike in Manila, drivers in Iligan don't complain if you pay just P6.00. :)

based in cagayan de oro, we opted to hire a van to go to iligan to check out the waterfalls- maria cristina and tinago. we paid 3,500 for a whole day trip. picked up from our hotel at 6AM and brought back to our hotel at 7PM. i highly recommend to hire a van instead esp. if you are a big group because you will save time, maria cristina viewpoint is far from highway, tinago is very very far from highway and the road is rocky. tinago is tagong-tago kaya you need talaga your own car to go there and to wait for you after. forget about commuting. the van is new, roomy and drives smoothly. other notable equally stunning waterfalls in iligan are dodiongan and limunsudan but with the distance and road condition going there, it is not advisable when you only have limited time in the city. the beauty of maria cristina and tinago alone will take much of your time. other waterfalls are better explored the following day. be cautioned you will only see the full glory of the twin falls maria and cristina during weekends for a swift 15 minutes only between 11:00 to 11:15 for public viewing purposes. the rest of the day and the week, only maria will fall and cristina dries up. weird, isn't it? go find out yourself why.

Tartanilla - is how we call kalesas in Iligan City.
These tartanillas still goa round the city but not allowed in the major streets. You can find these modes of transpo in the Pala-o area, close to the public market.

If you have the time, take the boat from Manila to Iligan or any province serviced by commercial ships. This creates a slow and gradual transition from the busy pace of Manila to the province (also works the other way). If you have company, get the Suite or Stateroom so your property will be secure, and you get the special meal (not bad!), can request for hot/cold water, ref and TV inside the room and your own bathroom.

The sunrise/sunset is also very nice in the middle of the sea. :)

***Boats to Iligan City have a stopover in Visayas (Bacolod, Iloilo, Bohol).

If you like you can also take a bicycle with you. And if you like to take a deep breath away from the city, you can go to some scenic waterfalls around the city with a bicycles with you but everyone should be careful in driving as the main highways is not too wide.