The Travelling Feet

Have you ever seen sea turtles swimming in the wild? I have. But normally, I’d have to look down 30 feet deep with my eyeballs almost popping out then squinting them carefully every now and then to find these elusive creatures swimming in the bottomless reef of Moalboal. Sometimes, I’d silently pray and hope that luck would be on my side just to catch a glimpse of those wonderful creatures. So when an opportunity presented itself to visit a remote island in the Visayas region known as the Apo Island just to see sea turtles, I didn’t think twice and said yes to the invitation. Only 2 of us were supposed to join a family of [free]divers on their quest to discover Apo Island. But after word got out of this road trip down south of Cebu to cross the Tañon Strait to get to Apo Island, more friends enlisted on that small expedition.

After carefully planning everything, eight individuals (Nayki, Rapzkie, Johnn, Earl, Cynthia, Rowell, Carl and I) went on a 2-hr road trip on a cloudless Friday night and headed for the town of Dalaguete. Thanks to Tita Maharlika’s generosity, though feeling bad she couldn’t join us, we got the chance to borrow their SUV and cruised the eastern side of Cebu to their home in Dalaguete where we would be resting for a few hours before heading south to Negros. By 10 pm, we arrived safely at their place and was greeted with videoke by Doc Edwin and his family.

Cynthia and Johnn singing; Earl preparing for bedtime

Our Argentinian friend, Cynthia, and Johnn immediately grabbed the microphone and started belting out songs to their heart’s content. The rest of the gang settled in comfortably too.

Kung Fu Panda noodles

We had to wake up at 4am and leave at 5am to catch the 7am ferry boat that will bring us to the island of Negros. But instead of sleeping immediately to get a good night’s rest, we found ourselves walking towards the 24-hr restaurant in the town and feasted on batchoy, which Cynthia refers to as Kung Fu Panda noodles, to feed our hungry tummies. It was only after 12 that some of us considered getting sleep.

Just before my phone started sounding the alarm clock, I was awakened by the sudden pang of hunger caused by the strong aroma of cooked dried fish. While the stinking scent was irritatingly appetizing, some of us, those who were not accustomed to such vile stench, thought otherwise. hehehe. But the heavy odor was very useful in waking up everyone to make it in time for our 7am deadline. So after preparing all the things we needed to bring for our great Apo Island freediving adventure, a party of 11 adults and 2 kids on board 2 cars pulled out of the Fonghe family’s garage and started driving south towards Santander, the southern tip of Cebu, before heading over to Bato, Samboan (the next town after Santander on the western side of Cebu).

The drive from Dalaguete to Samboan took us 2 hours. We even almost didn’t make it because of a huge tree that got uprooted from the previous night’s rain, which blocked the highway  at the town of Oslob. When we arrived at the port of the Lite Shipping company in Bato, Samboan at exactly 7am, we thought the ferry left without us.

Lite Shipping ferry boat from Bato, Samboan to Tampi, Amlan

We let out a sigh of relief after learning that it’s still in the middle of the sea and will just be a little delayed. Whew! We were supposed to meet up with Edcel at that port but it seemed that he’ll be delayed too and had to find his way to Apo Island instead if he couldn’t catch up with us on time.

inside the ferry boat

As soon as the ferry unloaded its passengers and cargo, we started rolling over the cars inside the boat and headed to the passenger’s deck admiring the clear waters and the fishes swimming beside the boat before it steered away and cruised towards Negros Island. We paid P500 per SUV. That’s P1000 for the 2 SUVs on the one-way RORO trip from Bato to Tampi inclusive of all 13 passengers

arriving at Tampi wharf at Amlan, Negros Oriental

After 40 minutes of crossing the Tañon Strait, we docked at the Tampi wharf in Amlan, Negros Oriental. After skillfully rolling off the cars from the ferry, we started cruising the road of Amlan and Sibulan and made way for Dauin passing by Dumaguete City. We didn’t know where we were going but with the help of a Google Maps app, we smoothly navigated the road going to Apo Island.

signage leading to the jump-off point for Apo Island

Once we entered the town of Zamboanguita, we started paying attention to the road signage in case we missed the marker for Apo Island. When we spotted what we were looking for, we made a left turn and entered the road going to the Malatapay Tabo Market.

