Guiritsan and Miagos Falls, Igbaras: The Two Ways In and the Weather Call
Guiritsan and Miagos sit in the mountain corridor above Igbaras, Iloilo. Plan the local registration, guide, road and weather decisions before entering the falls.
Guiritsan and Miagos are two waterfalls in Barangay Igcabugao, Igbaras, in the mountains of southern Iloilo where the town meets Tubungan. Guiritsan is the big one, a wide staircase of rock pouring into blue pools; Miagos is a narrower cascade about 20 minutes further in. Getting there takes a jeep or car out of Iloilo City, a habal-habal up the mountain road, a registration desk, a local guide and about an hour on foot. Rain upstream decides if you go in at all.
Guiritsan Falls · Barangay Igcabugao, Igbaras, Iloilo · 10.8247° N, 122.2190° E · Checked 28 October 2026
Guiritsan · Igbaras
Two ways in, one weather call
Tap a route or a falls.
Mohon jeep, then habal
Via Igbaras
From Mohon Terminal in Iloilo City, a jeep to Igbaras town ran ₱60 to ₱80 in 2023. From the poblacion a habal-habal to Barangay Igcabugao was ₱150 to ₱200. Register at the Igbaras Municipal Tourism Office at the town hall, (033) 331 0820.
Up through Igtuble
Via Tubungan
Many visitors come in from the Tubungan side, up the switchback road through Igtuble, and register at the Tubungan tourism desk. Tubungan is about 40 km from Iloilo City; a private car takes about an hour.
Small bills
Fees
In June 2023 the Igbaras environmental fee was ₱25 and the Igcabugao barangay fee ₱30, with guides at ₱500 for a day trek. No 2026 rate has been published. Carry small bills and confirm at the desk.
Broad rock tiers
Guiritsan
The bigger of the two: water spreading across a wide staircase of rock into blue pools. Expect about an hour of trekking from the jump-off to the first falls, longer after rain.
A narrow cascade
Miagos
About 20 minutes on from Guiritsan, a tighter falls stepping down through forest. The pools look shallow and are not; let the guide decide where you swim.
The deciding factor
Weather
Rain upstream raises the river before it reaches you. A habagat landslide killed a man in Tubungan on 12 July 2026. Cancel if clouds are building over the mountains.
Checked October 28, 2026.
Guiritsan and Miagos: what you are walking to
From above, the two falls read as one corridor of water cut into grassy, steep-sided hills. Guiritsan spreads across a broad sequence of rock shelves before dropping into its pool. Miagos sits deeper in the forest, a thin line of water stepping down a narrow gorge into smaller pools. Water volume changes with the season: the same rock can look gentle in April and dangerous in August.
How to get to Guiritsan Falls from Iloilo City
Through Igbaras town. Take a jeep from Mohon Terminal in Iloilo City to Igbaras, about ₱60 to ₱80 in 2023. Register at the Municipal Tourism Office in the town hall on Rizal Street, then hire a habal-habal up to Igcabugao, about ₱150 to ₱200. If you arrive by air, the Iloilo airport guide covers the first leg into the city.
Through Tubungan. Many visitors approach from the Tubungan side, up the switchback road through Barangay Igtuble, and register at the Tubungan tourism desk. Tubungan is about 40 km from Iloilo City, around an hour by private car or longer by jeep.
Road conditions change with rain and repairs. Confirm with the tourism office or your guide on the morning of the trip which vehicle can reach the drop-off.
Entrance fees and guides
| Amount | As of | |
|---|---|---|
| Igbaras environmental fee | ₱25 | June 2023 |
| Barangay Igcabugao fee | ₱30 | June 2023 |
| Local guide, day trek | ₱500 | June 2023 |
| Habal-habal, Igbaras town to Igcabugao | ₱150 to ₱200 | June 2023 |
No 2025 or 2026 rate card has been published for these falls, so treat those figures as a floor and carry small bills. Call the Igbaras Municipal Hall at (033) 331 0820 to check fees and whether the trail is open. Take the guide. The useful one knows which crossing is safe after rain and when to turn around.
Weather decides the trip
Do not go into the gorge during heavy rain, right after a downpour, or when dark cloud is building over the upper watershed. Flash floods arrive before the rain reaches where you stand. The corridor is steep and landslide prone: a habagat landslide killed a resident in Barangay Nagba, Tubungan on 12 July 2026. The drier months from about February to April are the safer bet.
- Trail or water shoes with real grip, not slippers
- A dry bag for phone, wallet and a change of clothes
- Drinking water and a packed lunch
- Cash in small bills for fees and the ride back
- No jumping from ledges: pool depth changes with silt and rock
- Pack out everything you bring in
The Tubungan side and Mt. Tambara
If the gorge is closed, the mountain road is still a strong day. From the Igtuble side the ridges and the sharp peak of Mt. Tambara fill the horizon, and the jump-off for the Tambara hike is in Sitio Baldan, Igtuble, a climb of about an hour. The summit is open and slippery in rain.
Plan the day
| Plan | Best for | Key call |
|---|---|---|
| Falls only | Hikers who want time at both Guiritsan and Miagos | Start early; keep the turnaround time |
| Falls plus Tubungan ridges | Strong hikers with a car and a dry forecast | Confirm both access points before leaving the city |
| Ridges plus Guimbal | Mixed groups, or a wet day | Keep the mountain views, then drop to the coast |
South Iloilo has more for a second day: Miagao Church, Guimbal on the coast and Garin Farm in San Joaquin. The Iloilo City guide covers where to stay.
An hour on foot, a river crossing, and a turn back if the rain comes: keep going, but carefully. The Padayon tee says the first half.
Suroy Wear · Statement Series
Frequently asked questions
Where is Guiritsan Falls?
In Barangay Igcabugao, Igbaras, Iloilo, near the boundary with Tubungan, at about 10.825° N, 122.219° E.
How do you get to Guiritsan Falls from Iloilo City?
Take a jeep from Mohon Terminal to Igbaras, then a habal-habal to Igcabugao, or approach by car through Igtuble in Tubungan. Register at the tourism desk first.
How much is the entrance fee to Guiritsan Falls?
The last published figures, from June 2023, were a ₱25 Igbaras environmental fee and a ₱30 barangay fee, with guides at ₱500 a day. Confirm with Igbaras Municipal Hall at (033) 331 0820.
Do you need a guide for Guiritsan Falls?
Yes. A local guide knows the crossings and when the river is rising, and is the person who calls the turnaround.
How long is the hike to Guiritsan and Miagos Falls?
About an hour from the jump-off to Guiritsan, then about 20 minutes more to Miagos, longer when the trail is wet.
Fees, fares and contacts checked 28 October 2026. Aerial photographs by Suroy.ph.
