My former high school classmate who wanted to remain anonymous has emailed me numerous pics of his hiking adventures around some of these spectacular waterfalls which he visited. There were a bunch of these photos in his hard drive available so I decided to make them into a series of posts with his kind permission.

Unofficially Named Gollum Falls

You might be thinking about the movie "Lord of the Rings". Yes, that's right. The place or waterfalls can be found just above Dodiongan Falls at Barangay Kabacsanan, Iligan City, Lanao del Norte.

The place has been known to local residents for a long time but none have posted online photos of it, but only just recently by a non-local from somewhere. Since then, thrill seekers have much interest to go there. The guide, which my former classmate hired, is a local resident and the waterfalls is said to be his childhood playground.

The local guide! On the edge of the waterfalls! Photo taken from iphone 6 circa 2016

The guide is cleaning the pond, by removing logs and bamboo sticks floating. He is a local resident and he grew up playing around such a wonderful place for thrill seekers. Getting here would take some basic rock wall climbing for a few meters.

Photo taken from GE 3WP circa 2016.

The easiest way to find the waterfalls would be through here. Going down from that vertical rock wall and you'll be rewarded with a scenery less visited by mere mortals like us.

The Gollum Falls (Unofficial name) Photo taken from iphone 6 circa 2016

The pond at Gollum Falls. Photo from GE 3WP circa 2016

The view from the edge of Dodiongan Falls. Photo taken from iphone 6 circa 2016.

Just above Gollum Falls can be found another waterfall

Photo taken from GE 3WP circa 2016.

My former classmate's hands and body were clearly shaking whilst taking this photo. He's getting old and fat. The rock on the right, what do you see or imagine? Or it is just my classmate's wildest imagination or he must be suffering from dehydration.

He told me it resembles like a head of an alien, with sharp chin, complete with small mouth, nose, and eyes.

Well, he must be really scared. The fact that the place is located at Barangay Kabacsanan. Kabacsanan is a local word which mean "pythons' place" in English.

Locals don't call the place if they really don't mean it. Do they?

Along your way to and from the falls you'll be greeted with some occasional bees. They can smell the odor of your sweat. But, if in any instances you'll be stung by the bees, just ask the locals to find you a grass named "makahiya plant". Get the leaves and squash it and extract the juice and put it where the bee stung the part of the body. The guide did taught us about it.

All photos provided courtesy of bike2waterfallsphilippines

Follow me as @darthnava: "Just post and be imaginative always!"

bilalhaider