I expected to see a busy road filled with locals selling different goods but we only saw empty cottages that lined up the street of the market. I later learned that the market only comes to life every Wednesdays. At the end of the road, we got a glimpse of the sea and finally reached the jump off point going to Apo Island.

Malatapay Port

There was a wide parking area available and as soon as we parked our cars, we went to check on the boat rates going to Apo Island. A large boat costs 3000 and is good for 8-9 heads whereas a medium boat costs 2000 and is good for 4-5 heads. The second car somehow got lost so while waiting for our other companions, I scanned Malatapay’s beach to see what kind of boats they have and to also check on the waves.

the waves of Malatapay Beach

When I saw the waves splashing through the black sandy beach of Malatapay, I realized that we’re really going to experience a rough ride when going to the island. I’ve read from blogs online that travellers going to Apo would have to brace themselves for huge waves. I never fully understood what that meant until I saw the waves for myself. From a distance, I could see white caps, an indication of strong currents ahead of us. I snickered silently at the thought of us going through those waves. I found the idea of holding on to the boat rails too amusing and blocked any thoughts of the possibility of the boat capsizing along the way. Well actually I did and thoughts of wearing my fins ahead entered my mind…just in case. hehe

having brunch before we go to Apo Island

When the rest of the gang arrived, we decided to take our brunch at one of the eateries in the area before we set sail for the island. We haven’t really had the chance to eat a proper breakfast except for some bread we ate before leaving Dalaguete. Now that I think of it as of writing this, eating that time would have been a bad idea  before riding the boat going to Apo Island with a full stomach as it’s a sure way to get the boat flooded with puke for those with sensitive senses. hehehe. But since we were too excited to swim once we reach the island, we decided it’s best to eat first.

Edcel, the one who got left behind was already on his way to Malatapay so to avoid wasting time, we let the bigger boat leave ahead. The rest of us waited impatiently for our friend. 15 minutes after the 1st boat left, our friend arrived and after he bought food for breakfast, we immediately climbed our boat and started the swell ride to Apo Island.

the boat ride going to Apo Island

Our boatman had to secure our bags inside the boat before letting us climb in. The tide was at its peak during that time and it was impossible not to get wet while climbing aboard our boat. I even had to grab the hand of the boat crew to avoid slipping and falling off. Once we were all settled, Edcel started eating his food (rice+dish) while the boatman steered the boat away from the shore with its engine roaring to life as it started heading for the island.

Not long after we left the shore, big waves greeted us. We were like riding a roller coaster and each of us had to get a good grip of any stable thing we could find to avoid falling off from our seats. I was seated on the front part of the boat and I had a clear view of the huge waves that were heading towards us. Then out of the blue, each of us got splashed with sea water. The wavy ride was really something. Suddenly, Edcel was getting free salt juice to what he was chowing down. And since I was seated at the front part of the boat, I had to concede to the sea’s outbursts and welcomed the free salty shower with open arms.

My companions and I had to endure the generous cross fire of the sea for the next 45 minutes. We didn’t mind. We’ve come a long way after driving almost non-stop for 16 hours from Cebu City to Apo Island for one thing only…to go swimming and freediving with sea turtles. And as soon as we got near the docking area, we immediately saw sea turtles swimming on waist deep waters welcoming our arrival. The sight of those sea creatures lifted our spirits and we instantly knew we landed in paradise.

Up next…

The road trip route from  Cebu City to Apo Island…

A) Cebu City B) Dalaguete stop-over c) Bato, Samboan port
D) Tampi Wharf, Amlan, Negros E) Malatapay Market F) Apo Island

Fresh from our quick stop-over at the neighboring town of Boljoon, we impatiently waited for a bus that will take us to that famous junction at the town of Dalaguete. We were on our way to conquer Cebu’s highest peak, the Osmeña Peak.

This was my third climb in a span of one year. The first one happened November 2011 where I joined three of my friends on a spur-of-the-moment trek to witness the scenic and captivating view of O’Peak, as well as the mountain ranges that surround it. I’m not really a mountain person (if there’s even such word) but the moment I learned that my friend was summiting Cebu’s highest point, I could almost feel my feet clapping in excitement while my shoulders giggled at the thought of joining him and friends to accomplish what I thought would be an extreme adventure of a lifetime.

Osmeña Peak, rising more than 1000 meters above sea level, is considered to be the highest peak in the province of Cebu. The peak is a favorite trekking destination among campers and mountaineers. Although the actual climb starting from the foot of the mountain is not entirely that difficult, the trail going there proves to be more challenging.

There are different entry points to reach O’Peak but the common one is through that junction at the town of Dalaguete, southwest of Cebu. We had to endure the deafening chorus of habal-habal drivers who persistently convinced us to hire them for the 30-minute ride to Mantalongon, the small village that houses Cebu’s rooftop. Soon after, we found ourselves cruising uphill while traversing the winding road leading to Mantalongon. Though 95% of the road is well-paved, it won’t guarantee a sore less ride, not to mention the chance of rolling down deep into ravines if extra caution is not practiced.

We knew we were almost near the village when the temperature suddenly dropped and the cold wind started kissing our naked skin. During the cold and wet season, temperature even drops to as low as 18 degrees Celsius. Because of the cool weather in this side of Cebu, the signage that says “Summer Capital of Cebu” greeted us as we reached the village. In fact, Mantalongon is also dubbed as the “little Baguio of Cebu”. It’s also safe to coin it as Cebu’s vegetable capital since majority of Cebu’s vegetables are grown here.

It won’t be another 15 minutes before we reached the foot of the peak when we asked a habal-habal driver to take us all the way to the foot of the mountain during our third trek. We were pressed with time, you see, and we might not witness the enchanting beauty of the sunset. But on my first attempt to conquer O’Peak, my friends and I decided to embark on that 2-hour scenic trek to also witness how simple life unfolded in that quaint town.

The road leading to the foot of the mountain is covered with white limestone rocks. It’s a guaranteed butt-numbing ride via a habal-habal but the 2-hour trek is even more tiresome as we walked up and down hills before reaching the base of the mountain on a hot afternoon. I guess the only consolation to subjecting ourselves to that agony was the chance of meeting friendly locals on the way while admiring the beauty of the mountain ranges that revealed their exquisite shapes as we got nearer.

Before starting off the real climb, we asked kids to point us to where we can refill our supply of water as access to fresh water is nearby. What we didn’t expect was meeting the most stubborn creature that delayed our trek. A cow blocked our way. No matter what we tried, it won’t budge and won’t allow access to the trail behind him. Turned out we were headed the wrong way. I could almost imagine the cow scoffing at four idiots who tried to cow-talk him to invade his private space.

After getting side-tracked, my friends and I started the 30-minute climb to reach the summit. The trek was not difficult. However, the easy climb may be a challenge when the heavens decide to shower the vast vegetation in Mantalongon. One must be prepared for that muddy and slippery trek. Zero visibility is not far from happening too. But on regular days, the mountain trail is visible, rocks that form the trail becomes handy as they provide a good grip for wandering soles.

Before we knew it, we’ve already reached the top. Standing on Cebu’s highest Peak fattened our hearts with pride as we finally made it to the summit. Wherever we look, the magnificent karst topography greeted our weary body and refreshed our exhausted spirits. The vast mountain ranges that extend beyond the horizon are reminiscent of the Chocolate Hills in Bohol except that those in O’Peak have pointed hilltops. On a clear day, one will get a glimpse of the neighboring island of Negros and a peek below shows off Badian Island, famed for its pristine beach, and Pescador Island, a diving haven for underwater enthusiasts.

No words could describe how lucky and happy all of us felt when we reached the captivating and breathtaking view of Osmeña Peak. Watch out for the unforgiving cold wind though as it takes joy in teasing curious trekkers, sending shivers of goose bumps all over for that dramatic touch.

South of where we were standing, dark clouds started gliding towards us threatening to ruin our chances of kissing the sun goodnight at Cebu’s highest summit. By this time, the chilling wind whispered caution to our freezing ears to start heading back before the entire peak gets covered with fog and rain. We unwillingly accepted defeat. We gave up too easily and declared it was time to head back to the village for our own safety.

Osmeña Peak welcomes anyone who wishes to call upon her. The easy climb to see her is a clear gesture of her warm reception. All she asks in return is that you treat her with care and she’ll surely return the favor. The experience of summiting Cebu’s highest peak will not only leave you breathless but will surely rejuvenate your soul.

January’s almost over and am still talking about Christmas presents, and this time it’s the gift of climbing Osmena Peak. Anyway, this is the last installment of my Best Christmas Gift series wherein I received the perfect gifts last Christmas of 2011. For the benefit of those who have not read the 1st two posts, I got the perfect gifts last Christmas in the form of travel adventures. I never imagined I would end the year swimming with whale sharks in Oslob or be transported back in time as my friends and I did the Boljoon Heritage walk and almost jumped off the boardwalk and swam in the town plaza of Boljoon. What’s more crazy is climbing Cebu’s highest peak, the Osmeña Peak in Mantalungon, Dalaguete, Cebu, again! And this is what this last series is all about, my second climb to Osmeña Peak.

Now that I am composing this post, I couldn’t help scratch the back of my head and chuckle as I recall what we just did last December. It was by far the most exhillirating and adventurous trip I did in my entire life. char! For a day, we visited three towns in the south of Cebu where crazy adventures awaited us. Without considering the possibility of those whale sharks in Oslob mistaking us for food, we carelessly carefully swam the seawaters of Oslob to get up close and personal with those whale sharks. Seeing the heritage sites of Boljoon allowed us the chance to get a glimpse of our past. And then the climb…

The Perfect Gift # 3

Climbing Osmeña Peak

Honestly, I have no idea what I was thinking on why I agreed to climb Osmeña Peak again. Last November 2011, my friends and I climbed the peak for the first time and I almost didn’t make it to the top due to an injury which I’ll share in another post But I guess my travelling feet are just too stubborn and never hesitated the invitation to climb the peak again

my turtle pace. care to guess who reached the peak last?

The plan was to make sure we reached the top of the peak before sunset. After doing the Boljoon heritage walk, we travelled to Mantalungon, Dalaguete using our other companion’s SUV. Free ride! Wohooo! I’m happy that we were able to save a few bucks  (P95) with that free ride up to the jump off point of the climb

L-R: moi, edcel c. and sheena, christine, cris, edcel s. and andrew

It normally takes 1.5 – 2.5 hours to reach the peak depending on your pace. But since we were dropped off half-way down the trail, we were able to cut the time in hiking to reach the top. We could have asked to be dropped off at the foot of the peak where we could reach the top in 30 minutes but some of my companions wanted to hike. I originally planned to start the trek from the foot of the peak too to avoid what happened on my first climb but since majority of the group wanted to hike, the rest of those who wanted to follow the shorter trek were led to believed that that was the start of the short climb Am just glad no one complained why it took them more than 30 minutes to reach the peak. peace!

Trivia: All cities/towns/village/barangays in the Philippines have their own basketball courts and this small village in Mantalungon, Dalaguete, Cebu is no exception

And since I’m travelling with my fellow Pinoy Travel Bloggers, we couldn’t help make unscheduled stops to take photos of the place and of themselves (me not included )

stop-overs like this extends the trek time

foot of Osmena Peak where it will take 30 minutes to reach the top

During this time, the trail was not dry. It wasn’t too muddy either but enough to make you slip in case you don’t watch your step.

Reaching Osmeña Peak

This makeshift bamboo pole gate is the entrance to the peak. You need to pay P20 per head but since this was our second time, Ed tried his haggling skills with the kids guarding the entrance and was able to get a P5 discount for each head. Besides, those kids still remembered us not because we climbed there the month before but because of my epic injury. hahaha

Lo and behold! The highest peak in Cebu, the Osmena Peak!

There are quite a number of peaks in there and one can’t help wonder which peak is really the highest. I wonder if they measured its height. If you are familiar with the Chocolate Hills of Bohol, you will notice that they looked kinda similar. The only difference is that this one’s pointed whereas the Chocolate Hills in Bohol are round-shaped. These pointed mountain ranges are also visible from Moalboal if you are on your way to Pescador Island and you can also see Cebu’s neighboring islands – Bohol and Negros from the top.

one of our death-defying stunts to climb each mini peak just to have our own spots

Osmeña Peak offers different magnificent sights for your eyes to feast on. All you need to do is make a 360-degree turn and you will witness one of God’s wonders I’m sorry if I can’t describe it properly You just have to be there to see for yourself. hehehe.

guess who took the picture…definitely not me

the reason of our choice of time to climb Osmena Peak – S-U-N-S-E-T!

Edgar levitated! (no camera trick here)

the best way to watch the sunset

group pic before the fog ate the entire peak

Tips on the descent from the Osmeña Peak

As soon as the sunset was over, the entire place was covered with fog. Some of us were shivering due to the sudden drop of the temperature. We had to collect all our stuff and hurry our way down the mountain. It was dark and foggy and not all were able to bring  a flashlight. Some of our companions had to make do with the built-in flashlights in their cellphones. Some relied on the person infront of them who’s got a  flashlight. The others had to keep up with the kid-guide who was leading the way.

The descent is not really that scary unless the trail is muddy. In our case, it wasn’t. But the ground was not dry too so there were some parts of the trail where it was really slippery.

You just have to be careful and watch where your foot lands. It is also best to remember the trail when climbing up as you will need that memory when descending from the peak. If you are not sure where your feet lands or how stable the soil is, it’s best to just sit and glide to avoid any accidents.

Also make sure you have a buddy with you when you descend since you will be needing each other’s support in case either one slips. Your buddy will also come in handy when showing you the pathway or letting you know the sudden change in the trail.

our thankful faces after reaching the foot of the peak unscathed awoooooo!

Although I just climbed oPeak a month ago, the trek to the top still did not fail to make me say “huwaw!”, “nice!” or silently smile at the beauty that unfolded in front of me. What’s more fulfilling was hearing my companion’s, who were also first-timers to climb the peak, positive remarks about the whole climb, the whole trip for that matter. It made my heart glow with joy and made me more proud to be a Cebuano as they witnessed the majesty of one of my province’ hidden gems.

Travel Essentials to Climb Osmeña Peak

• drinking water (there’s a fresh water at the foot of the mountain where you can refill your water bottles if you want to)
• flashlight – a must if you are descending at night
• jacket or sweater
• food in case you get hungry (ie. bread, chips, banana, biscuits)
• change clothes (optional)
• sunblock to protect you from the sun’s rays (optional depending on how OC you are. LOL. )

What to Wear

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This is Part 3 of my Best Christmas Gift series where me and a couple of my friends from my Pinoy Travel Bloggers group went on a day trip to the south of Cebu to experience 3 amazing adventures. To checkout Part 1 and Part 2 of this series, visit the link below 

Part I: The Best Christmas Present: Swimming with Whale Sharks
Part II: The Best Christmas Present: Boljoon Heritage Walk

For more photos of the Osmena Peak climb, check out the FB Page here.